What PT did you get today? (2019-)

[triumph]

2nd Aug
726 (R3)
595 (R4)
648 (57)
718 (57)
599 (R2)
403 (R3)

Today
595 (R3)
464 (R4)
375 (57)
673 (57)
807 (R5)
008 (R1)
407 (R8)
624 (R8)
727 (23)
544 (R3)

[triumph]

008 (R1)
728 R8 Have now had a ride in all the Yutongs (8** series plus trial 490), and all recent 7** series in service.
663 (R8)
005 (R1)

[triumph]

23rd Aug
613 (71)
562 (64)

Today
552 (R3)
425 (R4)
565 (57)
680 (57)
810 (60)
506 (R5)
711 (R4)
622 (R3)

[triumph]

6th Sept
390 (R3)
604 (R5)
383 (57)
811 (57)
014 (R1)
724 (31)
705 (R3)

8th Sept
809 (R2)
367 (R2)

Today
666 (R3) No devil seen today.
802 (58)
330 (57)
673 (57)
806 (R4)
979 (74)
511 (R5)
684 (58)
934 (58) Included school diversion
503 (R4)
558 (R3)

[Sylvan Loves Buses]

Not done for today, but thought I'd just mention the hounerable mentions of the last 2 days.

Thursday 18th:
979 (72S)
979 (71N)
672 (R4N)
951 (46W)
927 (31S)
953 (51N)
958 (51S)
388 (R5S)
980 (65W)
328 (64E)
518 (R5S)
463 (R4N)
438 (R6E)

Today 19th:
979 (72S)
979 (71N)
674 (R4N)
931 (42L) - Full Loop
480 (R4S)

931 today was my 100th Renault ride of the year, hooray! I did not think I would get to 100 let alone more than 60-70 trips on Renault's this year with the threat of the new buses - so much for that huh. Yesterdays trips were based on the same plan I used during February and I am honestly surprised and relieved how many of them were still being allocated to the same shifts. The gps not working these last few days didn't help, but I thought I'd try to get the 100th anyway as I noticed my rides on bustech/precision models if added together was about to also hit 100 - I couldn't allow that with Renault's being so close.

Also what the hell have they done to 931? It sounded NORMAL for the first time in forever. For as long as I can remember its engine sounded as though someone shoved a french horn in there, but today it sounded like any other Renault. Leave them alone ffs, let them die in peace.

[triumph]

15th Sept
805 (R2)
458 (R2)

20th Sept
598 (R3)
465 (R4)
682 (57)
621 (57)
806 (R4)
471 (R4)
803 (63)
692 (64)
708 (58)
414 (58)
571 (R4)
363 (R3)

Today
729 (R3) Caught up again with newly in-service buses.
724 (R3)

[triumph]

27th Sept
585 (R3)
674 (R4)
323 (57)
433 (57)
514 (R5)
375 (R5)
412 (66)
460 (47)
657 (R3)

3rd Oct
9035MO (F1) Bus S 57 labelled inside
MO7347 (F1)

Today
724 (R3)
676 (R4)
702 (57)
597 (57)
011 (R1)
010 (R1)
683 (51)
634 (31)
641 (31)
600 (R3)

[triumph]

672 (R2)
661 (R3)

[triumph]

656 (R3)
503 (57)
546 (57)
550 (R2)
725 (R3)

[triumph]

Note: None of the following contain enthusiast elements... I have added some detail to demonstrate it is possible to get around on week days quite well, if time consuming, using TC transport.
17th October
To City for event and stop off Westfield Mall on return.
303 (R3)
580 (R3) (Just next service that appeared.)
626 (R3)

18th October
To Hughes for 10am event, via Woden as direct via City has inconvenient timing.
558 (R3)
666 (R4) (This service precedes R3 but have found it is usually caught up and I can transfer. The next two R4s usually also arrive Woden in sufficient time but are not quite so reliable.)
609 (57)

Then to Macquarie shops for 2pm appointment with stop off to Canberra Centre. Via Woden due convenient timing.
607 (57)
327 (R5)
580 (32)

Then to Westfield Mall (fill in time) and 5.30pm function at Barton
728 (32)
727 (R3) (Again, just next service to appear.)
506 (59)

Finally, back to day's starting point with stop off at Westfield Mall (not shopped earlier to avoid lugging stuff about).
446 (59)
586 (R2)
451 R3
Roughly 8am to 8.30pm for whole day out.

