Tasmanian Bus Observations - Jan 2012

[Tas Bus Nut]

Happy New Year to everyone. Let's hope 2012 is a better year than the last.

[leyland clippers]

Happy New Year to you Neil and everyone else on the board. Let's hope it is a good one.

[stevegj52]

Happy New Year to you Neil and everyone else on the board. Let's hope it is a good one.

Lets hope so Frosty.

[yoda]

First observation for the year - #640 has returned to the Springfield fleet.
As mentioned, all 7 of the new CB60's have now arrived for final fit-out before entering service.

[leyland clippers]

Fares increased on Metro buses as from yesterday. Short urban fare now $2.60, medium urban fare now $3.80. Long urban fare now $5.80 and day rover is now $4.50. I wonder how many people were unaware of this when they boarded a Metro bus yesterday

[Tas Bus Nut]

90% Frosty. NO advance notification. Also Greencard users LOSE their 25% bonus NOW. Greencard users now get a discounted fare when they USE their Greencard (like the old Croutz system). ie: Instead of taking a $2.60 short trip, it will only deduct $2.08 from your Greencard. In real terms, Greencard users get 20% discount, so not only have fares gone UP, but discounts have gone DOWN. Notification NOT given earlier, so patrons could not double-dip.
I remember years ago, (1) bloke @ Margate used to buy $300 worth of Budget 10 tickets just before the fares went up. Unfortunately, AS USUAL, the drivers will cop the brunt of abuse NOT those who make these bloody decisions. After all, who gives a sh#t about the drivers

The other MAJOR fare increase is student/child fare has gone up to $1.30, the 1st time in about 15yrs. Likewise NON-urban students also are NOW INLINE with urban students, ALL now paying $1.30. Non-urban student UP from $0.90. Concession Day Trippers are now $3.20 up from $3 and Day Rovers are actually $4.80 up from $4.60

[1whoknows]

well someone has to finance the average 20 or so new buses Metro needs each year for the rest of the decade to become DDA compliant by 2020.

[Tas Bus Nut]

well someone has to finance the average 20 or so new buses Metro needs each year for the rest of the decade to become DDA compliant by 2020.

Yeh, like THAT'S gunna happen Another Government exemption methinks

[yoda]

90% Frosty. NO advance notification. Also Greencard users LOSE their 25% bonus NOW. Greencard users now get a discounted fare when they USE their Greencard (like the old Croutz system). ie: Instead of taking a $2.60 short trip, it will only deduct $2.08 from your Greencard. In real terms, Greencard users get 20% discount, so not only have fares gone UP, but discounts have gone DOWN. Notification NOT given earlier, so patrons could not double-dip.
I remember years ago, (1) bloke @ Margate used to buy $300 worth of Budget 10 tickets just before the fares went up. Unfortunately, AS USUAL, the drivers will cop the brunt of abuse NOT those who make these bloody decisions. After all, who gives a sh#t about the drivers

The other MAJOR fare increase is student/child fare has gone up to $1.30, the 1st time in about 15yrs. Likewise NON-urban students also are NOW INLINE with urban students, ALL now paying $1.30. Non-urban student UP from $0.90. Concession Day Trippers are now $3.20 up from $3 and Day Rovers are actually $4.80 up from $4.60

Yes, drivers cop it. I feel sorry for the Metro Shop/hotline team - and that's just the people from my day that will be heading that way.

As they keep telling us, follow them on Twitter (https://twitter.com/#!/metro_tasmania) - nothing mentioned AT ALL about fare changes.
Let the communication floodgates flow

[yoda]

In addition to the above, revised fare schedules are yet to appear in vehicles... requires specific staff to do this.
The ticket machine paper rolls will have to be reprinted - the back of them says "Get a Greencard & get 25% more!"

*end rant* (long day)

[royaltiger]

WOAH! Hold your horses! Check your maths. You will find a 20% discount has EXACTLY the same effect as a 25% top-up bonus.

To illustrate
$10.00 paid as a top up + $2.50 bonus (25%) = $12.50. This is equivalent to 4.807 short trips @ $2.60

$2.60 less 20% = $2.08. Multiply that by 4.807 trips and the answer is...???? The same $10.00 you used to spend on the top up.

The new fare scale stickers are in the office, just nobody there to put them in.

As to price rises, I don't see Woolies or Coles or anyone else giving advance notice of price increases, why should transport operators have to?

[yoda]

I understand Greencard users won't be worse off, but try telling them that

The new fare scale stickers are in the office, just nobody there to put them in.

