Melbourne's busiest bus route?

Melbourne / Victoria Transport Discussion

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krustyklo
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Re: Melbourne's busiest bus route?

Post by krustyklo »

OK, for those unable to use an Excel spreadsheet :P the lowest patronages are some of those mentioned above, but nobody has picked the 3rd lowest at all.
777 - 398, correctly identified by PaxInfo. 20 buses a week = 0.38 users per service.
687 - 1155, also correctly identified by PaxInfo. 80 buses a week = 0.28 users per service.
565 - 1905.
673 - 2348. 30 services per week = 1.51 users per service.
696 - 2401. 60 services per week = 0.77 users per service.
745 - 2484. 20 services per week = 2.39 users per service.
795 - 2725. 50 services per week = 1.05 users per service.
786 - 3403. 17 services per week = 3.85 users per service.
609 - 5195. 50 services per week = 2 users per service.
706 - 5384. 30 services per week = 3.45 users per service.
842 - 5875.
699 - 9086. 90 services per week = 1.94 users per service.

I haven't calculated the 565 as I can't find a contemporary timetable, and I don't have one for the 842 and can't use the current one as I'm pretty sure it's changed. Please correct me if I'm wrong and I'll use the number of services in the current timetable.

Whilst a crude measure, you can see the lowest 2 services are more likely to run empty than not, and several others probably only carry one person on most services - you might as well run them with a maxi-taxi.

An interesting question would be, given most of the above services are pretty infrequent anyway and are unlikely to be more than social services or political services, which could be improved with some investment, which are special cases deserving of the large subsidy to carry fresh air, and which are services that should be deleted?

An example of the first would be the 609 - I honestly don't know why it isn't run properly as I am sure with a decent frequency it would be a nice shortcut from north of the Yarra to the south. The bus reviews suggested linking it with the former 563 and part of the 567 from Northland to Fairfield and creating a cross suburban service. I actually think the idea had a lot of merit in some similar form.

I can't say I like the idea of paying huge subsidies to carry very few people as I would think that if so few people are served that the subsidy is better spent helping those people in other ways (eg, subsidised taxis). The rural services are examples of this - the 565 and the Healesville and Clyde area routes. The Yarrawonga model may well be more useful and cheaper to boot for these areas, although if the Clyde area is slated for growth in the near future you may as well leave it alone. A Telebus style service may also better serve some of these areas to try and grow patronage without much extra resources.

I also wonder what the point of the 745 is? The odd timetable seems to have once had a purpose (school bus open to the public?) but is it still relevant?
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MAN 16.242
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Re: Melbourne's busiest bus route?

Post by MAN 16.242 »

Looking at 2011/2012 to 2014/2015 data there seems to be some strange big changes. For example Route 401 in 2011/2012 it shows around 10000 yet in 2014/2015 it shows it around only 3295. While data is generally good idea on patronage of services this and some other cases from 2011/2012 to 2014/2015 make me want to question some of 2014/2015 data.
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PaxInfo
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Re: Melbourne's busiest bus route?

Post by PaxInfo »

krustyklo wrote:
I haven't calculated the 565 as I can't find a contemporary timetable, and I don't have one for the 842 and can't use the current one as I'm pretty sure it's changed. Please correct me if I'm wrong and I'll use the number of services in the current timetable.
The 565 is no more. Kinglake is now served by the 384. This changed when the Plenty Valley network was restructured.

842 has always had 3 trips each way as long as I can remember. Although it is not a stranger to media coverage https://endeavourhillshallamdoveton.sta ... grade-bus/

The 745D operates at times more convenient for pm commuters than school kids.
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krustyklo
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Re: Melbourne's busiest bus route?

Post by krustyklo »

The 565 is no more. Kinglake is now served by the 384. This changed when the Plenty Valley network was restructured.
Sorry, I meant contemporary to when the data was collected. I can't remember what changes happened with the introduction of the 384. Either way, I suspect that the patronage per bus is equivalent to the other effectively rural services. As it happens I do have GTFS data from 2015 with stop times but my spreadsheet software choked at the size and didn't include the 565 times. When I get some time, I'll see if Access likes it better.
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