[triumph]

Oct 20th
392 (R3)
542 (R3)

Today
541 (R3)
429 (R4) Arrived Woden Interchange together with preceding R4, and was followed 2 min later by another R4 and yet another R4 about a further 3 min later. They leave Cohen St Interchange at 6min intervals. By Woden I was only one of three passengers, yet the bus was full leaving the Belconnen area. This is a wicked problem to ameliorate. The preceding bus got slightly late and started getting patronage that should have been on the following bus I was on. It gets later and thus even more passengers who should have been on the following service. Outcome is an eventually near empty slightly early following service. (It is important to avoid priming this problem by presenting at the initial stop in time to depart strictly on time.)
365 (57)
517 (57)
454 (71)
641 (63)
420 (57)
701 (57)
671 (R4)
553 (R3)

[triumph]

29th Oct
730 (R2)
712 (R4)

Today
706 (R3)
385 (R4)
344 (57)
684 (57)
803 (R5)
809 (R2)
488 (R2)
702 (R3)

[triumph]

3rd Nov
428 (R3)
422 (R6)
491 (R6)
810 (R7)
354 (R7)
628 (R3)

Today
414 (R3)
582 (R3)

All very mundane.

[triumph]

428 (R3)
402 (57)
443 (57) 3/4hr wait as preceding a no show.
709 (R4)
660 (R3)

[triumph]

9th Nov
931 (46) Incl schools diversion
312 (42) According to on-line TT should have been a Renault (TT out of date?)

11th Nov
006 (R1)
428 (23) Diverted via Emu Bank & Benjamin Way, due road works closing Cohen St through Belconnen Interchange
428 (R4) Diverted via Benjamin Way & Emu Bank, due road works closing Cohen St through Belconnen Interchange

[Barry Drive]

9th Nov
312 (42) According to on-line TT should have been a Renault (TT out of date?)

Quick explanation: there are fewer Renault buses at Belconnen Depot than there are shifts for them (due to recent withdrawals). So there will always be services not marked as low-floor which will be operated by low-floor buses.

From my observations it isn't the same shifts every day - they seem to be allocating the additional low-floors at random.

[triumph]

Quick explanation: there are fewer Renault buses at Belconnen Depot than there are shifts for them (due to recent withdrawals). So there will always be services not marked as low-floor which will be operated by low-floor buses.

That's rather surprising, thanks.
If there are insufficient Renaults to do all the TT runs that are marked not disability compliant and some low floor buses (disability compliant) are routinely allocated to take up the slack, then Renaults should not be appearing at all on other disability compliant runs. If these other disability compliant runs have a compliant bus shortfall, then surely, except in the most immediate circumstance,  one of the compliant buses doing nominal Renault runs should be swapped in with a Renault (apparently available) replacing it. Yesterday a Renault appeared (according to Any Trip) on, of all runs, the hospitals service, route 901. Must have been an extreme immediate need... .

[Sylvan Loves Buses]

A lot of the Iris runs will often have Renaults on them if the Iris allocation or whatever is not available on that day.

[Bus 400]

I think you've misread Barry Drive. Low floor buses are being used on high floor shifts. Not the other way around. But always, if there's only a Renault available. That's what a driver will take. Better than no bus at all.

I can't pull up the online timetable. But is the 901 are designated low floor route? It would be ironic if it wasn't. 

[Barry Drive]

A lot of the Iris runs will often have Renaults on them if the Iris allocation or whatever is not available on that day.

I don't believe that's true. What will happen is that there's a number of shifts which are allocated Irisbuses - but fewer shifts than the 18 buses. In the event that there are unallocated Irisbuses, they will be firstly allocated to Renault shifts.

So if there are fewer spare Irisbuses than normal, those shifts will be allocated Renaults as per the shift.

I can't pull up the online timetable. But is the 901 are designated low floor route? It would be ironic if it wasn't.

Checking AnyTrip - all 901 departures have a ♿️ symbol. I recall there used to be a few Renault 901s in former School Holiday timetable.

[Sylvan Loves Buses]

A lot of the Iris runs will often have Renaults on them if the Iris allocation or whatever is not available on that day.

Maybe not anymore now that there's fewer of them than there was a couple of years ago but that's certainly how it appeared in previous networks. True or not now, who cares, I barely bus hop anymore and the renault allocations in this network suck to navigate so whatever.

