BUS 500

smitho · July 07, 2011, 02:24:05 AM

Several call made by Comms Cetre to 'Bus 500' at around 0745 yesterday morning; bus operator was having various (teething?) problems...

Snorzac · July 07, 2011, 02:26:30 AM

I assume this was school run 500?

EDIT: Maybe not, https://www.action.act.gov.au/school_all_routes_detail.asp?ServiceID=500

Buzz Killington · July 07, 2011, 07:31:32 AM

Shift 500?

King of Buses · July 07, 2011, 05:07:05 PM

Don't know of any issues with Route 500 as I do catch it every weekday.
Maybe because Bus 700 was on it yesterday maybe had some probs after I got off?
Also the driver only did the route for the first time the day before.

Barry Drive · July 07, 2011, 06:30:20 PM

Most likely bus 900 - some buses have a different radio ID to their fleet number (although only the first digit will be different).

smitho · July 08, 2011, 01:12:43 AM

Yeah it really threw me the first time Comms referred to 'Bus 500', so I listened carefully next time it came through, and Comms still referred to it as "Bus 500'; was one of the experienced old hands at Comms who is usually right on top of things - rarely makes a mistake.

belcodriver · July 08, 2011, 09:41:24 PM

Quote from: Buzz Killington on July 07, 2011, 07:31:32 AM
Shift 500?

Is a Tuggy Sunday shift so no.

Barry Drive · July 09, 2011, 06:46:30 PM

Confirmed that Bus 900's radio ID is 500.

smitho · July 09, 2011, 08:21:56 PM

Quote from: ACTbusspotter on July 09, 2011, 06:46:30 PM
Confirmed that Bus 900's radio ID is 500.

Ah ha. Sounds like you've got to the bottom of it Martin. Well done.

743 · July 30, 2011, 10:46:50 PM

Quote from: ACTbusspotter on July 07, 2011, 06:30:20 PM
Most likely bus 900 - some buses have a different radio ID to their fleet number (although only the first digit will be different).

Please excuse my ignorance if it has been explained elsewhere before, but what's the reasoning for this?

STA buses have no particular radio ID, although the ID in the ticket consoles (which gets printed on most tickets) is the fleet number plus 4000. Although for some reason there were teething issues when the 4900 series Volvos went into service in Newcastle, they used IDs of the fleet number minus 3000, but that appears to have been rectified now.

Barry Drive · July 30, 2011, 10:50:36 PM

ACTION's current radio system is supplied by ACTEW. It is possible that certain channels were in use by ACTEW prior to ACTION joining their network which meant ACTION has to use alternative channel numbers.

Buzz Killington · July 31, 2011, 12:30:03 PM

On a possibly related note, I asked Les Pascoe recently if there was any particular reason why fleet numbers 176-299 were skipped recently. He couldn't find anything in his notes but did recall that it may have had something to do with the allocation of channels for the communication system.

Bus 400 · July 31, 2011, 02:03:14 PM

I wonder what will happen when Bus 500 enters service? Just to confuse everyone, will it receive call sign 900?

Barry Drive · July 31, 2011, 02:24:41 PM

The TAIT / ACTEW radio system is on its way out. All new buses will very soon be fitted with the Motorola APX 7500 on the ACT TRN.

Quote from: Buzz Killington on July 31, 2011, 12:30:03 PM
On a possibly related note, I asked Les Pascoe recently if there was any particular reason why fleet numbers 176-299 were skipped recently. He couldn't find anything in his notes but did recall that it may have had something to do with the allocation of channels for the communication system.

That is one theory - the 200 series channels are used by non-bus radios within ACTION (such as the Base, break down vans, tow truck, field cars, starters office).

ajw373 · July 31, 2011, 09:37:16 PM

Just for the record, the ID numbers are selcal (selective call) numbers, not channels. Selcal, and corresponding group call numbers are used to open the radio, it then receives and transmits on a channel for a digital radio or a specific frequency for an analogue radio.

Barry Drive · October 08, 2011, 11:29:28 AM

Quote from: Bus 400 on July 31, 2011, 02:03:14 PM
I wonder what will happen when Bus 500 enters service? Just to confuse everyone, will it receive call sign 900?

Looks like ACTION have considered that. Bus 900 was recently fitted with a Motorola, so Radio ID 500 is now unused. But by the time 500 enters service (Apr/May 2012), all buses will be fitted with a Motorola system.