Bus Observations 2023

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Aurora
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Re: Bus Observations 2023

Post by Aurora »

boronia wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 2:18 pm
Kiyrri wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 11:49 am
Double door boarding would be such a great solution, but I highly doubt that it will ever become a reality here in NSW. StationLink's double-door boarding worked well, especially with the double leaf rear doors, which a lot of our busses have, the only problem is the dishonest people (and teenagers) who will sneak through the rear doors. At least when they do it through the front the driver can catch them out if he/she wants.
Even with single door boarding passengers can ignore the readers, and drivers are not allowed to "catch them out".
The numbers are still smaller now than they otherwise would be under all-door boarding as people over time progressively rationalise in larger numbers over the space of one to two decades that they ignore is effectively theft of taxpayer-earnt funds in what is a perpetual loss-making enterprise which is required to deliver the breadth of services that we have today.
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tonyp
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Re: Bus Observations 2023

Post by tonyp »

Aurora wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 3:34 pm The numbers are still smaller now than they otherwise would be under all-door boarding as people over time progressively rationalise in larger numbers over the space of one to two decades that they ignore is effectively theft of taxpayer-earnt funds in what is a perpetual loss-making enterprise which is required to deliver the breadth of services that we have today.
I have the impression that the level of fare evasion in NSW is quite low but, as I said, the answer is to have more RPOs out on the system, not to compromise the operation.
Linto63
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Re: Bus Observations 2023

Post by Linto63 »

Depends on your definition of low. Is a lot higher than TfNSW think it is.
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Re: Bus Observations 2023

Post by Aurora »

Based on this document, an averaged $87 million is missing in a 12 month period across all transport modes, if we can rely on whatever methodology they have used to produce these figures.
Last edited by Aurora on Sat May 27, 2023 11:11 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Bus Observations 2023

Post by Aurora »

tonyp wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 10:13 amI have the impression that the level of fare evasion in NSW is quite low but, as I said, the answer is to have more RPOs out on the system, not to compromise the operation.
That answer is not the whole answer though because RPOs are currently reliant on a fast police response for uncooperative persons.
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Re: Bus Observations 2023

Post by Swift »

A lot of these fare evades get up to more serious mischief and are more likely to be wanted by the police, so fare checks are a wonderful way of finding offenders for more serious things. They usually cause the most discomfort to the good passengers that pay their way and don't act like worthless bludgers!!
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Re: Bus Observations 2023

Post by Stonesourscotty »

Glendenning 849 on 775 Lates shorts (Penrith to St Marys Only) rare to get a white bus on lates in Penrith first time since second lockdown from memory.

High specification Kinetic 6024 is on Penrith Blacktown express rail replacements along with a mardi gras liveried one. got to be the most luxurious bus in the Sydney Fleet? High backed leather coach seats is a massive improvement on the usual cdc nsw Tatty volvos on rail reps. Reminds me of the first vantage coach seats on the Vantage 1/2 in England.

Rail replacement staff at Mount druitt today where in Keolis Downer Uniform which seemed bizarre.
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boronia
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Re: Bus Observations 2023

Post by boronia »

Swift wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 1:52 pm A lot of these fare evades get up to more serious mischief and are more likely to be wanted by the police, so fare checks are a wonderful way of finding offenders for more serious things. They usually cause the most discomfort to the good passengers that pay their way and don't act like worthless bludgers!!
This would require police to be actually on the trains, although they do seem to do good business around station concourses.
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Re: Bus Observations 2023

Post by Swift »

boronia wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 10:58 am

This would require police to be actually on the trains, although they do seem to do good business around station concourses.
A good place to nab some. I saw on the news a little while ago this young guy giving the police lip as he was being apprehended at Central station concourse.

Hey was quite the debonair charmer.
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Re: Bus Observations 2023

Post by Glen »

CDC had double deckers working 607X & 610X on Saturday night, presumably because of Vivid.

I don't think they normally run on weekends.
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Re: Bus Observations 2023

Post by MiCCROwavE_OVEN »

The other day I noticed a vehicle on the 735 tracking as a 'Volvo B8RLE Custom Bus CB80' on Anytrip, and surprise, surprise, it was Busways 664, a high-floor Mercedes O405 Custom Coaches 510. Despite this, Anytrip showed it as a fully accessible service.

