Trackwork Buses

[Citybus]

Are we meant to tap on and off when we travel on train replacement buses during trackwork? Time and time again, I see passengers simply board buses without tapping on anywhere. The ticket machines inside the buses do not work, while we don't enter any train stations to board the buses. Do ticket inspectors board the buses to ensure we have tapped on?

An idea may be to have portable Opal card readers where staff can wheel around the bus stops so passengers can tap on and off. I have seen them being used in Hong Kong during peak hour.

[tonyp]

Since the buses typically stop outside train stations, you're supposed to tap on and off at the station readers.

[J_Busworth]

When STA fully plans and operates the track work replacement services for the Airport, City Circle and Eastern Suburbs lines, then you are required to tap on and off. STA has been changing fares on their track work buses for a few months now, and they also now add extra route services (e.g. extra 324s and 333s for ESR) to cover track work instead of solely using dedicated track work buses, which most certainly require tickets.

Outside of the STA replacements, historically you haven't needed a ticket. However there is a push for opal equipped buses to charge fares on track work duties network wide.

[moa999]

Since the buses typically stop outside train stations, you're supposed to tap on and off at the station readers.

Typically but not always (eg. Pacific Highway stops on North Shore line), and sometimes the readers are on the station platforms and they block access

[Cowra]

When STA fully plans and operates the track work replacement services for the Airport, City Circle and Eastern Suburbs lines, then you are required to tap on and off. STA has been changing fares on their track work buses for a few months now, and they also now add extra route services (e.g. extra 324s and 333s for ESR) to cover track work instead of solely using dedicated track work buses, which most certainly require tickets.

That's not quite correct. There was one ESR rail weekend where Opal was set up as a trial but it has not been repeated and the last few City Circle and ESR operations have been fare free.

This current combined Bankstown & Illawarra shutdown is Opal enabled but appears to not be charging fares (ie load count only). This is a TfNSW decision not STA.

[Fleet Lists]

That trial was supposed to have lead to full introduction of charging rail fares on rail replacement buses but does not appear to have gone anywhere since then.

Rail replacement timetables currently on issue state in the link page (using Bankstown and Illawarra line shutdowns route 84T3 as an example) https://transportnsw.info/routes/detail ... t4/3184T-4 states that Opal is accepted. And the timetable linked to includes a statement "Some trackwork buses and special event buses may not have Opal card readers. Follow instructions from your driver." This tends to indicate that where where Opal readers are fitted, they should be used.

On the other hand looking at Central Coast route 6CN https://transportnsw.info/routes/detail ... /6cn/016CN it states that Opal is not accepted. But the timetable itself is similar to 84T3 in its comments.

Hopefully they will get this all sorted out one day.

[rogf24]

In addition to not paying fares, they should also put on a free sausage sizzle or hand out other food or drinks like in some Melbourne replacements. Nothing quite like getting on a replacement bus and seeing everyone on the bus with a sausage sizzle in their hand and eating.

[boronia]

Never mind about the poor driver who will have to clean it all up at the end of the trip

[Stu]

In addition to not paying fares, they should also put on a free sausage sizzle or hand out other food or drinks like in some Melbourne replacements. Nothing quite like getting on a replacement bus and seeing everyone on the bus with a sausage sizzle in their hand and eating.

This would work in NSW as long as the Bunnings 'sausage sandwich safe preparation procedure' is implemented or else the insurance cost for such a safety risk would be astronomical.
* Onion underneath with sausage on top.

[captainch]

In addition to not paying fares, they should also put on a free sausage sizzle or hand out other food or drinks like in some Melbourne replacements. Nothing quite like getting on a replacement bus and seeing everyone on the bus with a sausage sizzle in their hand and eating.

YES then in .N.S.W the transit police can book you for eating on the bus unless your a dietbetic same as drinks except water!was on a central coast train 2 weeks ago and one of the revenue officers had a portable opal machine was making a fortune from those with expired tickets & fining those that had no tickets!had 2 coppers with them they were making a small fortune!

