Re: Ferry Observations 2023

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Aurora
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Re: Ferry Observations 2023

Post by Aurora »

Linto63 wrote: Sat Dec 31, 2022 9:46 am
tonyp wrote: I wonder what Transdev thinks of this as both operators will be on the same level playing field (though MFF will be twice as frequent) - which wasn't part of the original deal.
Not Transdev's problem. It operates services on a concession basis with TfNSW bearing the revenue risk.
Does Transdev have any patronage KPIs as part of their contract? They just might care.
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Linto63
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Re: Ferry Observations 2023

Post by Linto63 »

If the landscape is altered by TfNSW in such a way to make the targets unachievable, then these would be null and void.
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Re: Ferry Observations 2023

Post by boxythingy »

In the meantime they should get rid of the deceptive strips of papers on the Watsons Bay Wharf Opal readers that say "after 4:30PM on weekdays tap on board the ferry". They should instead say "last public ferry scheduled 4:15PM weekdays"
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Re: Ferry Observations 2023

Post by Fleet Lists »

https://transportnsw.info/news/2023/par ... ry-closure
The F3 Parramatta River Ferry service will not run between Rydalmere Wharf and Parramatta Wharf, from Thursday 2 February to Thursday 30 March 2023, while construction is undertaken by City of Parramatta on the Alfred Street Bridge pedestrian link across the river.
For more information see above link.
By coincidence I found a link to the 60F3 replacement service about an hour before I noticed the article. https://transportnsw.info/documents/tim ... 230202.pdf
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Re: Ferry Observations 2023

Post by Fleet Lists »

Stockton Ferry and Manly Fast Ferry both had new timetable last Friday

https://transportnsw.info/documents/tim ... 230127.pdf
https://transportnsw.info/documents/tim ... 230127.pdf

In the case of the Stockton Ferry it was probably part of the school term changes of Newcastle Transport going by the 73 operator code in the URL but I dont know about Manly Fast Ferry
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Linto63
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Re: Ferry Observations 2023

Post by Linto63 »

Please keep your political opinions to yourself, this is a transport discussions board, not a political one.
tonyp
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Re: Ferry Observations 2023

Post by tonyp »

Linto63 wrote: Tue Feb 07, 2023 4:22 pm Please keep your political opinions to yourself, this is a transport discussions board, not a political one.
That's not an opinion, it's just a fact about what happens. Visit Minns or Haylen's social media pages and you'll see exactly that on every occasion.
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Re: Ferry Observations 2023

Post by Linto63 »

Let”s just stick to the facts, that the opposition will seek to make political capital out of things is par for the course. We all know if the roles were reversed the Libs would do exactly the same.
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Re: Ferry Observations 2023

Post by Fleet Lists »

That political discussion now CLOSED.
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Re: Ferry Observations 2023

Post by ScaniaGrenda »

Oh why doesn't this surprise me??? It's pure profits before the lives of people "oh but we take safety seriously as our number 1 priority".

What utter.... crap, I've sadly heard of one too many instances of major safety concerns being raised only for management to brush it off and pretty much drum up there's no problem or they'll get to it when they get to it which usually tragically takes an injury or death of people to occur for them to admit "Well we knew about this buuuuuut just didn't do anything about it".

Transdev Management doing prison time? I think we forget that these are big multi-international companies we're talking about here who would have top tier lawyers at their disposal who'd most likely be able to get anyone in management out of any prison time, maybe just instead receiving suspended sentences or community services but those who hold power will continue to unfortunately walk free even after major accidents.

It's unfortunately the ground workers who do their best who will have to deal with the tragedy for the rest of their lives.

Either way, safety concerns will be brushed off, ignored, I wouldn't get your hopes up on the State Government or Transdev doing anything as their exactly aware of what their operating and serious flaws yet instead of putting it out of service for emergency maintenance or safety reviews, continue to let it operate which means disaster is imminent.
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Re: Ferry Observations 2023

Post by Merc1107 »

ScaniaGrenda wrote: Thu Feb 09, 2023 7:40 am Oh why doesn't this surprise me??? It's pure profits before the lives of people "oh but we take safety seriously as our number 1 priority".
And if this was still Sydney Ferries (or whatever it was called when publicly run), we'd have comments alleging it was another example of shocking Government mismanagement.

I would personally suspect bureaucracy before profits being the issue here, but of course we're free to suspect what motives we may.
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Re: Ferry Observations 2023

Post by Randomness »

The author of these reports appears to be a former employee with a grudge against Transdev.
Though to counter, I’d be pretty angry too if conditions genuinely got worse post privatisation.

Plus, even if some posts of his seem dramatic, we shouldn’t take them with a grain of salt either. Being former a former member of crew with connections means that valuable information is still contained within the posts.
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Re: Ferry Observations 2023

Post by Merc1107 »

Randomness wrote: Thu Feb 09, 2023 4:09 pm Though to counter, I’d be pretty angry too if conditions genuinely got worse post privatisation.