Yesterday:
445 (71S)
805 (71N)
709 (R4N)
630 (R4S)

[triumph]

722 (R3)
695 (57)
400 (57)
392 (57)
013 (R1)
590 (R8)
440 (R3)

[triumph]

729 (R3)
934 (45)
950 (45)
570 (R2)

[triumph]

18th November
012 (R1)
004 (R1)

Today
709 (R3)
365 (R4)
619 (57) Due excavation in part of Callum St., departures from Woden Temporary Interchange towards Launceston St were diverted via Matilda St and Bowes St
351 (57)
980 (64)
979 (65)
643 (66) Diverted as above.
953 (47)
959 (47)
398 (R3)

[triumph]

715 (R3)
433 (R3)
526 (58)
347 (58)
400 (70)
320 (66)
959 (47) This bus seemed be in trouble. An alerting beeper was sounding and it struggled badly on the steeper grades. Overheating in the hot weather?
963 (47)
805 (66)
520 (R7)
013 (R1)
951 (30)
622 (R3)

[triumph]

Unexpectedly needed to pick up an item at Majura Park, so:
441 (R3)
431 (R4)
957 (54)
713 (54)
722 (51)
959 (30) Last PR100.2 in service ride? With still no more deliveries, it is looking increasingly likely that there will be one or more of these buses still appearing in service after school resumes next year...
614 (R3)

[Bus967]

There's another PR2 still running around, that's 979, I caught it on Tuesday I affectionately call diesehol as it somehow still has the advert for it that have been untouched since before I was born, also, I'll try to add my itinerary of that day and of two days ago where I caught the old ACTION HRV, pulling a bus back to Tuggeranong

[triumph]

23/12/23
VH-LQJ "Jervis Bay' Bombardier DHC Dash 8-400 Flight QF1416 Canberra to Sydney, on time
50 min scheduled transfer, bags made it too.
VH-VXK 'Katherine' Boeing 737-800 Flight QF840 Sydney to Darwin, on time. Very pleasant experience, Business Class. Aircraft is 21 1/2 years old.
Darwin humid, hot, and surprisingly sunny/cloudy with only rain late one night.

27/12/23
VH-VXQ 'Retro Roo II' Boeing 737-800 Flight QF841 Darwin to Sydney, 30min late (Sydney Air traffic Control delay due previous storm). Sadly, not business class. Slightly newer aircraft, 20 1/2 years old.
Ample transfer time 2 1/2 hours.
VH-QOV 'Ballarat' Bombardier DHC Dash 8-400 Flight 1455 Sydney to Canberra, on time.

Overall, a normal air journey. Whilst lucky for first and only experience (so far??) of Business Class, my first flying experience was well and truly the equivalent of business class - TAA Convair 240. Almost brand new, tricycle undercarriage, twin radial engines, fast, pressurised, and with a retractable built in air stair at the rear. 1949 Hobart (Cambridge) to Melbourne (Essendon). And a bit of a comedown, connecting to Sydney in a DC3, but still the first (and only) class ambience. Also, in that era your ticket was City Centre to City Centre with the airline providing transport to and from the airports

Happy New Year.

[triumph]

Back to mundane. Non enthusiast travel except for swapping from R3 to R4 enroute.
455 (R3)
707 (R4)
001 (R1)
005 (R1)
470 (R5)
808 (58)
430 (58)
679 (R3)
381 (R3)

[Sylvan Loves Buses]

Quite an eventful outing to IKEA with my mum today.

636 (71N)
664 (58N)
636 (58N)
809 (54E)
316 (54W) via Catalina Drive, driver didn't get the memo I guess
513 (180S)
493 (71N)

[triumph]

Quite an eventful outing to IKEA with my mum today.
....
316 (54W) via Catalina Drive, driver didn't get the memo I guess
''''

Just to clarify, you meant the bus did not divert back to Spitfire Ave at the roundabout after the Ikea stop, but proceeded via Mustang Ave to Catalina Dr, the non-diverted route? (Either route uses Catalina Dr from Beaufighter St to Spitfire Ave..)
Rte 54 is one of the more interesting rides, as is Rte 55 into the depths of Duntroon.

