STA Observations - June 2017

[Jurassic_Joke]

Well, its June, and with it, I'm very pleased to announce as of very recent, with the NextThere app, you are once again able to see exactly what bus type is operating a service, especially useful for STA. Seems like TfNSW has caved in to feedback requesting this data be released again to the public after withdrawing it at the end of 2016, I certainly was vigilant myself Mike Baird's gone, so no more need for enforcing a nanny state with something that isn't hurting anyone.

NextThere is free, and is exclusive to iOS devices (and also comes in a variant for the iPad).

Just a couple of heads up though:

- A few of the images used for a few bus types are obviously wrong; e.g. the pic of Mercedes Gassies is obviously wrong, but all the names are correct, and as such, seeing "Mercedes Benz 0405NH Custom Coaches Citaro" (e.g.) is all that matters;

- You can't see the exact fleet number for a service, just the bus type (but still better than nothing)

- For those who preferred Triptastic, from what I've heard, the dev has abandoned the app altogether, well, $3.99 well spent while it lasted. That one told you exactly the fleet number running a service.


Happy hunting! So good to be back to le old days of seeing if theres a preferred bus (or the dreaded Bustech) coming along

An example: Much easier now to find my favourite Custom Metrobuses on M30:

[hornetfig]

Well, its June, and with it, I'm very pleased to announce as of very recent, with the NextThere app, you are once again able to see exactly what bus type is operating a service, especially useful for STA. Seems like TfNSW has caved in to feedback requesting this data be released again to the public after withdrawing it at the end of 2016, I certainly was vigilant myself Mike Baird's gone, so no more need for enforcing a nanny state with something that isn't hurting anyone.

Hey that's an improvement. It doesn't let you find a particular bus, but you can at least do some analysis on approximate route age and on model performance and that sort of thing.

[Swift]

I want to avoid any 0500 gassies (I have taken to the "ageing like wine" 0405NH gassies somewhat and don't mind the Bustechs -they're good for a laugh) but am a daggy android user. Ahh well lucky dip it is *sigh.

[boronia]

Hmmm, 49 km/hr on Military Rd at 6.25 PM? Something wrong there.

[donotsmoke]

1857 2101 are now at L

[fm2790.]

Its M20 not M30. M20 doesn't go to Sydneham Station.

[Jurassic_Joke]

Its M20 not M30. M20 doesn't go to Sydneham Station.

Who/what/where does it say M20?? I sure didn't say that

[fm2790.]

On the desto, It clearly states M20 GORE HILL and the caption states M30 going to SYDENHAM STATION. I am refering about the pic.

[Jurassic_Joke]

On the desto, It clearly states M20 GORE HILL and the caption states M30 going to SYDENHAM STATION. I am refering about the pic.

Ah ok apologies, misunderstanding there,

Yeah but thats a stock pic. As you see, its been taken from State Transits website. Any service being run with this exact bus type, (this particular one is quite rare on anything besides M30) will be shown with this pic, irrespective of what route its running on. Any service thats run with a Mercedes 0500LE CNG, will be shown with the same stock pic (but if i remember correctly that one's desto said State Transit), and so on for every other bus type. Pic isn't really important

It's just to help the less wary identify what bus it is, however, as i mentioned, some of the pics are WRONG; (e.g., funny, Bustechs pic is being shown as Volvo B7) its the name of the bus type that basically counts, ignore everything else

[Xplorer]

Hmmm, 49 km/hr on Military Rd at 6.25 PM? Something wrong there.

nothing wrong there, military road traffic can vary so much that sometimes when you get a green light at the right time, there's no traffic for the next two or three blocks, and of course buses can do up to 49km/h during that period

[Frodo]

Metrobus artic 2206 operating a 288 from Macquarie Centre to the city tonight around 6pm - not sure if this is a regular occurrence or not

[Jurassic_Joke]

Perhaps as a supplement for Vivid - I otherwise regularly see this during weekday rush hours.

[Swift]

^ any do the whole kit 'n' kaboodle to Epping?

[Stu]

Metrobus artic 2206 operating a 288 from Macquarie Centre to the city tonight around 6pm - not sure if this is a regular occurrence or not

Extra service for VIVID. Departs Macquarie Centre at 17:50 - artic is scheduled to operate this service.

[fm2790.]

STA North Sydney's m/o2099 was rostered on V's E65 South Curl Curl to Wynyard. service a few weeks ago.

[Fleet Lists]

Was it actually rostered or did it operate as a standby bus? I would suspect the latter.

[fm2790.]

As its known, N buses get serviced at V , so you would think that the bus was heading back to its base after the run and service.

[Frosty]

Well I did see something not too often seen a 308 inbound to Redfern operated by a red Tempe bendy during the morning peak then forming and outbound 309 short working to Botany. I would have to assume it was a standby bus and Tempe ran out of 12.5m buses. Seeing a bendy on the 309 is very rare nowdays let alone red metrobus.

I've noticed over the last few weekends P hasn't been sending out its long Scania L113 14.5m buses. Even K is sending less on weekends on the 400 only seem to see M use them regularly on the 288 & 292 on weekends.

[Stu]

^ The situation involving the artic would have been due to the usual bus shortage during the am peak. The driver would have been inconvenienced by having the special back to Tempe Depot after completing the 309-Out. This shift normally requires the driver to special from Botany to Campsie to commence a 413-In - ridiculous dead running.

The route 413 would not be suitable for an artic due to the tight left turn from Clissold St into Prospect Rd at Ashfield, there is potential for a jack-knife although an experienced artic driver could anticipate this and prevent a jack-knife. However, if there is a vehicle illegally parked on Prospect Rd, that would certainly cost problems.

[fm2790.]

STA Route 136 Manly - Chatswood service seems to get few bendis rostered on more often now. Its not just summer months but all year round now.

[Jurassic_Joke]

STA Route 136 Manly - Chatswood service seems to get few bendis rostered on more often now. Its not just summer months but all year round now.

Primarily on weekends. During rush hour it can happen uncommonly too, but as you can imagine they're reserved for the various E's and L's to Wynyard.

Route 144 Chatswood - Manly (via Spit Junction) can also get them.

[Sydney_Buses_CB60]

This morning (13/06/2017) I noticed that Volvo B12BLE Euro 5 Custom Coaches CB60 Evo II #4964 of North Sydney (N) Depot was being "Borrowed" by Brookvale (V) Depot as it was going to the City with an Inbound E79, a route usually only operated by Brookvale (V) Depot.

Somehow I don't think I worded some parts of that right...

Anyway, apart from someone up-chucking on poor #4858 as we speak, I thought that that was interesting.

[joshua2036]

4831 & 4820 at R

[Swift]

I don't think any of those first thirty or so 48 series Vlovvos have ever settled into a home depot for very long. They get passed around like pass the parcel on someone's birthday!
One thing I have always noticed about them off their incredibly vocal exhaust brake crack.
The best in the business.

[fm2790.]

This morning (13/06/2017) I noticed that Volvo B12BLE Euro 5 Custom Coaches CB60 Evo II #4964 of North Sydney (N) Depot was being "Borrowed" by Brookvale (V) Depot as it was going to the City with an Inbound E79, a route usually only operated by Brookvale (V) Depot.

SomehowI don't think I worded some parts of that right...

Anyway, apart from someone up-chucking on poor #4858 as we speak, I thought that that was interesting.

The most likely scenario that N buses appear on V services is because most of their fleet get serviced at Brookvale. After servicing , more likely than not appear in service for few days before picking up the buses that N borrowed as a replacement.

Its is North Sydney that borrows buses not Brookvale,