Plus, even if some posts of his seem dramatic, we shouldn’t take them with a grain of salt either. Being former a former member of crew with connections means that valuable information is still contained within the posts.
It's certainly hard to know exactly where the truth is without being a fly on the wall inside the walls of Transdev, and that is worsened by the emotionally-charged posts shared from Facebook here.

The problem is, there is a vacuum of information, into which gossip and hearsay can be drawn and conveyed as truth; it's amazing the sort of claptrap that permeates, and often emerges from, meal-rooms in the transport industry (as with any workplace). So, we should be mindful of the fact this could be a collation of gossip disseminated by a sort of 'figurehead' for a group of disgruntled employees.
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Re: Ferry Observations 2023

Post by In Transit »

Randomness wrote: Thu Feb 09, 2023 4:09 pm
The author of these reports appears to be a former employee with a grudge against Transdev.
Though to counter, I’d be pretty angry too if conditions genuinely got worse post privatisation.
Bear in mind that one of the key drivers for Sydney Ferries being privatised was a series of serious safety incidents, culminating in an inquiry. Effectively government started losing confidence in Sydney Ferries and needed change.

Which conditions have genuinely worsened since operations of SF went private? It shouldn't be assumed as a given.
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Re: Ferry Observations 2023

Post by tonyp »

Going by the performance indicators and customer satisfaction figures published by TfNSW, Transdev has been doing an excellent job with the ferries.
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Re: Ferry Observations 2023

Post by Linto63 »

Given that fortunately there were no injuries caused by the engine failure, unlikely there will be an official investigation with the parties to sort out who is liable among themselves. Just because it doesn't suit a narrative that everything positive is due to the private sector and anything negative is solely down to the public sector is not reason to declare nothing to see here.

While TfNSW holds the head lease on the vessels and should have at the very least kept a watching brief on the procurement, as to how much control was placed in the hands of Transdev is unknown. The online contract between TfNSW and Transdev has been too heavily redacted to be of use.
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Re: Ferry Observations 2023

Post by tonyp »

Linto63 wrote: Fri Feb 10, 2023 12:13 pm Given that fortunately there were no injuries caused by the engine failure, unlikely there will be an official investigation with the parties to sort out who is liable among themselves. Just because it doesn't suit a narrative that everything positive is due to the private sector and anything negative is solely down to the public sector is not reason to declare nothing to see here.

While TfNSW holds the head lease on the vessels and should have at the very least kept a watching brief on the procurement, as to how much control was placed in the hands of Transdev is unknown. The online contract between TfNSW and Transdev has been too heavily redacted to be of use.
I'm not declaring that there's nothing to see here, I'm saying that we don't know yet. Somebody asked about how the operation has gone since it passed from government to Transdev and I drew attention to the performance statistics. Is there some problem with that? You're the one who seems to be running a narrative - like look at Transdev Melbourne, wink wink nudge nudge. Let's just wait until we hear the outcome.
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Re: Ferry Observations 2023

Post by Linto63 »

Transdev did drop the ball in Melbourne with its maintenance regime, it was widely reported. So not running a narrative, but stating facts. From accounts on this board, things have improved considerably since it was superseded by Kinetic.

Not prejudging whether Transdev has any culpability in this instance, agree we should keep an open mind about this.
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Re: Ferry Observations 2023

Post by boronia »

Transdev lost their ferry contract in Brisbane a couple of years ago. Have to wonder if there is any relevance to their other losses.
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Re: Ferry Observations 2023

Post by Linto63 »

No reported major problems during Transdev's tenure in Brisbane, with it being awarded a second ten year deal in 2010 after the original seven year contract expired. Contract was lost simply due to SeaLink offering a better deal when it was up for renewal in 2020.

While Transdev's Australasian portfolio has shrunk, appears just to be a case of being outbid by others. The Melbourne bus contract aside, there haven't been any other major problems with Transdev as far as I am aware.
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Re: Ferry Observations 2023

Post by Randomness »

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Re: Ferry Observations 2023

Post by boronia »

New Sydney ferry fleet purchase delayed, again, after shipbuilders rejected
The article doesn't mention the 10 failed River Class which were originally touted as being for Parramatta services.
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Re: Ferry Observations 2023

Post by In Transit »

Perhaps because they aren't "failed" despite earlier issues, and they are being used on Parramatta River services, amongst others.

The ten River Class vessels were acquired to replace the SuperCats, HarbourCats and charter vessels which were primarily being used on F3 services.

As the article describes, the seven vessels TfNSW are now looking to procure will replace the seven RiverCats.
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Re: Ferry Observations 2023

Post by boronia »

I particularly recall Constance's admissions that passengers on the upper deck "would have to duck while going under the bridges" at Parramatta, and the public outcry that resulted.
There were also media reports of the "new Parramatta ferry" taken at Parramatta during trials..
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Re: Ferry Observations 2023

Post by Linto63 »

The upstairs deck is closed between Rydalmere and Parramatta on the River class. Was nothing new as the same thing had been happening on the chartered Captain Cook vessels for some years before.
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