Recent posts

#41
Fleet / Re: 26 Scanias: 2022-24
Last post by Busnerd - February 07, 2024, 01:19:32 PM

Quote from: Bus 400 on February 07, 2024, 12:33:17 AMFor those that remember, wasn't it 2 years of similar vague excuses for the first electric buses ACTION (back then) were going to trial with some new company out of Victoria. Contact was torn up by ACTION eventually.

I haven't looked at this contract. But I assume the usual payment penalties apply for this contract.


I believe that was the "Matilda" bus which never really eventuated.
#42
Fleet / Re: 26 Scanias: 2022-24
Last post by Bus 400 - February 07, 2024, 12:33:17 AM
For those that remember, wasn't it 2 years of similar vague excuses for the first electric buses ACTION (back then) were going to trial with some new company out of Victoria. Contact was torn up by ACTION eventually. 

I haven't looked at this contract. But I assume the usual payment penalties apply for this contract. 

#43
Fleet / Re: 26 Scanias: 2022-24
Last post by triumph - February 06, 2024, 09:44:57 PM
It is not surprising that the Minister this time is being vague, having been let down by the supplier over past predictions. That is taking it at face value. It would though be rather surprising, with the need to sustain the near worn out Renaults and make every effort to comply with the disability access law, if the Government was in any way complicit itself in delaying deliveries. Time for Bustech to make a clarifying statement.
As previously remarked, the rhetorical  questions are how many near complete buses have Bustech got stored awaiting completion? And, if they haven't made significant progress with construction, then the continued viability of Bustech must be of concern.
An associated question, apparently not addressed by the Minister, is does the sharing of risk conditions in the procurement documents give rise to any additional payments to Bustech, or the application of deductions against Bustech?
As Barry Drive said, overall a very disappointing lack of clarification.
Then to further muddy the waters, there is non-entry to service of 4 electric buses delivered last Oct/Nov, and which had to go back to the maker for apparently undefined 'modifications'.
#44
Fleet / Re: 26 Scanias: 2022-24
Last post by Barry Drive - February 06, 2024, 12:12:09 PM
Quote from: Barry Drive on January 15, 2024, 10:57:41 AMThe next sitting week of the ACT Legislative Assembly is early February - one year since the first announcement by Chris Steel that the buses would arrive by mid-2023. I look forward to what he will announce this time.

Well that was disappointing. Absolutely no reference to why the promised "nine by the end of 2023" was not met. Just a repeat of supply chain problems, difficulty in sourcing parts and skilled labour.

The latest report is "all buses will be received before the end of 2024". (A transcript will be provided later.)

Which works out at 1.5 buses per month from here onwards.

The Yutong contract may start delivering buses mid-year, so IF they prioritise the withdrawal of the Renaults before the Scania gas buses, we might have the Renaults fully withdrawn in about August/September.
#45
Routes and Timetables / Saturday improved timetable co...
Last post by Barry Drive - February 04, 2024, 11:33:52 AM
No details yet, but Minister Steel has announced that improved Saturday timetable will commence in April 2024.

This is due to the drivers EBA being ratified, and the expectation that paying a weekend bonus will result in more drivers volunteering to work on weekends.

No information about when exactly this will take effect, or whether Sunday timetables will also be tweaked at the same time.
#46
The Playground / Re: What PT did you get today?...
Last post by triumph - January 31, 2024, 08:41:15 AM
Sat 27/1/24
728 (32)
629 (R3)
#47
The Playground / Re: What PT did you get today?...
Last post by Sylvan Loves Buses - January 31, 2024, 12:09:37 AM
Rode my first Renault's in what's probably almost 3 or 4 months now. Might try for an Iris tomorrow too, only managed the same 5 of those the last couple years. Need to improve my Iris riding stats a bit.

980 (72S)
979 (81S)
634 (80N)
382 (70N)
#48
Fleet / Re: Four CD Element 2s (748-75...
Last post by Barry Drive - January 24, 2024, 10:32:40 AM
Quote from: Snorzac on January 24, 2024, 12:34:23 AMI think at this stage it is potentially a wider issue with the CD Element II as a whole rather than anything directly related to TC, haven't heard of any operators putting the element II into service as of yet despite many deliveries
Based on delivery data, so far Custom Denning have delivered these Element 2s - 4 to Transport Canberra, 4 to Metro Tasmania and 7 to Transport for NSW.

There are no records of any of these being registered yet. Four of the 7 NSW buses were delivered at the same time as ours, so it's not related to when they were delivered.

(ACT Legislative Assembly resumes on 6 February 2024. It is likely Chris Steel will deliver another update regarding the supply of buses on that day or soon afterwards.)

UPDATE: the 4 Tasmania Elements have been registered and will soon commence service in Launceston.
#49
Photo of the Month / Photos of the Month - 2024
Last post by Barry Drive - January 24, 2024, 10:13:18 AM
Announcement:
For 2024 I would like to refresh the thumbnail images on the Fleetwiki Fleet Summary page. So rather than monthly "bonus category" themes, for the entirety of 2024, the Photo of Month bonus photo will be available to a photo meeting any of these requirements:

  • Irisbus Agora Line - near side (doorside) angle
  • Scania L94UB - off side (driver's side) angle
  • MAN 18.310 (CNG or diesel) - near side angle
  • MAN 18.320 - off side angle
  • Scania K320UB 6x2*4 - off side angle
  • Scania K360UA 6x2/2 - near side angle
  • Scania K320UB 4x2 (CB80 & VST) - off side angle
  • Scania K320UB 4x2 (Volgren) - near side angle
  • Hino Poncho - off side angle
  • Yutong ZK6131HG1 - near side angle
  • Custom Denning Element 2 - off side angle

Where a photo is submitted meeting this category, only a maximum of 3 photo entries will be permitted per member per month.

If a photo which is submitted as meeting one of these categories is awarded Photo of the Month, it will be used as the Fleet Summary thumbnail. However, the category will remain available for the full year.
#50
Fleet / Re: Four CD Element 2s (748-75...
Last post by Snorzac - January 24, 2024, 12:34:23 AM
I think at this stage it is potentially a wider issue with the CD Element II as a whole rather than anything directly related to TC, haven't heard of any operators putting the element II into service as of yet despite many deliveries