Private Bus Observations 2021

[Centralian]

Wasn't a lot of the Syd Wood Archive held by Bankstown library destroyed in the fire they had there some years ago. That's what I was led to believe.

[tonyp]

Wasn't a lot of the Syd Wood Archive held by Bankstown library destroyed in the fire they had there some years ago. That's what I was led to believe.

It's still listed in their online catalogue so I hope that means it's still there.

[Swift]

Is that Custom's battery bus flat floor throughout, hence the high roofline presumably housing the batteries?
I like how a home renovator chose the flooring. I have a feeling production examples won't be getting it.

[tonyp]

Is that Custom's battery bus flat floor throughout, hence the high roofline presumably housing the batteries?
I like how a home renovator chose the flooring. I have a feeling production examples won't be getting it.

Yes it's the Element. I've chosen it as a design benchmark until something as good comes along to join it. That timber-look floor seems to be fashionable at the moment but I'm sure a customer can choose different finishes if they want to.

[Merc1107]

In other places they're painting the floors of buses during refurbishment. So Custom isn't alone in floor-related sins.

The fake floorboard flooring will look good for all of five minutes. I've come to prefer a darking covering, as it resists the various and sundry activities of hundreds of thousands of people much better than lighter floors.

[tonyp]

In other places they're painting the floors of buses during refurbishment. So Custom isn't alone in floor-related sins.

The fake floorboard flooring will look good for all of five minutes. I've come to prefer a darking covering, as it resists the various and sundry activities of hundreds of thousands of people much better than lighter floors.

I first saw that type of flooring in Europe. Usually it appears on demonstration models only and disappears as orders for more pragmatically-finished vehicles roll off the production line. It ought not distract attention from the fundamental design issues. Any vehicle manufacturer will add a bit of bling to a PR demo. I wish they wouldn't!

[Ben O]

Symes Coaches 4618 MO passed through Glen Innes this afternoon with the Cavanaghs Bus and Coach Accred. Can anyone confirm if Symes have been purchased by Cavanaghs?

The Cavanagh logo appears on the Symes website now but didn't in March. Sale appears to have happened by early early June.

Dineens took over Symes Coaches through Cavanagh Bus & Coach Pty Ltd on 1 June 2021.

[boronia]

The COVID lock downs announced today for south-western LGAs seem likely to affect bus services in those and adjoining areas?

[BroadGauge]

Reports are coming in that staff members at multiple bus operators in Sydney, including those outside of the three south-western LGAs, have been advised that a Sunday timetable will be operating every day for the next two weeks.

[Campbelltown busboy]

Reports are coming in that staff members at multiple bus operators in Sydney, including those outside of the three south-western LGAs, have been advised that a Sunday timetable will be operating every day for the next two weeks.

Busabout has just posted this on their Facebook page

IMPORTANT COVID-19 UPDATE

Per advice from the NSW Government, Busabout will be operating a SUNDAY timetable for all route services from Monday 19th July 2021 until further notice. There will be NO school services operating during this time.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused and appreciate your patience during this time.

[Swift]

In the old days that would mean no service in many cases!
That's how Sydney's private bus services used to be until the 1990s.

[iamthouth]

It will be a surprise to many tomorrow, given how late it has been left before announcement. I expected it at 11am, but only very vague hints at it then. Nothing from Constance yet either.

From https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/nsw ... 58an7.html

"The government was considering whether public transport services will be reduced as the new restrictions force a greater number of workers to stay home."

[iamthouth]

Just announced on CDC website and also on LinkedIn
https://cdcbus.com.au/hillsbus-news/521 ... strictions
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/cdcaustr ... 03040-pMK_

COVID-19 Lockdown Service Restrictions
Dear Customers,

Due to the increased COVID-19 lockdown restrictions from the NSW Government, all Hillsbus and Forest Coach Lines bus services will operate to reduced (Sunday) timetables from Monday July 19. These service restrictions will remain in place until Friday July 30 or as otherwise instructed.

During this period, school services will not be operating.

If you are planning to travel by bus, please check the Sunday timetable for the service you require or call 131500 for more information.

Frequency of the MetroConnect On Demand service will also be reduced and customers may experience increased wait times.

