General Discussion 2010

[Barry Drive]

I've got nothing to say, but since the last posting on General Discussion was in Dec 2009 I thought it might be an idea to create a new topic for the new year.

[Irisbus Rider]

To generate some discussion, I wonder how the fleet handled the heat over these past three days? I only saw one Irisbus broken down on College St yesterday, and the area adjacent to the workshops wasn't that full.

[Buzz Killington]

I saw 313 broken down on Commonwealth Ave this arvo, don't know if it was a heat issue. Also saw the towtruck at the intersection of Mawson and Athllon Drives on Monday afternoon with witches hats blocking one lane, but not sure if there was a bus there or not.

[smitho]

I know 3 or more Scanias had overheating issues on Sunday - my own included.

[Buzz Killington]

707 and 724 were running shuttles to the Australia Day concert this arvo. 724 had a fair few flags hanging off it and a "COME ON AUSSIE" (or similar) banner hanging across the top of the windscreen.

[Sir Pompously]

Got a shuttle back last night from the concert, however they would only take us to Woden as they would not get the bus back from Tuggeranong intime. Luckily the 300 driver gave us a free trip the rest of the way. Gonna miss the artics.

[lukeo25]

I'll be out and about today between 11 and 4, i'd be around the belco area, fairbairn and the city.

[Snorzac]

If you were at Fairbairn about 11 you might have seen me on my flying lesson.

[lukeo25]

I was in civic then, i did see you in the air :) in the cessna, :)   

[Snorzac]

726 is doing 313s this morning, just went past my house for the 3rd time I think.

[CNG]

shouldn't you be at school, egar and ready to learn mate

[Snorzac]

I'm sick

[Snorzac]

Ed should get this.......

ACTION Bus 356-Cameron Avenue Bus Station
I know someone who was anticipating this picture

[Sir Pompously]

Should bike rack 'it' next time.

[CNG]

I'm sick

That explains it, hope you get better, I'm a bit sick at the moment not fun.

[CNG]

I was interested when are the standard buses (pr100.2 and pr100.3) at tuggers depot going to have bike racks put on them? or is it just not going to happen. Also will the darts get bike racks?
It just has not happened.

[Snorzac]

Probably because Tuggeranong have enough bike rack buses to cover the intertown

[Irisbus Rider]

I do recall hearing some time ago now, that eventually, all buses will be equipped with bike racks. That could be when the Darts get sold off!

Anyway, I doubt this will be possible, as I don't think the 14.5ms are getting bike racks.....

[Snorzac]

Yeah, they'd have to be too long with racks, will be interesting to see if the demo bus will get a rack, remembering that they leave rather large holes in the bumper when removed I don't think it will.

[Irisbus Rider]

It'd be nice to see an Evo II front without the bikerack for once, it's so much better looking that way IMO.

[Barry Drive]

If they're keeping it for 12 months then I expect it will have a bike rack fitted.

In other news, it looks like the razors have finally been used - 396 no longer has a mo' and I suspect all of the Tuggy MANs have been shaved.

[Buzz Killington]

400 hasn't gone one anymore either, so I suspect your suspicions are accurate.

[Buzz Killington]

WIN News just reported that a cyclist was hit by a bus on Northbourne this evening.

[Busnerd]

no wonder, the way they ride they have it coming, why do they have to use the road, they have their own bike paths.

As someone said on facebook, lets start driving our cars down the bike paths.

[Irisbus Rider]

WIN News just reported that a cyclist was hit by a bus on Northbourne this evening.

Sorry to hear that, I hope the cyclist is ok, but it certainly is an accident waiting to happen down that stretch of road, with buses constantly weaving in and out of bus stops. All the more reason to convert the median strip into a busway!

[Buzz Killington]

Indeed, hopefully all involved are OK.

Was in City Interchange earlier and one of the southbound 16# services pulled up to the front of Platform 1. A few people who weer at the Platform 1 Shelters closest to IGA flagged it, but since the platform was empty it pulled up to the front. They then sauntered along to the front of the platform, and were none too impressed when the driver shut the doors after the line of about five people boarded.