And we can't pull the old ones down to avoid confusion... we all know what customers are like!

[royaltiger]

I understand Greencard users won't be worse off, but try telling them that

True, I suppose the general populace will fall for the same flawed mathematical interpretation.

And we can't pull the old ones down to avoid confusion... we all know what customers are like!

I have to agree this is just piss-poor planning.... but I saw the same in Sydney when I was there, so Metro is not on its own! In fact, up there they used drivers on "WAD" (equivalent to Metro's standby) to apply the new stickers. What chance that in Hobart? SFA I would suggest

[leyland clippers]

Noticed that when travelling on 243 on New Years Day that the old fare structure was still displayed.

[yoda]

Appropriate staff are back today - #252 has the new structure.

[royaltiger]

As I stepped out of the airport terminal here in Sydney the first STA bus I saw had a massive dent in the near side rear corner at the top. Could not help but thinking that if it were at Metro it would set off the equivalent of the Spanish Inquisition. Ah how the standards back home are so much better.

[stevegj52]

As I stepped out of the airport terminal here in Sydney the first STA bus I saw had a massive dent in the near side rear corner at the top. Could not help but thinking that if it were at Metro it would set off the equivalent of the Spanish Inquisition. Ah how the standards back home are so much better.

Well for now they are.

[crayner]

As to price rises, I don't see Woolies or Coles or anyone else giving advance notice of price increases, why should transport operators have to?

Despite it's corporate structure, Metro is still a GBE and certainly what I'd consider a vital public service in Tasmania. Supermarkets on the other hand might be a necessity, but their primarily responsibility is to deliver a higher return to their shareholders rather than any service to the general public.

However, my partner was handed a sheet when he boarded a bus recently, detailing the complete list of changes. It was also mentioned on the website, but still nowhere near as broad and clear as it should have been.

[sharp77]

I was in 170 today and it had the new fare sheet on the back of the bulkhead, as well as some bogans at Eastlands bashing on the back doors wanting to fight somebody on board. It's interesting how there was a lack of communication regarding the matter. Even if they had mentioned it on the website, many elderly residents and other people too don't have access to the internet. Coupled with the fact I tried accessing the online spreadsheet detailing the fare changes the other day, and it didn't work; it looks like Metro's management have made a bumbling error.

In the end, I suppose people have to deal with it and be glad to have the service. At least it isn't like the mainland's public bus fares

[yoda]

Could not help but thinking that if it were at Metro it would set off the equivalent of the Spanish Inquisition.

I've been summonsed everyday this week! (not guilty on all accounts)

[Z1-2110]

Caught the bus home just after noon today, was bus 514. Dunno if the driver was being kind to the girl but wasn't making it rev or move fast. Also noticed a lot of cobwebs around the front door/dash area.

[Tas Bus Nut]

Also noticed a lot of cobwebs around the front door/dash area.

Sounds like it's getting cleaned by the Hobart crew Get some pics Damien, you won't have them much longer.

[metro_tas]

just to move away from fares for two shakes.... I have noticed that most of the new CB60's have had fleet numbers decals and in some ticket machines. The interesting I've had pointed out to me (by yoda) is the introduction of an exterior offside CCTV camera. The questioin is will the remainder of the fleet have the offside camera fitted? Also another point is the new CB60's also have LED destos is this now standard on all new buses for metro?

Also do we know whats going to be withdrawn? will it be all VOV1's statewide? or maybe some VOV2's? Interesting times ahead I do imagine along with other movements maybe bus 112 will come back to Springfield to end her days....

Happy new year everyone

[yoda]

The interesting I've had pointed out to me (by yoda) is the introduction of an exterior offside CCTV camera. The questioin is will the remainder of the fleet have the offside camera fitted?

Retrofitting technology?

Also another point is the new CB60's also have LED destos is this now standard on all new buses for metro?

More than likely.

Also do we know whats going to be withdrawn? will it be all VOV1's statewide? or maybe some VOV2's?

From the bits and pieces I've heard, all MK 1's, a couple of MK 2's, 521 (already gone), one of the Burnie MAN's will be retired and the other will replace 521 in Hobart and an artic will be retired.
On the artic topic, I spied 705 in the workshops late Wednesday - this is more than likely the one to go. Unless they're going to scrap it and put the engine into 721 to get that back on the road....

Interesting times ahead I do imagine along with other movements maybe bus 112 will come back to Springfield to end her days....

Always interesting times - but now you're in dream land again I don't think 112 will make it back here for service.

[Z1-2110]

And today, went on 515. Wonder if these are my last trips on the M.A.N machines?