[triumph]

418 (R3)
494 (R9)
730 (30)
722 (31)
483 (R2)
389 (R3)

[Sylvan Loves Buses]

He went the way that the route use to go. I was told they made that detour cuz the costco petrol station gets busy and buses were getting stuck. Didn't have that problem thankfully, but even if we did I would'nt have cared too greatly as I was just enjoying the fact that we got an Irisbus.

[triumph]

Looking in the TC website the route 54 map and Inner North area map both show the route unchanged.
The diversion was notified way back in 2022 effective July 28th 'due to roadworks in the area'. No mention of traffic congestion as such.
The 'roadworks' labelling is often misused in the ACT where, in reality, the only works are on adjacent building sites. A 18 month long diversion is therefore quite reasonable in respect of building works timescales.
If, as Sylvan suggests, the route is diverted permanently(?) due to normal traffic congestion, then TC needs to update both Alerts and mapping in its web site. Not surprising, as TC seems to routinely not update causal changes relating to alerts, and rarely announces termination of alerted longer period arrangements. They also fail to reflect diversions in the Next Bus information, including onboard displays despite a 'bus on diversion' being available in the onboard display. Not a problem for regular savvy customers, but isn't the main point of customer information to assist irregular, non-savvy, and visitors to ACT users!

 
 

[743]

Sylvan, if you don't mind me asking - the route the Irisbus took was Majura Rd (depart IKEA), right at roundabout in to Mustang Ave, and right at first roundabout in to Catalina Dr? Per the maps that Triumph refers to?

The last time I was there, the northern end of Catalina Dr looked to have been permanently closed off - that exit from the roundabout had been concreted in (gutter and all, which is why I thought it was permanent). I suspected that was the reason for the "diversion", there was no longer a right turn from Mustang to Catalina.

So it sounds like it's been opened up again?

[Sylvan Loves Buses]

Now that you mention it I think the entry of that road was closed off. I was pretty confused cuz the driver of 809 did a U-ey at the round-about after he told me that thing about the costco congestion. I too was wondering about that detour cuz even to me it seemed like it had been quite some time since that was a thing. The lack of effort TC puts into their alerts page is rather pathetic at times I must say, especially when they don't include a map - especially annoying like in this instance when they don't bother with an estimated finish date and/or an update.

It's hard to say now what happened, especially as I don't really know the area that well, but my best guess is that this is the route the 316 driver took. I do remember passing the petrol stations backside and then taking a left onto Catalina Drive.


[Edit: Just looked on google maps, that line is too close to the shops in that carpark area, it was definetely the entry before that]

[Buzz Killington]

The last time I was there, the northern end of Catalina Dr looked to have been permanently closed off - that exit from the roundabout had been concreted in (gutter and all, which is why I thought it was permanent). I suspected that was the reason for the "diversion", there was no longer a right turn from Mustang to Catalina.

So it sounds like it's been opened up again?

That part of Catalina Dr has been permanently closed.

There is a road that runs parallel to where it was, through the middle of the carpark. It joins up the road that runs alongside the front of Costco. I'm not sure it even has a name - it doesn't appear on ActMAPI.

The street signs at Majura Park are pretty poor, though the road network there has been changed substantially over the years.

[triumph]

727 (R3)
810 (R3)

[triumph]

454 (R3)
529 (R4)
723 (R4)
527 (R5)
008 (R1)
710 (R9)
403 (R3)

[Sylvan Loves Buses]

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)

[triumph]

Sat 27/1/24
728 (32)
629 (R3)

[triumph]

Sat 3/2/24
001 (R1)
008 (R1)

Mon 5/2/24
727 (R3)
508 (R2)
720 (R3)
727 (R3) again

Today
431 (R3)
330 (57)
441 (57)
803 (R4)
702 (R4)
534 (R4)
013 (R1)
457 (R8)
596 (R3)

[triumph]

Mon 12/2/24
482 (R3)
660 (R3)

Wed 14/2/24
713 (57)
709 (R3)
468 (R8)
008 (R1)
452 (57)

Yesterday
406 (R2) Diverted Northbourne Ave to Vernon Circle due Multicultural Festival setting up and related closure of London Circuit, but found traffic still using London Circuit. No warning until entered Northbourne Ave. Driver dropped Legislative Assembly stop bound passengers in Northbourne Ave. just prior to crossing London Circuit.
725 (R3)

[triumph]

18th Feb
579 (R3)
700 (R8)
012 (R1)

20th Feb
725 (R3)
637 (R4)
726 (R4)
450 (R3)