They then raced for the bus and were bashing on the windows for the driver to stop.. Perhaps if they had been waiting for the bus in the right spot they wouldn't have to be chasing it!

[Sir Pompously]

Very true. Which is probably the reason why they have those Bus Stop signs there to avoid complaints.

When riding on Deanes yesterday I got a look at their new ticketing system. It is a CircuitLink International, Ticketlink 2. These have been on for a month or two now but have not seen the type mentioned here yet.

[Irisbus Rider]

CircuitLink International? The name is familiar, but I'm not sure where from?! For some reason, I'm thinking surveillance cameras........
If only ACTION could intergrate it with Deanes! Now, that'd be nice.

Indeed, hopefully all involved are OK.

Was in City Interchange earlier and one of the southbound 16# services pulled up to the front of Platform 1. A few people who weer at the Platform 1 Shelters closest to IGA flagged it, but since the platform was empty it pulled up to the front. They then sauntered along to the front of the platform, and were none too impressed when the driver shut the doors after the line of about five people boarded.

They then raced for the bus and were bashing on the windows for the driver to stop.. Perhaps if they had been waiting for the bus in the right spot they wouldn't have to be chasing it!

That's absurd! The platform changes at the interchange were implemented nearly a year ago now, and for them to still not know which platform the bus leaves, well, that's simply utter ignorance! I hope they enjoyed their wait for the next bus, and in that time, realised their mistake!

[Buzz Killington]

Unfortunately the driver stopped and let them on One of them, a grown man, tried to shove his hand in the back doors as they were closing, which was a definite no-no

[Sir Pompously]

They sure do do CCTV, aswell as the electronic 'Tacholink' Products.

[Snorzac]

Indeed, hopefully all involved are OK.

Was in City Interchange earlier and one of the southbound 16# services pulled up to the front of Platform 1. A few people who weer at the Platform 1 Shelters closest to IGA flagged it, but since the platform was empty it pulled up to the front. They then sauntered along to the front of the platform, and were none too impressed when the driver shut the doors after the line of about five people boarded.

They then raced for the bus and were bashing on the windows for the driver to stop.. Perhaps if they had been waiting for the bus in the right spot they wouldn't have to be chasing it!

Were you still in the City when 382 pulled in at about 1715. There was a whole heap of bogan scum fighting in the middle of the road, the driver of 382 honks the horn and proceeds, some stupid bogan woman then backs into the bus with the rear wheels only just missing her toes, she then proceeds to abuse the driver.

Oh and did anyone happen to see 134 doing a southbound intertown leaving Belco just after 1630? The look on the drivers face was priceless.

[Buzz Killington]

Nah, didn't see that altercation but I wish I had!

134 on a southbound intertown during peak hour? Christ

[CNG]

134 doing a southbound, ha ha ha. The sucko who had to drive it, what crap! :bonk:

[CNG]

I was interested do drivers get to choose there own routes and shift cards?
Also I have the noticed that alot of drivers who tend to drive route 6 seem to also drive the route 27 before or after? :mono:

[belcodriver]

There are periodic shift spills which happen when the network is being changed so much it can't be accomodated within the existing shifts.

I think the process goes roughly:

1) The scheduling people decide what runs they want.
2) These runs are put into HASTUS (a computer program that does a whole bunch of different stuff to do with operating a public transport network) along with guidelines in what sort of shifts are wanted, ie x full time split shifts, y part time night shifts etc
3) HASTUS spits out the most efficient shifts that its silicon brains can come up with. To get 3000 odd runs driven with the least driver hours is obviously a very mathematically complicated process. I suspect that it is actually impossible to find the most efficient arrangement in finite time.
4) The scheduling people have a look at the shifts and make some changes.
5) The driver union delegates check that the shifts meet the agreed conditions for breaks etc. If they don't go back to 2)
6) The shifts are put out in the depots for the drivers to look at along with the time and date each driver gets to pick. This is done on seniority with the longest serving driver picking first and so on down to those who have just reached the minimum 6 months of service to be a shift owner.

