ACTION Shuttles outsourced to Deanes

Started by Bus 400, February 26, 2009, 04:36:16 PM

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Bus 400

A note has been placed on the ACTION website that Deanes will be providing the show specials for the first time ever (as far as I know). This note was only put up this afternoon, even though the notice has been on the website for a few weeks & the Official Show Guide tells you to take ACTION.

Quote
Canberra Show

Catch a bus to the Canberra Show. Bus services depart from all bus interchanges. Find out more...

Please note: Special services to the Canberra Show will be provided by DEANE'S. Look for Dean's / Transborder buses when catching a bus to Show this weekend.

Which makes me wonder why this sudden change?

Buzz Killington

Very strange indeed.. They had ACTION timetables for shuttles on there the other day. And Deanes are suddenly doing the shuttles to the Super 14 too...

Wonder whats going on here? Are ACTION short on buses or drivers or something?


Buzz Killington


Buzz Killington

Also interesting to note that the Canberra Show Shuttles will now attract a fare ($3 adult, $1.50 concession, cash only) whilst the Brumbies Shuttles will not.

Bus 400

I wonder how Deanes/Transborder will cope with these 2 jobs? As ACTION would normally have all artics out & a few others out. Also Deanes don't have that many low level buses for the elderly. I just hope that no one takes it out on ACTION drivers as they are only after safety.

But I hope that this gets sorted out & if I was going to the show I would still take ACTION via 5/51/51/56/58/59/956/958.

But I am wondering if the ACTION drivers who are members on this forum could give us their side of the story?

Buzz Killington

Only the odd shuttle is serviced by a low-floor anyways. The majority are artics.

If any drivers do want to give us their story I suggest you submit it via email or private message so I can relay.

Bus 400

But our buses are only 2/3 small steps & not like getting into a coach.

But of course the drivers shouldn't post directly as those ACTION spies are out.

Snorzac

Damn, I was hoping to get an artic to the show. Do you think 956/958s will score artics?

Busnerd

THERE ARE NO ACTION SPIES!

YOU ARE AN IDIOT!

We are well aware that staff from action read both this board and the ATDB, we've been aware of that for years! We have nothing to hide, we are not doing anything wrong, we are chatting about our local bus company and our community, there is nothing wrong with that, as long as no one posts any secret information or purposely badmouths them, there is nothing to worry about, they don't care, so stop saying there are spies out to see what we say about them, considering most of what we say is neutral comments anyway, and any negative things said are said so on an opinionative basis.

Bus 400

Ok I'll stop now. I have a feeling that they may take the artics out depending on the loadings on Friday or what pressure Deanes has on Saturday morning.

But I hope that this gets sorted out otherwise more people may take to driving to the games & Canberra Show in weekends to come.

seat cover

staff from many companies read this and other forums to gain a public perception into the industry and their operation

Irisbus Rider

Back to the topic, congratulations to Deanes for scoring this gig, hopefully it will be the start of the Deanes Transit group getting those bigger charter jobs in the ACT.

I'm sure they'll cope, TBX have many vehicles with seating capacity over 55, so do Deanes, it should be a good weekend!

Bus 400

But really what other choice did they have? Would the reason behind the sudden price jump to the show is because normally the ACT Government would pay for the ACTION buses, but is not paying for Deanes?

Busnerd

Quote from: seat cover on February 26, 2009, 09:07:21 PM
staff from many companies read this and other forums to gain a public perception into the industry and their operation
Did I not basically say that above

MrPC

Transborder have some very swanky low floor coaches, and if I'm not mistaken, their depot is in Mitchell, slightly closer than the Deanes depot for the purposes of Belconnen and City shuttles, not to mention the show.

Given that ACTION shuttles between Civic and Bruce Stadium use Northbourne and Mouat without actually stopping to set down passengers, one wonders why they don't just use Barry Drive and Gunghalin Drive.  It'd save a bit of fuel methinks, and some time too.  Would Deanes think of doing that or just use the same route that ACTION has persisted with over the years?

As for nobody knowing which bus goes where when leaving the stadium, well, derr, that'd be because none of the ACTION drivers could be arsed putting something other than "SPECIAL" up on their destos.  The Belconnen and Tuggeranong buses would be piss easy to put destos up for, and surely most of the suburban club shuttles are going to suburbs where ACTION buses either do or once did terminate and thus most should be able to put a desto up for.  They could even "gasp" put up supplementary desto boards in the front window or side window to assist in cases where the destination isn't obvious or can't be put on the usual board.  IMHO it's the lazy ACTION drivers that are "Special".

Snorzac

As long as Deanes 43, 55, 92, 93 or 94 aren't doing the charters I will get them. Unless there is an artic that is.

Bus 400

Or with the digital destos-maybe the new ones writing up destos could put up:

"Belconnen" "Footy Special" or "Gungahlin" Footy Special" or "Tuggeranong" "Footy Special" "Woden" "City" "Footy Special" & depending on the event just change the word footy to whatver-Skyfire, Australia Day, Royal Show, etc

This is a hint for Busnerd

Busnerd

The desto's already have those in them.

