Bus Observations 2023

[Fleet Lists]

That Bankstown service has been running since 2014 or earlier. Six of the seven photos in https://www.flickr.com/photos/193972346 ... 0297330736 were taken in 2014 or 2015 when at least 3 buses from Sydney Coachlines were used with two of them laying over near Cronulla Golf Club while the 3 drivers returned together to the depot.

[boronia]

Reported on Ch 9 news tonight that KST is operating a school holiday service from Mt Druitt to eastern beaches, Bondi or Parsely Bay.

No mention on their website about it, presumably being promoted locally.

The clip mentioned a "fare" of $25 for adults, so it wasn't clear if it is being subsidised by a council. Again a google search didn't find anything.

[Stonesourscotty]

Volgren maintenance liveried van on the 770 route in Kingswood assuming a Scania has failed locally

[mactransit]

With the release of the final instalment of 2022 bus patronage data, I have put together the following diagram showing how patronage has been recovering post COVID lockdowns. Surprisingly, it has only just rebounded to the high point it achieved after the first lockdown, having said this, it is on a more consistently positive trend this time and it will be interesting to see if it can reach pre-pandemic levels by the end of the year.

[Fleet Lists]

Pretty lousy of TNSW to keep it If the bus company wasn't able to run it at that time for the past 8 months.

It is NOT up to Transport for NSW. At the beginning of each school term and each holiday, each operator provides a file which contains every trip for every route to be operated during either the next holidays or school term. Hence new timetables are created for every school holiday and term. And the operator will only be paid for those trips included in the file supplied.

[jpp42]

Transport for NSW is working closely with all private bus operators, including Busways, on several strategies to address driver shortages including:

• recruiting bus drivers through depot open days, information stalls, providing bonuses and increased marketing and media.

• redesigning shifts to improve operational efficiency and reduce the number of drivers required.

Transport for NSW is also running a bus driver recruitment campaign across the Sydney network.

We encourage anyone interested in becoming a driver to find out more at www.busdriver.au

But of course no mention of improving driver pay and conditions to make it a more attractive career...

[Merc1107]

A bit of introspection at some workplaces wouldn't go astray either. There are definitely internal issues driving people away from the industry beyond pay, conditions, COVID and the general public...

[Glen]

A bit of introspection at some workplaces wouldn't go astray either. There are definitely internal issues driving people away from the industry beyond pay, conditions, COVID and the general public...

What sorts of issues?

[Merc1107]

The short of it is, workplace culture. Drivers are not necessarily innocent bystanders, either.

[Campbelltown busboy]

The only times a driver should run late are if there is bad traffic if the driver needs to make a urgent last minute bathroom visit or a mechanical issue where a bus change is required

[BanksfielderIdiot823]

The only times a driver should run late are if there is bad traffic if the driver needs to make a urgent last minute bathroom visit or a mechanical issue where a bus change is required

Or disruptive passengers, police or ambulance responses, and anything out and about on the road that is out of the driver’s control (Like inclement weather)

[Merc1107]

anything out and about on the road that is out of the driver’s control (Like inclement weather)

Or even poor scheduling...

[Geo101]

Or disruptive passengers, police or ambulance responses, and anything out and about on the road that is out of the driver’s control (Like inclement weather)

Or when the ticket inspector gangs board and spend 10 minutes talking to someone who clearly doesn't have an excuse. For some reason passengers are allowed to stand on a moving bus, but they are not...

[Campbelltown busboy]

anything out and about on the road that is out of the driver’s control (Like inclement weather)

Or even poor scheduling...

That poor shift scheduling leads to drivers having too many 5 to 10 minute layover breaks which can be sometimes because of the gaps the timetable causes within a shift

[Merc1107]

I'm referring to poor scheduling resulting in late running, not 5min turns that give half a chance for an operator to collect themselves!

[m/o 1661]

Does anyone know what that pipe/tube thing on Sydney Gas Buses are. it runs on the roof of the drivers side of the bus. i’ve heard they feed gas to the buses engine but there’s a little spout that sticks out and seems to push out gas. could anyone explain?

[m/o 1661]

related to my last post i am talking about that line looking thing on the side

[Merc1107]

The pipework does run along the roof. As for the "spout", the photo there is not clear enough to discern one at a casual glance. I can only assume it performs some safety or maintenance function; it could be a valve for an over-pressure situation, an emergency lockout (manually activated or triggered by sudden loss of pressure in the line).

[m/o 1661]

today i saw one and was travelling behind it and it looked like it was releasing something. kind of like diesel powered buses and their exhaust pipes but it looked like heat exhaust not actually emissions.

[J_Busworth]

Or even poor scheduling...

That poor shift scheduling leads to drivers having too many 5 to 10 minute layover breaks which can be sometimes because of the gaps the timetable causes within a shift

Ensuring that there is sufficient turnarond/recovery time in shifts is important. It allows for late running and ensures that drivers can start their next trip on time, go to the bathroom and deal with any issues.

If buses are having to layover for excessive periods due to the timetable, that is usually due to poor timetabling rather than poor shift building

[Campbelltown busboy]

Late running can also be caused by in service network familiarisation training which is where management asks a driver to play navigator for a newbie

[ScaniaGrenda]

Hunter Valley Buses seems to (if not already be) in the process of converting their highfloor Volgrens seats from non-seatbelted seats to seatbelted seats, this includes new seating type + moquette (same one featured on electric NSW buses)

5173 MO is one such bus to have this conversion done so far, anyone have any more information on this?

[stajourneyman]

Word on the street is that there are some interesting upcoming imports for M shortly ...

[tonyp]

Word on the street is that there are some interesting upcoming imports for M shortly ...

I'm getting really rusty on my bus depot codes. Which one is M again? Let me guess - it's electric deckers or artics, since nobody supplies them locally yet (though a certain local manufacturer is geared up for them when required)? They would need additional charging infrastructure along routes. The installation of that would be an early sign that something is happening.

On the other hand - go ahead and disappoint me

[Fleet Lists]

M for Willoughby.