So drivers get to pick their own SHIFTS (not shift cards these are merely the bits of cardboard and paper which describe the shifts) but not the runs.

There are also occasionally mini-shift spills when there are a fair few vacant shifts (due to retirements, moving from part-time to full-time). In a mini-spill drivers just write down their preferences and put them in a box with the most senior driver getting their choice and so on down. If  they don't get any of their choices they just stay on the shift they already own or floating as the case may be.

[Buzz Killington]

3) HASTUS spits out the most efficient shifts that its silicon brains can come up with.

hahaha..

[CNG]

I have noticed a lot of drivers who tend to drive the pr100.2's mostly seem to drive the agoralines as there other choice of bus. Is this because both these types of buses drive quite the same?


Moderator Edit: Please read over what you've written before you post, so we can all understand it!

[CNG]

Do some drivers pick up a new bus from the interchange instead of the depot halfway through their shift, because i thought I saw it at tuggers interchange.

[Snorzac]

I havbelcoe notices alot of  drivers who tend to drive the pr100.2's mostly seem to drive the agoralines as there other choice of bus. Is this because both these types of buses drive quite the same?

In english?

I was interested do some drivers pick up a new bus from the interchange instead of the depot halfway through there shift, because i thought I saw it at tuggers interchange.

Yes if there is something wrong with the bus.

Now see how I answered your two posts in one, try to do the same

[Snorzac]

I have been meaning to mention this for ages but Transborder have painted one of their motor coach buses all white except for the bumper which is now blue, not sure on the rego or fleet number.

[CNG]

I was interested is redex going to expand and operate more corridors in other parts of canberra, ie. kippax, weston creek and  lanyon marketplace?

[CNG]

I have noticed on my afternoon school bus drivers shift card that before it says 494 there appears 5R however there are no instructions for that route, what is with that?

[Buzz Killington]

I was interested is redex going to expand and operate more corridors in other parts of canberra, ie. kippax, weston creek and  lanyon marketplace?

Possibly. Depends how the current trial goes.

[belcodriver]

I have noticed on my afternoon school bus drivers shift card that before it says 494 there appears 5R however there are no instructions for that route, what is with that?

I think that 5R is in fact an SR - School Route.

[CNG]

I was interested dose tuggers depot opperate alot of there shifts in belco?
Because tuggers buses and drivers seem to always be out at belco

[Buzz Killington]

All depends on what HASTUS spits out. That will often mean Tuggers buses end up in Belco at times.

It's a bit of a change from about 10-15 years ago when it was rare to see a bus from the opposite depot in the suburbs.

[Bus 400]

It appears that ACTION may be doing away with the locks on the rear hopper windows on the air-con buses. I say this as Bus 364 has a new window lock & it just has a button that you push in & no key hole.

[CNG]

I was interested did belco ever have plans to have cng built out at there depot and prior to 990's and 991's fuel conversion where they only bassed out at tuggers or did they spend a little bit of time at belco

[Bus 400]

An ACTION Employee did put a proposal forward for a CNG re-fueling facility to be installed on the location that is to be used for shops next to the Belconnen Workshop. The plan was for buses to enter from Nettleford St, the CNG buses would go to the right to be re-fueled & to the left for the workshop, all other buses would continue through to the depot.

The proposal didn't go ahead & CNG re-fueling was set-up at Tuggeranong Depot.

Now part of this may of been mis-understood by me & I've been told the story from other ACTION employees who knew about the proposal but didn't put the proposal froward. So if anyone is able to clear any of it up, feel free to do so.

[Barry Drive]

I was interested did belco ever have plans to have cng built out at there depot and prior to 990's and 991's fuel conversion where they only bassed out at tuggers or did they spend a little bit of time at belco

I don't why I'm even responding to this: NO.

It was actually Woden Depot that was going to get the first CNG fuelling facilities as it is located close to a Natural Gas main line but this never eventuated.

It appears that ACTION may be doing away with the locks on the rear hopper windows on the air-con buses. I say this as Bus 364 has a new window lock & it just has a button that you push in & no key hole.

I'm guessing it's because the old one was vandalised and ACTION have decided that it's not worth replacing.