Ventura 'smart buses' in 2012 & 13

[Roderick Smith]

I can't find an existing thread on which to hang this.
Essendon station (Melbourne, Vic.): Ventura 'SmartBus' on the route to Altona. Thurs.27.12.12. (Jeff Bounds)
I can't see a fleet number, but I guess that it is a Designline MAN.
Roderick

[jamesadams7]

I win! I've got this (crappy) photo I took in 2009 of #568 Mordialloc-bound at Northland. Interesting that nothing of substance has really changed since then, except passengers now having to wait out in the wind and rain 100m from the shopping centre at Northland.

SmartBus-Mordialloc.jpg (231.92 KiB) Viewed 6787 times

[krustyklo]

Oh, so it's a competition you're after is it?
Here's Designline 644 at LaTrobe Uni bus interchange. Transdev weren't the first to run Smartbuses on non-Smartbus routes...


566 at Heidelberg on the first day


8382 at Eltham. Note the readable destination.


8379 outside an under construction Aldi in Bundoora in November 2010


8607 at the old airport terminal near Terminal 4


684 in Templestowe


And 950 in Warrandyte in 2011


8620 on a short working to Greensborough at Shoppingtown


631 at Northland


And lastly, 883 on it's way to Altona, passing 704 starting a journey to Mentone at Heidelberg. Guessing 883 is unlikely to operate a route 903 in the near future.

[Roderick Smith]

Buckley St, Essendon (Melbourne, Vic.): Ventura smartbus 645 (7268AO). Thurs.2.5.13. (Jeff Bounds)
Roderick

[Roderick Smith]

Dandenong Rd at Orrong Rd, Armadale (Melbourne, Vic.): Z1.28 connecting with Ventura bus 660, which will connect with a different tram in Hawthorn Rd, during the relaying of the Dandenong & Wattletree Rd junction. Sat.25.5.13. (Jeff Bounds)
From ABFL:
7283AO MAN 16.240 / Designline, Feb.09, seating B41DW, livery Smartbus . Was Ventura 660. To Transdev in Dec.13.

Roderick

[tranzitjim]

I still think that all SmartBus routes should have been given to the one franchise operator. That is for Ventura/CDC to have lost #900 to Transdev also.

[RailwayBus]

What about the 703?