Covid-19

General Transport Discussion not specific to one state
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Skexis
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Covid-19

Post by Skexis »

Anyone thought what will happen if a bus driver gets the corona virus? Will their depot be shut down for quarantine purposes? If so what will happen to all the routes it serves? Will buses not run at all or is there some kind of emergency exemption that will mean buses will operate no matter what and if so how will that affect any drivers who operate them?

No one appears to have asked these questions yet.
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Eagle Eye
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Re: Covid-19

Post by Eagle Eye »

I'm pretty sure the government would be working through all of those things. Just because we don't know their plans, doesn't mean there aren't any plans.
jibb
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Re: Covid-19

Post by jibb »

The Government has stated this afternoon that they are taking advice on an ongoing basis from the health authorities.
If things got really bad,all public transport will be shut down.
Former driver37
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Re: Covid-19

Post by Former driver37 »

I swore i read somewhere today that all Southlink buses are being cleaned and disinfected thoroughly every night not sure where i read this
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Re: Covid-19

Post by TA3001 »

Southlink actually make an effort to keep their fleet presentable, going by my observations.
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Re: Covid-19

Post by jibb »

TA3001 wrote:Southlink actually make an effort to keep their fleet presentable, going by my observations.
Torrens certainly do.
TT
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Re: Covid-19

Post by TT »

What you read us that all Adel Metro buses (Torrens and Southlink) are now being cleaned and disinfected on a daily basis, in an effort to combat the virus. Normally it would be a practice of swept daily, and cleaned once or twice a week (or if circumstances required it immediately).
tonyp
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Re: Private Bus Observations 2020

Post by tonyp »

I see that Transport Canberra has introduced universal all-door boarding in response to this crisis, in order to get people away from drivers. Today on Nowra Coaches there's merely a sign encouraging passengers to have the exact change. When I look at the measures being rapidly introduced on European public transport, the underwhelming action here is alarming. I would think at the very least drivers should be wearing face masks and gloves and there should be no transactions handled by drivers, both for their sake and passengers. I wonder if all operators are sanitizing their vehicles daily?
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Campbelltown busboy
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Re: Private Bus Observations 2020

Post by Campbelltown busboy »

tonyp wrote:I see that Transport Canberra has introduced universal all-door boarding in response to this crisis, in order to get people away from drivers. Today on Nowra Coaches there's merely a sign encouraging passengers to have the exact change. When I look at the measures being rapidly introduced on European public transport, the underwhelming action here is alarming. I would think at the very least drivers should be wearing face masks and gloves and there should be no transactions handled by drivers, both for their sake and passengers. I wonder if all operators are sanitizing their vehicles daily?
There wouldn't be many people moving around on buses in Europe at the moment as more and more European countries are going into virus containing lockdown
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Off The Rails
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Re: Private Bus Observations 2020

Post by Off The Rails »

tonyp wrote:there should be no transactions handled by drivers, both for their sake and passengers.
While I agree with this, I had a discussion with a driver yesterday about it - you open up a whole new book of 'fare evasion', where people who state they have the correct money for a cash fare can't buy a ticket due to the restriction. So what do you do - let people on without a ticket, or send them off the bus because cash transactions are banned? This then also applies to cities that allow drivers to top up passenger's smart cards (like Perth) - even though they're willing to top up their card, do you tell them to go for a hike, or let them on and 'fare evade'?

I don't see it happening, because there are too many what ifs here still. In Europe, where the majority have some form of cashless payment methods, it's fine. In most cities of Australia, it's a bit hard to implement that restriction. At the very least, I can see drivers being issued gloves to handle cash.
tonyp wrote: I wonder if all operators are sanitizing their vehicles daily?
Transperth are doing this to their fleet. Specifics for the operators include providing hand sanitizers to drivers, thorough cleaning of every surface hands can touch, and fogging (a sanitizing method using steam).

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Re: Covid-19

Post by Merc1107 »

tonyp wrote:I would think at the very least drivers should be wearing face masks and gloves and there should be no transactions handled by drivers, both for their sake and passengers.
Masks, perhaps, gloves, not so much - only takes one contaminated surface followed by inadvertently touching one's face to rend that solution useless.

In Perth all stations, buses, trains, ferries being 'disinfected' (I'd be more likely to call it 'sanitising' myself). Buses and trains are being fogged or will have frequent-contact surfaces cleaned. Stations getting more cleaning attention, too. No change, as yet, to handling of cash or all-door loading.

I see poster Off The Rails has beat me to a response here, but I already typed a response, so there. :mrgreen:

*Edit* - Transperth do offer a variety of free travel passes for persons with disabilities, or those who need access to public transport for whatever reason. If cash transactions are ceased, then maybe more of these need to be issued to assist those persons most in need.
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ScaniaGrenda
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Re: Covid-19

Post by ScaniaGrenda »

For better visibility can the moderators please move this topic to the lunch room? I created a duplicate topic and didn't realise this one already existed because it was posted in a section of the forum people might not think to go.

