Bus Observations 2024.

[Campbelltown busboy]

Bus bodies certainly do have something to do with it.
For instance, why is it the Busways Scania k230 UBs with Custom body work ride quite well while the Bustech MANs ride like they've got no suspension at all and crash over everything. I was on a 67 from Terrigal to Gosford yesterday in one of the 18.310s and It was full of horrible crashing bumps with obnoxiously loud bangs of the bodywork together with the jarring of my back. The rear suspension in particular feels like it's just bolted straight to the chassis. There are actual airbags? They must be inflated to bursting point making them rock hard.
Another classic example are the ex STA Bustech K280UBs doing similar things to Busways Bustech MANs over the same terrain as the earlier Custom K280s which were like complete chalk and cheese soaking up the bumps so well you could leave a glass of wine on the window sill.
I can't understand to this day how differing bodywork results in such differing experiences on suspension, but it definitely feels like any suspension harshness is mega magnified in any Bustech version.

Your compairing custom and Bustech try coming to south west Sydney and travel on a Deawoo BS120SN King Long with all it's rattles and squeaks which has been the case since they first entered service with Interline

[Swift]

Maybe we need to rename this bus scheduling and allocations as that seems to be mostly what people want to talk about rather than the buses themselves.

[Campbelltown busboy]

Maybe we need to rename this bus scheduling and allocations as that seems to be mostly what people want to talk about rather than the buses themselves.

The individual observation threads should be merged into one general NSW transport observation & movement update thread

[Stonesourscotty]

Anyone know the identity of the Element 1 in Pieces at Penrith Depot? Looks like 5003-5011 model at a guess 5003 or 5009 as I havnt seen those for a few weeks.

5027 on the 799

5024,5026, 5029, 5030 all at Penrith bus station

1189 on the 774 is becoming an almost daily occurrence.

5027 is tracking as 8826 3468MO

5030 has just gone into service on the 776 with no tracking information.

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[J_Busworth]

You can continue until the sun swells and engulfs earth and I'll continue to bash them and kick the pure pieces of junk to the kerb. Gladys made a big mistake ordering those and I'm glad she's history.

Amen to this, Swift.

Yes the step is a whopper and it does pose significant issues for the mobility impaired and people who are too busy looking at their phones, but —

I will also acknowledge that the sloped floor is slightly counterintuitive for high turnover services as the centre door has had to be placed a bit further forward than on some other bus bodies. But try catching a VST in Sydney during peak hour and compare that to any other bus - you'll notice that the VSTs can fit way more passengers despite being of comparable length.

“Somewhat small price to pay” Doesn’t matter. Prioritising crush capacity and saving money over passenger safety is a real dickhead move. That’s absolutely on Bustech and on TfNSW for their pathetic minimum standards.

Microwave, you have an awful lot to learn about what different bus bodies and how they’re made does to passengers other than yourself. You may complain endlessly about the suspension on the Volg Optis, but try talking to older passengers dealing with stiff bones or broken ribs that have the misfortune of having to deal with a K280UB VST on a 487 down Canterbury Rd; a TfNSW-maintained road whose condition is about halfway to third world country status, with a driver that drives like he just broke out of gaol and stole it. And try talking to passengers on that same bus that have to deal with motion sickness. Both my sister and I have fallen badly ill after riding VSTs (and she almost vomited at one stage), to the point where we now both drive, and if we have to take the bus we WILL absolutely and actively seek another route or delay travel if it means we don’t have to board a VST.

My grandmother can't climb up or down steps. She also suffers from vertigo, so she needs a forward facing seat. There is not a single seat on an STA spec VST that is both forward facing and doesn't require a step to climb. This is not an issue with any other model of bus in Sydney delivered since since the late 90s! In any other bus she would sit near the back door so she can get off easily, lord knows thats not an option with the mountainous step in the VST. It's a regressive and inaccessible design that makes it harder for the people who need public transport the most - the less abled - to use it. She knows to avoid them. Luckily she lives on a relatively frequent route that is also often served by articulated vehicles.

I myself have fallen ill after riding a VST from the motion and vibration on an STA K280 example - hideous buses that should hopefully be withdrawn well ahead of Custom and Volgren examples of the same era.

[Swift]

Once thing I have to look forward to when getting old is to grab the popcorn and watch the mechanical claw tear at them in the junk yard.
Have any 14.5m Orana Scanias seen that fate yet? I'd like to get that pleasure in middle age.

[Campbelltown busboy]

Spotted a line up of Transit Systems southwest link BCIs on Broughton street Campbelltown about a minute or two drive west from the Transit Systems Bradbury depot in full Southwest link livery and accreditation for Transit Systems NSW Hoxton Park

[Stonesourscotty]

Busways 1141 has had its internal displays removed unsure if they ever worked think they only ever displays Busways on them

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[Stonesourscotty]

Keolis 8941 the second Element 2 built for them has been seen on test today around St Marys. 8940 was noted about 2 weeks ago.

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[Swift]

Why do they need to test something that's been on the market for a few years now?

