Adelaide Airport shuttle bus trial to continue

[I Follow PAFC]

Adelaide Airport shuttle bus trial to continue despite very low passenger numbers
AN AIRPORT shuttle bus trial has been extended until the end of the year despite the double-decker bus carrying an average of just four passengers each trip.

Transport Department figures this week released to the Weekly Times Messenger reveal 13,910 passengers have boarded the 92-seat JetExpress shuttle bus since the trial started in December — equating to just four passengers on each of 20 daily trips.

http://www.news.com.au/national/adelaid ... 7518489792

[Tim Williams]

I think its very limited hours of operation would not help and, as a friend of mine has suggested, what about using the CDI on J1 and/or J2 (with a lot of publicity, of course)

The Gold Coast Airport runs a much more regular service with a number of CDI's - I wonder how that is going. Whilst that airport is not as busy as Adelaide, being a holiday destination, passengers arriving and departing that airport would have a much higher usage of "ordinary" public transport, than Adelaide.

[jibb]

Unless it runs frequently it will fail to attract more passengers.Surely it can be put to better,well patronised routes.

[TT]

If the J1X ran along Grenfell & Currie Sts and used same stops there as J1 and J2 it would pick up a lot more. 15 min service there versus hourly service on North Tce (and then only for bits of the day, and weekdays only) I know where I'd go if I needed to get to the airport. It's not uncommon to send tourists with luggage up from W1 on North Tce to Currie St, either because it's middle of day or the last J1X was 10 mins ago and they don't like the idea of a 50 min wait until the next one. They look at you strangely when you tell them the Airport Express is an hourly service.

[Tim Williams]

Yes, I agree with everything you said!!

[Lt. Commander Data]

I used the 777 (Gold Coast Airport express bus) on the gold coast, and there were probably about 5 people on board (although it does run every 15mins). Th difference is, the 777 is much more expensive than the J1X.

[Adelaide Hills DD]

But this is all the same with 3401, It's afternoon 840X is only half full and could easily be run by a 14.5m. I haven't personally been on the 1040 T840 to Mount Barker but it wouldn't sound like a very needed time. It could just be there so it doesn't run back NIS.

[burrumbus]

On those figures the most appropriate service to operate would be a loop service via the motels in the CBD with a Rosa towing a trailer.Simply a giant expensive overkill with a Double Decker.
The Transport Department should go to Hobart to see how Redline operate a well patronised ,well operated service that is actually timed to connect with inbound and outbound flights.Passengers will pay a premium for a good service to the airport that means not lugging their cases around on a conventional route bus.

[The Phonj]

Adelaide used to have a similar service to that which Redline operate, "Skylink". After a couple of takeovers it did cease operating. Northern Flyer do operate a similar shuttle service to the CBD for $10 but I often see their vehicles at the Airport waiting for a passenger.

[Tim Williams]

II have heard a rumour that the CDI will be transferred to Mount Barker to supplement the Scania DD, once the airport trial over. It is only a rumour, but does make sense to compare the two types in the same operating conditions, prior to any consideration to ordering a batch of DD's.\

Both seem to be good buses, with Gemilang pick up (small) orders for their very stylish Lion's City MAN DD and Bus Tech's highly competent CDI with it's innovative approach to our varying axle allowances.

[jibb]

I wouldn't be surprised if the J!X service was then discontinued,considering the poor numbers of passengers it gets.
The dd is wasted sitting a lot of the time at Mile End depot and not used at weekends.

[Tim Williams]

I agree, it is such a waste of a good bus - restricted timetable, Mon-Fri only.

It would be great to see it operating a full timetable 7 days a week, with proper loadings!!

[Lt. Commander Data]

If it was used in the Hills on Mt Barker runs, it means on Sundays all T843s could be run by a double decker. They would have to repaint it though, as if it ran around in JetExpress livery it might be a bit weird (although that being said, 3401 runs around in Pink advertising).

[Tim Williams]

Owning a bus company myself, I do understanding the value (to bus companies) of advertising, but I do hate that huge advert on the existing Scania DD.

If the the CDI does transfer to Mount Barker, I am sure it's livery will be changed.

[Adelaide Hills DD]

Nobody likes it but because the bus is owned by the government, all they are concerned about is $$$ and that advertisement would have brought in a whole lot of it.

Having the CDI in the hills would be interesting but I don't think it would have the guts to get up the hill. So it would have to do a few trials before doing runs. I would like to know though weather it is higher or lower than 401, because if it is taller, it won't be able to operate in the hills.

On weekends, 401 does run T843's in the morning and the afternoon. Not sure of the times it runs though.

[Lt. Commander Data]

It (supposedly) runs every T843 service on Saturdays, and the same ones on Sundays. The services that ARE NOT run by 401 are: (ex-Mt Barker) 0755, 0955, 1455, 1655. (ex-Adelaide) 0857, 1057, 1557, 1757. These are Sunday only services and normally operated by a 14.5.

[Adelaide Hills DD]

You do realize that 401 cannot run every service, there is always 2-3 T843's running at any given time. The Saturday and Sunday services are both the same shift and consist of T843's in the morning (from 9ish until 11ish) and in the arvo (from 2ish to 4ish) (not sure on actual times). Most of the other T843's are run by 14.5's and the 864(F)'s that are run during the weekend are mostly run by artics.

[Tim Williams]

My understanding is that the CDI is just under 4.3mtrs in height, which would be little different to 3401. As for power, CDI's are powered by Cummins 8.9lt engines which have lots of torque over a good spread of RPM. However, I have not looked into the power to weight ratio which all important, but I cannot see it being any less powerful than 3401.

[Lt. Commander Data]

You do realize that 401 cannot run every service, there is always 2-3 T843's running at any given time. The Saturday and Sunday services are both the same shift and consist of T843's in the morning (from 9ish until 11ish) and in the arvo (from 2ish to 4ish) (not sure on actual times). Most of the other T843's are run by 14.5's and the 864(F)'s that are run during the weekend are mostly run by artics.

But there's half the amount of T843s on Saturdays, so 401 is able to operate them all. And generally on Saturdays 864s are run by 14.5s, it's Sunday's when they are operated by artics.

If 1790 was moved to the hills, would it be renumbered to 3400, or stay as 1790

[Fleet Lists]

I assume 401 and 3401 are the same bus - It appears in the fleet list as 3401 so I suggest we call it it 3401 to stop any confusion to people who are not fully aware of the Adelaide details.

[Adelaide Hills DD]

Sorry Fleet, just habbit

[Torrens_5022]

When I read bus 401 - I think of a MAN SL202 not the Gemilang Scania K320UD - double decker bus 3401
All the 400's buses in service are MAN SL202 buses (or most are)

[TA3001]

1790 if it goes to the hills will more than likely become 3400 or 3402. I don't have a problem with excuding what is a silent 3 when referring to the hills fleet. It's how i refer to them in my head, but it may confuse some, so best to include tbe 3 when referring to it on a forum

[Adelaide Hills DD]

It would become 3402, but I don't think it would come up here. The one Double Decker is enough and it doesn't get used enough as it is, then you have the issue of another purpose built shift for it which would mess around other shifts. If it is any taller than 3401, it won't be brought up because 3401 struggles to fit under the Aldgate bridge as it is, with only a 2 inch gap between the bridge and bus.

[Lt. Commander Data]

That just means it can't do 863, 864 or 865 services-still hoping to see it on the 868 one day! But it could do 860Fs presumably? If it accessed Aldgate depot from Bridgewater instead of Stirling that could be another solution. Personally I think it would be 3400, as it will probably be a one-of-a-kind in Adelaide (but I could be wrong).