Bus 400


MrPC

Quote from: TP 3000 on February 26, 2009, 09:47:13 PM
I've never seen them used.

Indeed.  I see the drivers cycle past Stadium - Brumbies Special; Stadium - Raiders Special etc on the roller destos whenever they are changing desto at Civic, but when the buses actually are running Raiders or Brumbies specials, they don't actually put that up on the desto.  They just set it to "SPECIAL" and let the passengers guess.

Bus 400

#21
There are alot of destinations on the rollers that aren't used anymore but should be & when I start at ACTIO I'll use them.

Irisbus Rider

Just realised something, ABC have called Mr Tom Elliott a "Spokesperson" ha ha. Someone (everyone) at the ABC keeds a kick up the bum for that.

Buzz Killington


Bus 400

Well I just listened to the audio & nothing new about article. Except that Deanes may be stuck on Saturday night where ACTION may ask Murray's Coaches for drivers to fill in. As 23 buses are required for Brumbies & unknown for Canberra Show & Deanes have enough buses but may not have enough drivers.

The problem with staff is that they will take the attendants from Belconnen & City Interchange for 60-30 minutes before & 60 minutes after. Which means that City & Belconnen Interchange would have no staff for up to 90 minutes. Which would be the main problem.

ACTION will put staff at Canberra Stadium from other areas & alert Police of "possible" problems.

Bus 400

I am thinking that if this problem isn't sorted out, could this lead to a stop work meeting? Where all the drivers meet at Canberra Stadium with no services for a few hours?

Barry Drive

Artics on 956/958? No. Any shift with one of these routes will only have one (or two) and then do other routes - it would make no sense to allocate an artic just because there will be one route travelling past EPIC.

Tonight I'm doing several route 5s. But I will still have to use a standard bus since there wouldn't be any artics available when my shift starts and I wouldn't want to use an artic on some of my other routes.

Quote from: TP 3000 on February 26, 2009, 10:05:55 PM
The problem with staff is that they will take the attendants from Belconnen & City Interchange for 60-30 minutes before & 60 minutes after. Which means that City & Belconnen Interchange would have no staff for up to 90 minutes. Which would be the main problem.
By "attendants" you mean "transport officers" aka "supervisors".

Bus 400

That is what I meant.

I am also wondering that if this was to happen & another operator was brought in & they had the drivers, but didn't have the buses, would they be able to borrow buses off ACTION?

Buzz Killington

I've been informed that there were only two supervisors (transport officers) at the Brumbies last weekend. The TWU said that unless there were five transport officers put on duty, all TO's would refuse to attend, meaning drivers would as well.

ACTION offered to put two TOs and two office staff with no operations experience on duty, which the union refused.

Bus 400

Forgot to mention that The Canberra Times states that prepaid ACTION tickets will be accepted for the show service.

Sir Pompously

They must be putting out the mobile wayfarer then for the Faresaver 10 Tickets, as then I am sure alot of people would get in a few free ride's with one of those!

Bus 400

That does appear to be the only logic, but that would require ACTION supervisors at EPIC.

Snorzac

I will find out tomorrow when I get the bus to EPIC

Busnerd

Transborder had CB50 bodied B7R's and Irisbuses running tonight for show shuttles, didn't see any Deane's out.

989 did a 58 tonight past the show at 9.45pm where the transborder bus emptied out onto the artic, all of about 12 people

Snorzac

No validator on the platforms, just show the driver the ticket and they let you on. All B7Rs today except for one service operated by an O500RF

Bus 400

Noticed a sign at Tuggeranong Interchange about Deanes doing show services & they can be contacted on such & such a number (which I forgot).

Bus 400

It looks as if the issue has been resolved with ACTION providing the busses to the soccer game on Thursday.

Buzz Killington

Deanes are operating shuttles to the Soccer on Friday night, according to the ACTION Website.

Bus 400

Also on the ACTION website, between 14:15 & 17:15 on Friday 4 September, Deanes will also be providing the UCI Mountain Bike Shuttle.

Snorzac

It would be because of peak hour. They struggled to get artics back in time to do Raiders shuttles on Monday, infact 893 did the first two shuttles from Belconnen

Irisbus Rider

#40
They can't be serious with this timetable to the A-League match tomorrow;
Quote from: ACTION
Tuggeranong Interchange Platform 8 - Woden Interchange Platform 14 - City Interchange Platform 3 - Canberra Stadium
6.10pm                                          - 6.27pm                                   - 6.41pm                             - 6.56pm
6.30pm                                          - 6.47pm                                   - 7.01pm                             - 7.16pm

2 buses from Tuggeranong, Woden and the City? And to make it worse, they won't even be artics! They really can't be serious!
Can't wait to see the end result of this.......

Bus 400

A driver told me that ACTION couldn't find any drivers to fill the shuttles for Friday. With numerous shifts not covered on the weekend. With during their time with Transborder they had done a few fill in runs for ACTION numerous times