[BAMBAM]

Why do they need to test something that's been on the market for a few years now?

To ensure that the bus runs as intended. To ensure any loose fittings, potential problems or faults are rectified before delivery. Surely you can't be that naive that you expect things to be built and delivered?

When you buy any car whether it's brand new or second hand don't you test it out before you buy? If not, I willing to sell you my cars since your very gullible.

Back on the topic, all companies test their product before delivery of their products. It's bad business if they just build and deliver without checking or evaluating their product before delivery. You want more sales, NOT less.

[MiCCROwavE_OVEN]

I believe it has been said the KDNB units are equipped with pantographs for faster charging, so they would be considerably different to the plug-in Element 2s already in operation.

Speaking of which I hopped onboard a Transit Systems Element 2 based at Tempe today - it was a joy to ride and I loved the motor sounds. So much smoother than any bus I've been on since the O405s and B10Ms of the late 90s. Might note however that the fabric on some of the seats was a bit faded despite the bus only being in service for at most two months - I noted the Tempe Element 2s spent an extended amount of time in storage prior to entering service.

[Swift]

No ZF 7 speed gearboxes to endure the endless changes on. Just a linear exponential acceleration away.

[1whoknows]

The KD units will indeed be equipped for flash charging but only in the depot not on the road.

[MiCCROwavE_OVEN]

Has the trial period for Busways 7034 ended? I haven't seen it out at all this week - today Yutong E12 m/o 5012 was on the run that 7034 is normally taken out on.
Haven't seen ex-Busways 1048 (m/o 5140) out either though it has been listed as moved to CDC Terrey Hills.

[Stonesourscotty]

7034 always works the 06:06 770 or 06:04 774 service off Penrith.

5030 on the 673 first known Element 2 on 673 and 5012 on the S13 first known working of a Yutong on that route

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[MiCCROwavE_OVEN]

According to the fleet lists CDCNSW m/o 6931 is being transferred to KDNB Mona Vale Depot - presumably for service on the B-Line? That would be a somewhat unusual move considering 6931 is of slightly different build spec to the existing MAN A95s on the B-Line with two extra seats on the lower deck - I presume these extra seats are at the rear as the B-Line vehicles have only a three seater with USB ports on either side.

Presumably the transfer of m/o 5140 to FT has rendered one decker surplus. I took a ride on 6931 last year and the top deck window frames were falling apart so hopefully they will have been repaired.

Might add, the CDC fleet lists state "Withdrawn for transfer to Keolis Downer Northern Beaches Pty Ltd, Mona Vale as (6931) m/o 6931 16/9/24". Must be ahead of the times then - I will be looking out for it on Monday.

[Transport Buff]

Also, x2 newly built Custom Denning Element 2s are to be delivered to TJHB Waverley:

https://www.busaustralia.com/fleetlists ... %20Denning

[Swift]

Also, x2 newly built Custom Denning Element 2s are to be delivered to TJHB Waverley:

https://www.busaustralia.com/fleetlists ... %20Denning

So that means we should see them out on the road by about six months from now.

[Transport Buff]

[Stu]

Also, x2 newly built Custom Denning Element 2s are to be delivered to TJHB Waverley:

https://www.busaustralia.com/fleetlists ... %20Denning

So that means we should see them out on the road by about six months from now.

That would be quick as there are still 7 x CD Element 1 units at TfNSW Leichhardt that have been sitting there since October 2022, some are registered and with fleet numbers whilst others are without fleet and registration. Meanwhile, many CD Element 2 units are entering service.

[Swift]

I had a feeling it was worse than that going by what I've read here in the past. I knew I was being realistic even though it should be taken in jest.
That's truly concerning about the element ones as sitting there would not be good for the batteries. What has been the problem with the mark 1s, and why does it take so long to get the Elements out on the road, a homegrown product we should be experiencing on the regular by now?

[Stonesourscotty]

Isn't it an issue with Kingsrove depot electrification? Hence why they gone to Tempe Leichardt and Busways Penrith in the short term??

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[Swift]

Why the testing testing testing instead of sticking it out on the road and picking up humans with the bludgers?!
ICE buses are more finicky than electric propulsion that has existed since the late 1800s, yet you see them out the same day just about.
There is something sinister about this farce.

[MiCCROwavE_OVEN]

I don't have any expert evidence as such to verify my claims but I believe Transit Systems ordered way more electric buses than they required.
As we saw two years ago the 52 or so BYD D9RAs were not used on weekends as there were still plenty of older Scania L113CRLs that were still in operating condition and there were rumours that TSA wanted to maximise mileage before retiring the vehicles. With the 79 Custom Denning order for TSA about 88 have been delivered so far but multiple have gone to other operators (several Element 1s transferred to both Busways R1 and TJHB R9, and now several Element 2s to Busways R1).
There is probably no real motivation to get the charging infrastructure up as fast as it should be as the Scania L113CRLs and Volvo B10BLEs still have about a year of service life left before being life expired - then we can expect to see electrification works ramp up a notch.