Opal Discussion and Observations

[Stu]

^ My apologies, 238 is from N with M helping out. In the case of route 200, it is a W based route.

The latest news from Ryde depot is that the cashless 'trial' will now commence from April 16, customers will be given a two week grace period whereby the driver can still issue cash tickets, I'm surprised at the short grace period as I though that it would be at least 6 months .

Apparently cash sales make up less than 1% of all of recorded ticket revenue and of 58 x routes in R7, only 320 x customers p/day purchase tickets. The cashless trial will involve all routes from Region 7 and will include routes that are shared with other regions and routes that are operated by other regions and shared with Region 7. Therefore some depots in other regions will also be participating in this trial.

Some examples:
R6 Routes 502, 504 & 530. L-Depot shared with M & Y.
R7 Routes 501, 506 & 510. Y-Depot shared with L.
R8 Routes 257, 265 & 269. M-Depot shared with N.
R8 Route 238. N-Depot shared with M.
R9 Route 200. W-Depot shared with M.

Information will be provided to the public soon through the following channels:
- Retailers: flyers, posters and information.
- STA: cctv screens inside buses.
- TfNSW: Transport Info website, Opal website, trip planner & social media.

[Fleet Lists]

On Transport Info this morning - it mentions Ryde only and not Willoughby so it does not appear to be the full region 7. But it does mention North Shore so a bit confusing.
Uusually there is a link behind such items on Transport Info but in this case it does not work - they may still be working on it.

[Mike M]

Wouldn't it make more sense to do this after contactless payment is introduced across the bus network? That's what happened on London bus services.

[J_Busworth]

Wouldn't it make more sense to do this after contactless payment is introduced across the bus network? That's what happened on London bus services.

You expect TfNSW to make logical decisions

I think it is good that opal only services are being rolled out further than just the original Metrobus and Express services. Also good to see the terminology moving from "Pre-Pay Only" to "Opal Only"

[Fleet Lists]

The article is now available
https://transportnsw.info/news/2018/nor ... y-services

From Monday 16 April a trial of Opal card only services will begin for bus routes around the North Shore and North West areas, which operate out of the State Transit Ryde Depot.

This means that Opal single bus tickets will no longer be sold on board. If you usually buy your ticket from the driver, you’ll need to get an Opal card so you’re ready to travel.

The North Shore and North West region has been chosen as it has the lowest number of cash ticket sales. Opal single bus tickets account for less than one per cent of all the customers on State Transit buses.

Tapping on with an Opal card is typically at least 20 per cent cheaper than buying an Opal single bus ticket in cash. Changing to Opal card only services should also allow for faster boarding times resulting in fewer delays, more reliable on-time running and increased safety for bus drivers. Remember to tap on and tap off with your Opal card to ensure you are charged with the correct fare.

[Fleet Lists]

Routes effected are:
Route
202 - Northbridge to City Bridge St via North Sydney
251 - Lane Cove West to City Wynyard via Freeway
252 - Gladesville to City King Street Wharf via North Sydney
253 - Riverview to City Wynyard via Freeway
254 - Riverview to McMahons Point
255 - Colwell Cres to Chatswood
256 - Chatswood to Fullers Rd (Loop Service)
258 - Chatswood to Lane Cove West
261 - Lane Cove to City King St Wharf via Longueville
265 - Lane Cove to North Sydney via Greenwich
269 - McMahons Point to Milsons Point via North Sydney & Kirribilli
285 - Lane Cove West to City Wynyard via Freeway
286 - Denistone East to Milsons Point via St Leonards & North Sydney
287 - Ryde to Milsons Point via St Leonards & North Sydney
288 - Epping to City Erskine St
290 - Epping to City Erskine St via Macquarie University & North Sydney
291 - Epping Station to McMahons Point
292 - Marsfield to City Erskine St via Macquarie Park
294 - Macquarie University to City Wynyard
295 - North Epping to Epping (Loop Service)
458 - Ryde to Burwood
500 - Ryde to City Circular Quay
501 - West Ryde to Central Pitt St via Pyrmont & Ultimo
502 - Five Dock to City Town Hall
504 - Chiswick to City Domain
505 - Woolwich to City Town Hall
506 - Macquarie University to City Domain via East Ryde
507 - Macquarie University to City Circular Quay via Putney
510 - Ryde to City Town Hall
513 - Carlingford to Meadowbank Wharf via West Ryde
515 - Eastwood to City Circular Quay
518 - Macquarie University to City Circular Quay
520 - Parramatta to City Circular Quay via West Ryde
521 - Parramatta to Eastwood
523 - West Ryde to Parramatta
524 - Ryde to Parramatta via West Ryde
525 - Parramatta to Burwood via Sydney Olympic Park
530 - Burwood to Chatswood
533 - Sydney Olympic Park to Chatswood via Rhodes & North Ryde
534 - Ryde to Chatswood via North Ryde
536 - Gladesville to Chatswood via Hunters Hill
538 - Gladesville to Woolwich
540 - Silverwater Remand Centre to Auburn
541 - Epping to Eastwood
543 - Eastwood to West Ryde
544 - Macquarie Centre to Auburn via Eastwood
545 - Parramatta to Chatswood via Eastwood & Macquarie Centre
546 - Parramatta to Epping via Oatlands & North Rocks
547 - Parramatta to Macarthur St (Loop Service)
549 - Parramatta to Epping via North Rocks
550 - Parramatta to Chatswood via Macquarie Park
551 - Busaco Rd to Eastwood
552 - Oatlands to Parramatta
553 - North Rocks to Beecroft
M52 - Parramatta to City Circular Quay (Limited Stops)
M54 - Parramatta to Macquarie Park via Epping
X15 - City Town Hall to Eastwood (Express Service)

[Fleet Lists]

Other which I thought might have been included are 272, 275, 297, X00, X06 and X18.