21st Feb
669 (R3)
429 (R4) Two successive no shows, so had to adjust routing via City in lieu of Woden for late destination arrival.
608 (57) At least (and unusually) was spot on time at my destination stop.
494 (57)
453 (R4)
532 (81) Er, umm, visited TC Lost Property   
347 (81)
801 (75)
631 (R5)
525 (R5)
519 (R5)
462 (R3)

[triumph]

26th Feb
679 (R3)
725 (32)
551 (32)
728 (31)
472 (R2)
390 (R3)

Today
667 (R3)
447 (R4) Schedule has R4 leaving prior to R3 at Cohen St Interchange. Often caught up by R3 and I can change to it. Today was such an occasion as R4 and R3 arrived at City Platform 4 together. (Part of journey Spence to Hughes, is usually via Woden as better suited to arrival time needed,)
363 (57)
397 (57) Legislative Council stop is temporarily closed so convenient to divert via Northbourne Ave and London Circuit. Observed an R2 which didn't divert.
001 (R1)
705 (R8) another convenience diversion - continued along Ernest Cavanagh St into Gribble St.
557 (R3)
 

[triumph]

4th March
710 (R3)
459 (54)
957 (54)
465 (R2)
704 (R3)

Today
436 (R3)
320 (57) Left quite late, arrived near on time, driver on a 'mission' - exhilarating.
376 (57)
731 (32)
414 (32)
549 (R3)

[Sylvan Loves Buses]

Been having some interesting outings recently.

Tuesday 5th:
452 (R4N)
308 (32W)
727 (31E)

Thursday 7th:
536   (R4N)
6634 (831E)
4546 (830W)
543   (902W)
540   (71S)
494   (R4N)
9013 (831E)
9035 (831W)
528   (R5S)

Monday 11th: (was quite confusing going between public holiday and normal NSW weekday timetables)
616   (R4N)
620   (59E)
9014 (834E)
8621 (830W) why is this hourly in the middle of the day, ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... I may have had 3 hours to kill today, but I certainly didn't enjoy waiting 50 minutes for a bus back to the City in the heatwave we're having right now.
570   (56S)
570   (R6W)
671   (R4S)

[triumph]

715 (R3)
598 (R4)
811 (57)
400 (57)
413 (R4)
653 (32)
509 (32)
455 (R3)

The first 3 above represent a regular Wed journey from Spence to Hughes via Woden, being more convenient for required arrival time, than direct from the City. Nominally there are 3 R4s leaving Cohen St Interchange (at 6min intervals)
which fit the window between the R3 and the 57 from Woden to Hughes. But trusting the latter 2 R4s to make the 57 connection is risky.

There is another R4 which is timetabled to precede the R3 by 1min.
 
Typically, this preceding R4 is caught up by the R3 somewhere between Cohen St and City Interchanges. This was the case today with the transfer made at Westfield, Belconnen. Benefit is adding to assurance of connecting to the 57.

Today my R4 was overtaken by the following R4 (leaves Cohen St 6min later)! At this time of day it is not unusual to see 3 South bound R4s nose to tail at Woden despite being 6min apart leaving Belconnen.

The cause seems to be the vagaries of traffic (particularly Haydon Dr and queue backs in Kingsley St waiting to enter the parking facility), traffic light luck, and if the leading R4 service happens to be well patronised, then it gets delayed and picks up customers who should have only made the following R4, thus compounding the delay. That leaves the following R4 lightly used (as I have observed several times) and keeping nearer to time. Presto 3 R4s end up together. The sequencing of R2s and R3s is also relevant Whilst buses are mixed in with traffic, this will ever be so.
Sorry, putting it into written words is laborious compared with experiencing the issues and strategies.
Lastly, if remaining time window at the City Interchange is a bit less than 25min then Plan B is don't risk it, switch to the next direct 57, and arrive a bit late at destination. 2 occasions so far (traffic jam and consecutive 'no shows').
These sort of things can make travel both interesting and frustrating.

[triumph]

410 (R3) Caught up R4 then separated by traffic lights. Overtaken by next R4, transferred to the following R4 - not well managed today.
631 (R4) Made connection to 57 by 2min
323 (57)
495 (57)
805 (R4)
483 (R4)
367 (66)
959 (47)
958 (47)
662 (47)
712 (R3)

[Sylvan Loves Buses]

980 (72S)
311 (71N)