Dandenong bus manufacturer wins major contract

[Smekels]

Still OT, but my 2 cents on the Sunbury - Melbourne Airport service

I would retain the route from Moonee Ponds Bus interchange to Sunbury (ala 479), with the following changes:

* Replace the 467 Aberfelide route; Starting from the M.P. bus interchange, the bus would travel Hall St, Everage St, Homer St, Margaret St, Holmes Rd, Waverley St, Alma St & Tilba St to the current 467 terminus.
* New link from Aberfeldie to Niddrie; Running from the 467 terminus, straight up Fawkner and Cooper Sts to Keilor Rd
* Replace the Niddrie to Airport West section of the 501; following the same route as the 501

The route from Airport West to Sunbury would stay the same.

MOTC would apply.

Pro:
*Makes the southern section of the route more relevant
*Provides a link from Aberfeldie to Niddrie and beyond

Con:
*Sunbury to Broadmeadows customers would have to change vehicles at the Airport
*Crossing the train line at Moonee Ponds would be a pain in the a$$, much like Essendon and the 903 (but not a deal-breaker)

Perhaps not the ideal solution, but maybe something worth looking at...

[dex]

Pretty good changes. You are aware of narrow Hall St, Everage St and Homer St are right? Otherwise its really good. The biggest problem for the 477/8/9 is the level crossing at Essendon station. I left M.P. at 5.50pm and didnt leave Essnedon station until 6.10pm. So, essentially i had 5 minutes to get to the airport. 30mins late at the aiport due to traffic on Mt Alexander rd and Keilor rd. Finished 20mins late at 7.45pm. As per usual. All this after starting at 6.45am....you would need to upgrade the interchnge at the ponds aswell, or at the very least remove the drive thru for cars between bays 8 and 9. Dont get me started on the trams either!!
Yeah waaaaay off topic!

[alburybuses2]

what "regional areas across Australia" does Ventura provide services for, other than around Melbourne?

Maybe there's somethng in the pipeline ?

[alburybuses2]

I suppose my main experience has been with the western and northern parts of the SmartBus routes. Perhaps that's why they don't appear so well patronised to me.
I'm out in Broadmeadows at TAFE quite regularly and see the bus on its way to the airport and it's got perhaps 1 or 2 pax at most.
Cheers,
John

I think numbers on 901 will change when both VLine & CountryLink start using Broadmeadows Station (both ways) AND IT IS PUBLICISED by Stations, Travel agents in the country and Melbourne Airport.

{Its great for me to get to Northern hospital, picking it up on the Mickleham Rd roundabout to the front door, previously it was 484/Met/571. Coming home is a bummer as there's no access off the hardstand/ or across the road at the roundabout}

I wonder how the travel time compares from the airport to - say 1. Doncaster, 2. Dandenong, 3. Frankston - all on a Metlink Zone 2 ticket, rather than higher fares by SkyBus/Metlink or the Eastern Subs commuter buses ?

[alburybuses2]

Still OT, but my 2 cents on the Sunbury - Melbourne Airport service

I would retain the route from Moonee Ponds Bus interchange to Sunbury (ala 479), with the following changes:

* Replace the 467 Aberfelide route; Starting from the M.P. bus interchange, the bus would travel Hall St, Everage St, Homer St, Margaret St, Holmes Rd, Waverley St, Alma St & Tilba St to the current 467 terminus.
[The route from Airport West to Sunbury would stay the same.

Pro:
*Makes the southern section of the route more relevant
*Provides a link from Aberfeldie to Niddrie and beyond

Con:
*Sunbury to Broadmeadows customers would have to change vehicles at the Airport
*Crossing the train line at Moonee Ponds would be a pain in the a$$, much like Essendon and the 903 (but not a deal-breaker)

Perhaps not the ideal solution, but maybe something worth looking at...

467 : From Junction interchange, Mount Road to Park St then Mantell, Ardmillan to Norwood,Sydenham, then continue present route maybe easier than the 'laneways' around M/P Central.

478/9 : From Junction interchange, Mount Rd then left loop into Russell/Buckley/Mount Rd continue up Bulla Road to DFO loop, Tulla Fwy to Airport West. This would ease congestion at Essendon Station and eliminate delays along Keilor Road ; PLUS provide a new westside connection to/from DFO.

[BroadGauge]

I think numbers on 901 will change when both VLine & CountryLink start using Broadmeadows Station (both ways) AND IT IS PUBLICISED by Stations, Travel agents in the country and Melbourne Airport.

Vline already run trains stopping at Broadmeadows about once an hour, most are Seymour local trains, plus 3 Shepparton trains a day, plus express services to Seymour which connect with coaches to Albury.

How would the addition of 2 XPTs a day stopping at Broadmeadows, plus 3 daily Albury trains (in replacement for the Seymour expresses that connect with coaches) majorly impact the patronage of a route that runs buses every 15 minutes?