Anyway day by day, it's just getting more & more crazy, today there was literally a line that wrapped around the Deli section of a local Coles all the way to the front entrance, and no these people weren't after deli-meat yet but I think pasta or rice or something. I was literally saying to myself that these people are the reason this hysteria is being caused in the first place, and I can assure you their just grabbing what they can get, not because it's of any real use to them. I really really really can't wait for the supermarket panic to die down but this is going to be another couple of months at best.

I've heard on ABC Raido too that the elderly (and not that there's anything wrong) going and grabbing puzzle books and adult colouring books but cooking books oddly weren't selling?

Unless you need to go up to the Supermarket, forget about it, it's just a crazy hysteria mess and people are proving themselves that they can't do more than 5 minutes of research and want to be irrational. At this point their just once again choosing to let the media blindly spoon feed them what they should be doing and low and behold, we have this mess.
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boronia
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Re: Covid-19

Post by boronia »

THis panic buying is understandable to some extent, as people are at risk of being unexpectedly told they will have to stay at home in quarantine for 14 days, or longer if they actually get it.. They see the need to have sufficient food at home to last that period, because they won't be able to go out to buy anything. Could be quite a burden for a large family.

It will plateau out in a few weeks once every body has "sufficient".
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paulgersche
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Re: Covid-19

Post by paulgersche »

I was on the understanding that you can go out for essentials, like shopping.

Paul.
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ScaniaGrenda
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Re: Covid-19

Post by ScaniaGrenda »

Sorry but I respectfully disagree with the panic buying, there's nothing responsible to it.

It's been pointed out that consumers are the ones causing the panic buying and shortage of goods, not the manufacturers / product makers. People are only lining up now because other people have caused shortages because of their mass buying & unnecessary hoarding and now they need to get what they can get what they can get. People have also had plenty of time to properly prepare and keep a reasonable stockpile and they haven't thought ahead and have left it to the last second which also doesn't help. I'm not going to suffer because others want to create shortage and be unreasonable.

Like I said, IF PEOPLE COULD BE RATIONAL for more than 5 minutes, we probably wouldn't be having this issue, at the most hand sanitiser would still be difficult to obtain but products like toilet paper and your regular food and meat would not be having any stock shortages.
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tonyp
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Re: Covid-19

Post by tonyp »

Getting back to buses, in an extraordinary situation where governments are preparing to go into deficit over it, revenue protection is a small consideration especially as most commuters in cities use prepaid fares. A small proportion of free riders is not going to matter much.
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Re: Covid-19

Post by Fleet Lists »

ScaniaGrenda wrote:For better visibility can the moderators please move this topic to the lunch room? I created a duplicate topic and didn't realise this one already existed because it was posted in a section of the forum people might not think to go.
No, as long as it is transport related, which this is, it belongs here and not in the lunch room in a thread which relates to things which people do not like.
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busrider
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Re: Covid-19

Post by busrider »

Could make a shadow topic there though, directing people to this thread?
SimCube
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Re: Covid-19

Post by SimCube »

Image
Interline have gone to extreme measures to prevent drivers especially from getting the Coronavirus. Seen here today on Interlines 9500 (Mercedes O500LE Bustech VST, ex Busabout), the seat directly behind the driver and behind the front door (not shown) are taped off with the yellow and black tape.


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tonyp
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Re: Covid-19

Post by tonyp »

That's pretty pointless if the gangway that goes right past the driver is still open!

In another development, the demand door buttons on Sydney trams have been disabled and all doors are opened by the driver at every stop.
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ScaniaGrenda
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Re: Covid-19

Post by ScaniaGrenda »

Same has happened on the Newcastle light rail regarding the automatic opening of doors at stations.
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Campbelltown busboy
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Re: Covid-19

Post by Campbelltown busboy »

tonyp wrote:That's pretty pointless if the gangway that goes right past the driver is still open!
Busways CDC Sydney (Hillsbus) Interline Punchbowl Bus Co Transdev and Transit Systems (region 3) all have buses that don't have a centre door so how would that work when the driver from one of the mentioned operators are given a single door bus to operate their shift with
tonyp
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Re: Covid-19

Post by tonyp »

ScaniaGrenda wrote:Same has happened on the Newcastle light rail regarding the automatic opening of doors at stations.
Same in Canberra.
Campbelltown busboy wrote:Busways CDC Sydney (Hillsbus) Interline Punchbowl Bus Co Transdev and Transit Systems (region 3) all have buses that don't have a centre door so how would that work when the driver from one of the mentioned operators are given a single door bus to operate their shift with
Yes, in other words it's pointless blocking off well-screened seats when there are other much closer and open points of contact with the driver.
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Campbelltown busboy
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Re: Covid-19

Post by Campbelltown busboy »

Every bus delivered into region 15 since 2013 have a full drivers safety protection screen would these screens protect the driver from infection
tonyp
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Re: Covid-19

Post by tonyp »

Campbelltown busboy wrote:Every bus delivered into region 15 since 2013 have a full drivers safety protection screen would these screens protect the driver from infection
As long as there's no opening for the passengers to talk through and no fare collection.
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