Is there a reason why an old high floor would have the Opal readers of a 3 year old bus? Or is this Busways trying to get around DDA regulation? Either way, I don't mind the O405s with their nice coach style seats staying in service for a bit longer.
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Re: Bus Observations 2023

Post by Swift »

Those ex King Bros. units are very nice buses and it appears Busways recognised this with their pink grab rail inheritance.
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boronia
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Re: Bus Observations 2023

Post by boronia »

MiCCROwavE_OVEN wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 1:39 pm The other day I noticed a vehicle on the 735 tracking as a 'Volvo B8RLE Custom Bus CB80' on Anytrip, and surprise, surprise, it was Busways 664, a high-floor Mercedes O405 Custom Coaches 510. Despite this, Anytrip showed it as a fully accessible service.

Is there a reason why an old high floor would have the Opal readers of a 3 year old bus? Or is this Busways trying to get around DDA regulation? Either way, I don't mind the O405s with their nice coach style seats staying in service for a bit longer.
Buses often have "second hand" tranponsders fitted, still programmed from the previous vehicle.

If the bus has been used for school services, it probably needed to Opal readers for that.
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Re: Bus Observations 2023

Post by ScaniaGrenda »

Glen wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 1:20 pm CDC had double deckers working 607X & 610X on Saturday night, presumably because of Vivid.

I don't think they normally run on weekends.
Normally they wouldn't or shouldn't however I do seem to have a photo in my Google Cloud collection of then Hillsbus CDI 6524 operating a 607X to City from 2019 just prior to all the pandemic kicking in on a weekend. Date seems to be Sunday 31st March on it but I am lead to believe it was a Saturday I would've ventured and my camera at the time had the wrong date set.
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boronia
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Re: Bus Observations 2023

Post by boronia »

Glen wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 1:20 pm CDC had double deckers working 607X & 610X on Saturday night, presumably because of Vivid.

I don't think they normally run on weekends.
I'm sure this has happened in the past when there have been major events in the city area.
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Re: Bus Observations 2023

Post by Swift »

I wonder if London does the inverse and puts more single deckers than usual on quiet weekends or holidays?
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Kiyrri
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Re: Bus Observations 2023

Post by Kiyrri »

Glen wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 1:20 pm CDC had double deckers working 607X & 610X on Saturday night, presumably because of Vivid.

I don't think they normally run on weekends.
The CDIs run every day of the week on 610X & 607X, and although less common on weekends, they are still out on the odd run. The 611 (I think) has double deckers running on weekdays but not weekends.
Not sure if they are normally out that late, but there is a high chance that they were running extra services for Vivid.
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Re: Bus Observations 2023

Post by tonyp »

Swift wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 7:31 pm I wonder if London does the inverse and puts more single deckers than usual on quiet weekends or holidays?
I think those dinky little double deckers there don't carry any more pax than a single decker.
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Re: Bus Observations 2023

Post by ScaniaGrenda »

Former Sydney Buses 2477 has surfaced on Facebook Marketplace at Bowning, NSW, ex NSW Prisoner Transport bus.

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Re: Bus Observations 2023

Post by Swift »

tonyp wrote: Mon May 29, 2023 9:36 am
Swift wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 7:31 pm I wonder if London does the inverse and puts more single deckers than usual on quiet weekends or holidays?
I think those dinky little double deckers there don't carry any more pax than a single decker.
RMs you mean? They're long gone. The modern stuff they run now are longer and likely carry at least 50% more than a typical 12m single decker.
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Re: Bus Observations 2023

Post by tonyp »

Swift wrote: Mon May 29, 2023 2:06 pm RMs you mean? They're long gone. The modern stuff they run now are longer and likely carry at least 50% more than a typical 12m single decker.
The Borismasters carry 80. That's about the (real) capacity of a 12 metre single decker. If a single decker is rated at less than 80, it's only through some regulatory fiddle.
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Re: Bus Observations 2023

Post by MiCCROwavE_OVEN »

Most buses in London, however, are 10 metre midibuses. The operating environment in London is vastly different due to the much narrower streets that the buses have to negotiate in certain areas. Double deckers are normally restricted to the main roads.
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Re: Bus Observations 2023

Post by Swift »

MiCCROwavE_OVEN wrote: Tue May 30, 2023 4:29 pm Most buses in London, however, are 10 metre midibuses. The operating environment in London is vastly different due to the much narrower streets that the buses have to negotiate in certain areas. Double deckers are normally restricted to the main roads.
They're dirt cheap over there once it's time to withdraw.
I'm surprised more don't make their way here for that reason. They want gold for 20 year old buses here.
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Re: Bus Observations 2023

Post by boronia »

They wouldn't meet our ADRs for passenger services, and remember how you eponymous favourites imported a few years back fell to bits on local roads.
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Re: Bus Observations 2023

Post by ScaniaGrenda »

Mercedes 405 CC RoadCruiserMK88 tracking as a bus in Cessnock, I have a feeling this is the 1 of the two brand new O500LE's express bodied buses for Rover Coaches @ Cessnock.
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