[Fleet Lists]

Except for 275 the others are already Prepay only so they dont need to be listed - but they will become the same as the ones listed.

[Jurassic_Joke]

N90 and N91 should be there too

[Fleet Lists]

No as Nightride routes, they are not part of region 7.

[Stu]

This is list that I originally viewed with one modification - the removal of route 381.

I don't know why TfNSW claim that only routes operating out of Ryde Depot are going be cashless as some of the routes are operated by Willoughby and not even shared with Ryde and other routes are operated by Region 6. The communication of information must have been guided by a cadet, considering that TfNSW is the sole owner/controller of routes, regions etc, you would expect that someone would know which routes operate out of which regions. The information at STA depots is more accurate.

[Tonymercury]

Just more 'style over substance'.

[Fleet Lists]

As a matter of interest is this being driven by State Transit for its remaining three regions only or by Transport for NSW for all regions in due course?

[crimsontide]

As a matter of interest is this being driven by State Transit for its remaining three regions only or by Transport for NSW for all regions in due course?

Think you will find the latter. Region 7 the "trial" based on the low number of paper tickets sold.

[iamthouth]

No as Nightride routes, they are not part of region 7.

This is false. From the new 01 March contracts Night Ride is part of the regular operating regions.

[Stu]

As a matter of interest is this being driven by State Transit for its remaining three regions only or by Transport for NSW for all regions in due course?

I would presume that it is a program directed by TfNSW, inter-agency co-operation would allow the trial proceed with relative ease as staff can be seconded/loaned between the transport agencies under the TfNSW transport cluster. Once feedback and data has been analysed, the cashless trial will progress to other regions - both STA and private.

I'm unsure of the timeline for this project and which region may be next.

[Fleet Lists]

No as Nightride routes, they are not part of region 7.

This is false. From the new 01 March contracts Night Ride is part of the regular operating regions.

How come then that STA does routes 10 and 11 which are outside their regions?

When the new Nightride timetable were first uploaded on Transport Info some routes were included in the timetables for the regions concerned but then a few weeks later all Nightride timetables were uploaded on region code 92 which is different from the region codes. This includes the Hillsbus ones one of which was initially uploaded as region 4 (code 13) and then to coded 92 at the later date.

[simonl]

When I read north west and north shore, I was thinking regions 4 and 14!

Regarding why would sta do n10 and n11, my guess would be that they have depots closer to where the routes start in the city, and in some cases I'm sure the runs finish there.

[homebush]

https://www.opal.com.au/en/news/opalnew ... l2018.html

I wonder what the updates to the opal website would be.

[matthewg]

https://www.opal.com.au/en/news/opalnew ... l2018.html

I wonder what the updates to the opal website would be.

Possibly only to update their server configuration to not use older and now insecure variants of TLS/SSL encryption. It's quite possible that unless you use an old version of Internet Explorer on Windows XP (I do know someone who does this, don't see the need to update!), you won't notice anything.

Probably the result of a security audit.

[gld59]

Possibly only to update their server configuration to not use older and now insecure variants of TLS/SSL encryption.

Even in Windows 10, IE is configured to use TLS 1.0 and 1.1 as well as 1.2. Thanks for reminding me to go into Internet Options and kill 1.0 and 1.1, just in case.

gld

[Fleet Lists]

I dont know whether this has been picked up before.

https://www.buslinesgroup.com.au/lithgo ... trial.html

Opal Gold Senior/Pensioner Trial

Commencing Friday 1 December 2017- Lithgow Buslines in conjunction with Transport for NSW, will be operating a 12 month Trial Service to allow the holders of Gold Senior/Pensioner Opal Cards to use the card to gain bus travel, free of charge to and from Lithgow Railway Station, when connecting with travel on the rail network.


The trial will cover passengers that are the holder of a Gold Senior/Pensioner Opal Card

The trial will cover bus passengers that connect with rail services at Lithgow Station

For trips that commence on the Rail Network;- bus services from Lithgow Station

Passengers will tap-on/tap-off during their rail journey, which will trigger a $2.50 debit to their Opal account

They will then board the bus at Lithgow, and show their Opal Pensioner ticket and their proof of entitlement, to the Lithgow Buslines driver

The bus driver will allow the passenger to board the bus free of charge and will issue a ‘Opal Concession Zero’ ticket from the driver ticket console

On trips that commence in Lithgow Buslines Network;- bus services to Lithgow Station

Passengers will board the bus, show their Gold Senior/Pensioner Opal Card and advise the driver that they are intending to connect to a train service at Lithgow

Passengers will show their Opal Gold Senior/Pensioner Card and their proof of entitlement, and then be issued with an ‘Opal Concession In” ticket and be conveyed free of charge

The passenger will alight the bus and use their Opal card in the usual way when entering the train station (incurring a $2.50 debit)

If intending passengers have any queries please feel free to contact Lithgow Buslines Office on 6352 3888 for more information

[Jurassic_Joke]

Opal Fares are going up by 2.2% next month, lads

https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/sto ... ext-month/

To get them to help re-elect the Coalition next March, Pensioners are once more exempt from an increase to their $2.50 daily cap, while of course to subsidise that, the transfer discount will remain unchanged at $2, and all other daily/weekly/Sunday caps will see an increase with the inflation.

Also, Andrew, try doing your homework before telling pre-election lies.....Opal has not been frozen from fares for five years, it went up 2014-2015 across all modes.

EDIT sorry my bad, only Ferry and Train Opal fares went up 2014-2015, still a fare increase https://www.gladys.com.au/content/annua ... port-fares

[Fleet Lists]

Also see https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/opa ... 4zl44.html

[moa999]

More details on caps here
https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/news-a ... ped-at-cpi