Transport In Review 2019

[Zidanehartono]

With 2019 coming to an end, here's a review of what has changed and/or happened.

JANUARY

18th: On the nights between Tuesday and Sunday until the 17th of February, Transperth runs the Fringe CAT bus taking passengers between Perth Busport and Girls School Creative Precinct.
23th: The first (And only) Express Coach Builders-bodied B8RLE in the orange school bus livery was noted by Squiddy at Welshpool Depot prior to being delivered to Rockingham to be used for a special needs school run for Malibu School.
26th: Services ran on a Saturday timetable on Australia Day with extra bus/train services after the Skyworks, then the following two days (27th/28th) saw the transport system running on a Sunday timetable as it was an extended weekend.

FEBRUARY

3rd: With Route 950 onto its fifth year, most services will be operated by articulated buses during the busier times on weekdays, brought from several depots such as Welshpool and Canning Vale.
11th: As part of a trial by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, 5 additional Joondalup Blue CAT services were implemented with the first service departing Joondalup Station at 6:41AM.
17th: Curtin Central Bus Station opened to the public with Route 70 withdrawn on the same day although operated for the last time on the 15th.
19th: After undergoing beta testing, Transperth has finally released their update of its mobile app which now includes features such as live tracking.
25th: Transperth announced changes to Route 34 which will see it traveling via Ashburton Street and parts of the Bentley 360 which opened in November this year.
26th: TP3001 suffered a minor incident after colliding with TP1256 on William Street during the peak hours. It was repaired with optional replacements to the steering wheel and advert wrapping.

MARCH

TP3001 was put back into service featuring the Tommy Hilfiger AOA.
1st: Transperth announces a new route connecting Leederville Station, QEII and UWA known as Route 96.
24th: Taking event-goers from Kalamunda to the Stadium is Route 655 which was born at the same time Route 661 no longer operate as a circular service and terminating at Nelson Avenue. Instead it will travel between St Georges Terrace and the Stadium's bus station.

MAY

27th: Due to the redevelopment works on Cecil Avenue which finished in early-December this year, bus services other than those going to Grose Avenue deviated through Wharf Street.

JUNE

5th: After 7 months since being introduced and despite WA lacking in tourism at that time, Adams Coachlines has ceased the Swan Valley Explorer due to low patronage.
7th: Ex-Transperth O405NH's which was used for the Swan Valley Explorer was spotted in Cannington doing charters for a school's sports carnival.
16th: Midland Line Train Replacement Route 905 was renumbered to 901, possibly either due to the upcoming Forrestfield-Airport Link and/or to simplify patrons during events at Perth Stadium when Claisebrook and Mclver Stations are out-of-use.
The last B-series trains (Sets 125 and 126) has been delivered, putting the end to the 15 years of production as WA favours for trains to be locally built.

JULY

Mount Claremont Bus Depot commenced operations, replacing North Fremantle Depot which has since been closed and with all depots 100% owned by the PTA WA.
8th: Horizons West takes over Neerabup-based Westwide although the liveries remain the same.
21th: Fremantle/Midland Line services now stop at all stations due to the upcoming Forrestfield-Airport Link. Also the number of bus services on Flinders Street boosted in response to the growing patronage numbers.
22th: Route 96 debuted to revenue service linking between Leederville Station, QEII and UWA.

AUGUST

PTA WA introduced a new bus livery with only the placement of Transperth logos on the sides altered. Deliveries/refurbs from this time becomes a standard.
The first Volvo B8RLE (TP2960) for the contract was spotted by Squiddy at the Truck Centre in Welshpool. It was demonstrated to some of the depots with a sheet showing the new features (Such as exterior cameras and door sensors) published for the drivers from all 3 operators.
12th: Transperth announced changes to Route 531 which will better serve the Beeliar Gardens area.
18th: Alstom has won the contract to build 246 new C-series trains and 6 diesel railcars with deliveries starting from 2022.
23rd: Route 16 ceases operations after its last return service.
25th: Route 34 no longer serves Manning Road and instead travels through Ashburton Road, along with the stand changes at both bus stations at Curtin University.

