SkyBus Southbank / Docklands Express

Melbourne / Victoria Transport Discussion

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Craig
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Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2004 12:26 am
Location: Edithvale, VIC

SkyBus Southbank / Docklands Express

Post by Craig »

Talk about a soft launch, another new service starts Sunday, right in time for the Melbourne Cup.
Australasian Bus & Coach magazine wrote: SkyBus adds Southbank service
Date: 01.11.2017

SkyBus is launching a new direct service connecting passengers in Southbank and Docklands to Melbourne Airport
SkyBus adds Southbank service

A new SkyBus service is starting in Melbourne this month

Starting on November 5, the new service will have a daily operation from 7am to 7pm with buses every 30 minutes on weekdays and hourly on weekends.

The Southbank Docklands Airport Express will have four pick up points within the Southbank and Docklands precincts including one at Harbour Esplanade, two stops on City Road and one on Whiteman Street.

SkyBus co-CEO and Director Michael Sewards says the new service will not only provide better connectivity for the wider Southbank and Docklands communities but provides a vital direct airport connection with Melbourne’s expanding convention and conference facilities and hinted that there is more to come.

"We are committed to develop and invest in further dedicated airport express services with world class customer experience, high frequency, safety, affordability and convenience," he says.

"To achieve this, we will continue working closely with relevant stakeholders and partners to provide further expanded dedicated airport services to benefit the wider community.

The Southbank Docklands Airport Express is SkyBus’ sixth airport dedicated express service launched in Victoria, and the third in the last year.

It joins other SkyBus airport express services from Southern Cross Station, St Kilda, Frankston, Avalon-Geelong and Avalon-City, as well as the Auckland SkyBus service in New Zealand.

Interstate and international passengers can now visit Crown Casino, Melbourne Convention Centre, Eureka Tower, Etihad Stadium or the Melbourne Star directly from Melbourne Airport with the new service.
Timetable and stop information - https://www.skybus.com.au/southbank-docklands-express/

The original launch didn't go quite to plan...
The Age wrote:
SkyBus brought back down to earth after launch called off at the last minute
Timna Jacks
October 5 2017

An express bus service from Docklands to Tullamarine was ready for takeoff on Wednesday morning but was cancelled at the last minute in an embarrassing blunder.

A week ago, the PR agency for SkyBus invited media to the launch of a new airport express service from Southbank and Docklands at Eureka Skydeck.

Drinks and canapes were on offer at the event scheduled for 10am on Wednesday. There would be speeches delivered by Lord Mayor Robert Doyle and SkyBus chief executives Adam Begg and Michael Sewards.

Representatives from Docklands Chamber of Commerce, Yarra River Business Association and Southbank Residents Association would also attend, the press release promised.

The extravagant do would launch a service providing "an affordable and efficient option for passengers looking to get the airport directly", the press invite claimed, but further details about the service were kept under wraps until the event.

But the big reveal was not to be.

SkyBus cancelled the event minutes before it was set to start, after Public Transport Victoria notified them that the bus service had not been granted all the necessary sign-offs.

"This morning PTV wrote to SkyBus to inform us that they had not completed their review of the proposed services," said Adam Begg and Michael Sewards, co-chief executives and directors of SkyBus.

"We are confident that the review will be completed satisfactorily."

A spokesman for Public Transport Victoria said the organisation "received a business proposal for a new SkyBus service which is currently under consideration".

"No formal decision has yet been made and PTV continues to work collaboratively with SkyBus on the proposal."

SkyBus offers an express service from Tullamarine Airport to the city and St Kilda, and a shuttle service to Frankston and the Peninsula.

There are express services between Avalon Airport, the city and Geelong.
Kind Regards


Craig :-)
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Craig
Posts: 4410
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2004 12:26 am
Location: Edithvale, VIC

Re: SkyBus Southbank / Docklands Express

Post by Craig »

Latest development for the team at Skybus is rebranding the CBD hotel transfer service as "SkyBus Link" with pre-booked two loop services running half-hourly with selected fixed stops, rather than zig-zagging the CBD. The changes apparently began yesterday, 5 March.

See - https://www.skybus.com.au/free-city-hotel-shuttle/

Probably inevitable with the Free Tram Zone that SkyBus would look to streamline the service, moreso with the Docklands Southbank Express they added late last year

Frees up plenty of Optares for the Gold Coast operation for the Comm Games period in any case.

The span of hours has dropped - Weekdays now finish at 20:30 not 22:30, while weekends now 07:30 to 16:45, previously 06:00 to 19:00.

I spotted two of the hotel loops on Lonsdale St just before 15:30 this afternoon, 2 mins apart - #202 (ex #96) (MAN 18.320, MCV "Elite C-130") running a South Link trip with half a dozen passengers onboard, followed by #42 (ex #15, #42, #100) (Optare Solo) on a North Link trip, carrying fresh air.

Kind Regards


Craig :-)
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