We apologise for any inconvenience and wish that you remain COVID safe.

[swtt]

Popped up on Facebook too.

[Campbelltown busboy]

It will be a surprise to many tomorrow, given how late it has been left before announcement. I expected it at 11am, but only very vague hints at it then. Nothing from Constance yet either.

From https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/nsw ... 58an7.html

"The government was considering whether public transport services will be reduced as the new restrictions force a greater number of workers to stay home."

Has the transport minister ever been invited to the daily 11am COVID media briefing during this current outbreak and lockdown

[tonyp]

In the old days that would mean no service in many cases!
That's how Sydney's private bus services used to be until the 1990s.

Only for a brief very negative period in the 70s and 80s when all public transport went into the doldrums.

[iamthouth]

Thanks Swtt,

Unfortunately, the message is inaccurate. Transport services won't run to a reduce timetable, many will not run at all, as Sunday timetable applies.

[Swift]

It will be a surprise to many tomorrow, given how late it has been left before announcement. I expected it at 11am, but only very vague hints at it then. Nothing from Constance yet either.

New South Fails being typical with dithering weak leadership.

[Arceus2]

XQ-15SQ (Custom Denning Element) EV spotted operating for Punchbowl Bus Company on route 940 at Hurstville this morning. Presumably this is a trial PBC is doing?

Disclaimer: I was on a morning run when taking these photos.

Here it is passing the next newest bus in PBC's fleet on Cross St: m/o 8090 (Scania K320UB, Custom Endeavour):
https://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/di ... ?pid=19757

The rear-end, bearing much resemblance to the aforementioned Endeavour:
https://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/di ... ?pid=19758

Stopping to pick up (if any) passengers at Hurstville Westfield interchange:
https://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/di ... ?pid=19763

Making a left turn in the sun onto Dora St shortly before it exits Hurstville towards Bankstown:
https://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/di ... ?pid=19764

[tonyp]

Well spotted and yes it's on trial. I hope to god this and other operators that trial it they understand the value of the stepless floor, compared to the other competitors with high-floors. Think of the passengers and the operational efficiency of the bus as a transit vehicle. Please.

I think this is the Element that was in Brisbane.

It's interesting that some purchasers of Endeavours and Optimuses forego the bonded glazing. It makes them a bit ugly, like a house frame without the external cladding, but I guess it must save a bit of money? The Endeavour rear is a bit different from the Element, no rear window for one thing, but obviously the same family.

https://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/di ... ?pid=19765

[Merc1107]

The reality with bonded windows is replacing them is supposed to be a rather more time-consuming process. Where they are frequently broken, and a depot has a low spare bus ratio, time (and low cost of repair) is of the essence.

[Swift]

I do agree bonded looks much cleaner and more overtly modern in appearance, but reality says go for the "mechanically" mounted option in some operating environments sadly.
That's why the Ansair Orana continues to look contemporary.
Well done capturing the Element in it's element out on the street! Not a bad looking unit (interesting at least) and nice seeing some rear shots! The parallelagram taillight clusters stand out from the pack.

[Fleet Lists]

Dineens took over Symes Coaches through Cavanagh Bus & Coach Pty Ltd on 1 June 2021.

Ben O,
I have been trying to contact you by email but the email address we have on the board no longer seems to work. Could you please update it or advise me of a new email address.
Regards - Fleet Lists.

[ScaniaGrenda]

So I have two questions;

I thought Buses in Sydney were running to a Sunday Timeatable and NO school bus services would be running

Also what is a Volvo B7R Custom Dennyo?

[Arceus2]

Slightly-off topic, but I can add that the real-time data vehicle model isn't always accurate or may be missing some details especially for rarer configurations. PBC's Custom Endeavour shows up as a "Scania K320 Custom Bus CB80", while the above Custom Element showed up as a "Mercedes O405NH Custom Coaches CITARO" this morning (attached). In the northern beaches I've seen Volvo B7RLEs show up as a "Volvo B7BLE Custom Coaches CB80".

A tangent to this is that real-time data for trains list the scheduled set rather than the actual set (occupancy data on an M set is a giveaway it's been transposed to a Waratah A/B).