SEPTEMBER

Route 354 continues to operate despite reinstated following a 12-month trial.
The on-stand display for the driver at Perth Busport has been modified which now includes a camera view of the inside.
4th: A new bus depot will be built in Pinjarra to reduce cost of buses having to travel 15 km between Mandurah while on dead running.
14th: The Mandurah Line was temporarily truncated to Rockingham following a car had fallen onto the train tracks.
15th: Route 150 and 160 terminus in East Perth was relocated to the opposite side of Terrace Road.

OCTOBER

10th: Not long after Transit Systems was acquired by Sealink, Swan Transit won the contract to run buses in the Joondalup/Wangara Area which will take effect from 19th January 2020. They also had their existing Claremont and Marmion contracts renewed.
19th: TP1214 ended up being stuck on Fiegert Road in Pinjarra which is an unsealed semi-rural road.

NOVEMBER

4th: Following completion of works, Henley Brook Bus Station opens replacing the now closed Ellenbrook Transfer Station.
6th: Transperth announced changes to bus services in the northern suburbs which would provide direct services and improved access to the Joondalup Line, Perth CBD and activity centres, such as Mirrabooka Shopping Centre.
13th: Most A-series trains were taken out of service following recent incidents which lead to the front windscreen replacements. This allows for the B-series trains to operate the Armadale/Thornlie Line for some weeks.
15th: The new ferry for Perth will be named "Tricia" which refers to a 62 year-old Asian Pachyderm.

DECEMBER

8th: Bus services returned to using Cecil Avenue past Westfield Carousel following completion of redevelopment works.
20th: MV Tricia debuted to revenue service with a special trip passing landmarks including the Stadium, while MV Shelley Taylor-Smith will be used as a backup and for special events.

[Squiddy]

AUGUST

PTA WA introduced a new bus livery with only the placement of Transperth logos on the sides altered. Deliveries/refurbs from this time becomes a standard.

Minor correction, the livery changes were implemented in July, with the first refurbished OCs with the livery (1377-78, 1974, 1975, 2006) all returning with that livery in that month, along with newbie 2946.

Addtionally, one thing you skipped over was the retirement of the last of the CNG NHs, with 1815 being the last for Transdev on November 1 and Path's 1791/3/4 retiring a couple of days later.

October 2019 also saw our last B7s (2839, 2958 and 2959) enter into revenue service, which may be the last B7RLEs anywhere in the world (if someone knows of any later ones in some far-flung part of the globe I would love to know)

In early March 2019 Redcliffe Depot was re-commissioned into service which I also didn't see in your post.

And to be honest, I wouldn't call the 3001 fender bender particularly news-worthy. Happens all the time.

[Shoudy Chen]

I know that this year we have seen newbies Volvo Buses join Transperth to revitalise the fleet. However some buses have already left transperth. This year, All o405nh CNGs have been retired From TP after gas tanks have hit its expiry date and are not renewed. Most CNGs have headed to the scrap heap. What date did the final O405NH CNG bus retire from Transperth?

[Merc1107]

This year, All o405nh CNGs have been retired From TP after gas tanks have hit its expiry date and are not renewed. Most CNGs have headed to the scrap heap.

Bear in mind the goal with fleet replacement is to withdraw buses at around 18yrs - we're still playing catch up (to a point) with the gap in fleet replacement that occurred during the 1990s. Previous Annual Reports or the somewhat-recent Auditor General's Report have included some information about the ongoing fleet replacement, if that interests you

CNG tanks are another matter; tanks may be certified for 20, 25, even 30 years depending on the tank manufacturer and local regulations. Replacing the vehicles ahead of that time wouldn't be odd if the aim is to keep the average fleet age younger.

[PaxInfo]

Another thing that appeared to have happened in late 2019 was that the metropolitan pdf network maps (the ones with 10 sheets) were removed from the Transperth website.

The train system map (misleadingly called a network map) remains but nothing else.

https://www.transperth.wa.gov.au/using- ... ting-perth

This is a major step back and counterproductive given they're fretting about stagnant/declining patronage.

[Mr OC Benz]

Another thing that appeared to have happened in late 2019 was that the metropolitan pdf network maps (the ones with 10 sheets) were removed from the Transperth website.

Network maps are still available here.

[PaxInfo]

Another thing that appeared to have happened in late 2019 was that the metropolitan pdf network maps (the ones with 10 sheets) were removed from the Transperth website.

Network maps are still available here.

Thanks! Odd it isn't Under 'Using Transperth' and the maps section.