[Merc1107]

was on a central coast train 2 weeks ago and one of the revenue officers had a portable opal machine was making a fortune from those with expired tickets & fining those that had no tickets! had 2 coppers with them they were making a small fortune!

So they should be. If revenue officers were more prevalent on the buses, they'd make an absolute killing from passengers underpaying or flat out not paying at all. Even though I'm from interstate, I doubt the issue of fare evasion on buses is any different elsewhere in the country.

[mandonov]

Yeah that's exactly what the bus network needs, an army of RPO's tasked with stopping buses for 5 minutes at a time because someone didn't pay a few bucks. Totally worth the collective hours in delays that would create every day.

[Merc1107]

Yeah that's exactly what the bus network needs, an army of RPO's tasked with stopping buses for 5 minutes at a time because someone didn't pay a few bucks. Totally worth the collective hours in delays that would create every day.

Why should they create delays? They don't hold up trains till they're finished, so why must buses be halted by an RPO blockade that resembles a Police RBT setup? They're better off randomly catching services within a prescribed area, doing their job, alighting and catching another bus - besides, when RPOs are stationed at a particular stop on a major thoroughfare, their targets usually catch on quickly and board at other stops!

[boronia]

WHS issues, with risk of injury whilst moving around in the bus while checking cards

[tonyp]

WHS issues, with risk of injury whilst moving around in the bus while checking cards

That must be something new. Does the RTBU have a hand in that? So it seems that buses are now unsafe for standees. That must be why TfNSW cites their capacity as 50 nowadays.

[boronia]

WHS issues, with risk of injury whilst moving around in the bus while checking cards

That must be something new. Does the RTBU have a hand in that? So it seems that buses are now unsafe for standees. That must be why TfNSW cites their capacity as 50 nowadays.

Has been SOP for a while now. It has been mentioned here before.

They seem to have favourite stops for checking, usually just before major drop-off points; if they stay on the bus, they have to walk back from the next one.

[Citybus]

Seems like I could technically get on a rail replacement coach service from Central to Wollongong (or Newcastle for that matter) for free if there are no Opal card readers available (which is normally the case on long distance coaches).

[Fleet Lists]

The timetable states that if there is no Opal card available, you must see the driver who I guess at this point in time will take no action, until mobile readers are supplied on such buses/coaches.

[boronia]

Technically you could, and in practice a lot of people do.

[Fleet Lists]

I would go further and say most if not all people do, as nothing is being enforced in this area.

[Campbelltown busboy]

The government should have a fleet that's only dedicated to rail replacement and emergency rail replacement then they aren't scrambling for buses in the moment of a snap emergency line shut down then they can have opal readers set for rail services

[BAMBAM]

The government should have a fleet that's only dedicated to rail replacement and emergency rail replacement then they aren't scrambling for buses in the moment of a snap emergency line shut down then they can have opal readers set for rail services

Possible in theory but in reality where’s the money going to come from for paying all the bus drivers, mechanics and other people involved when they probably get called up upon a month worth in a year. The government wouldn’t want to pay for drivers who not driving and buses that are not being used and everyone idling when there isn’t a emergency, and let’s be honest throughout the year, there’s probably a month worth in total.

[Centralian]

The government should have a fleet that's only dedicated to rail replacement and emergency rail replacement then they aren't scrambling for buses in the moment of a snap emergency line shut down then they can have opal readers set for rail services

[Linto63]

The government should have a fleet that's only dedicated to rail replacement and emergency rail replacement then they aren't scrambling for buses in the moment of a snap emergency line shut down then they can have opal readers set for rail services

[matthewg]

This current combined Bankstown & Illawarra shutdown is Opal enabled but appears to not be charging fares (ie load count only). This is a TfNSW decision not STA.

It's WAS charging fares on the T4. I was charged an off-peak rail fare for a ride on a rail replacement bus into Central. It's recorded in my Opal travel history.
(Return was on a coach with no Opal equipment).

One thing I did note, however, was the number of people who tapped when the driver requested they do - but the reader gave the insufficient credit beep which the person ignored.
I've since noticed this happens at the station as well, people tapping cards with insufficient credit and ignoring it.

I assume they will get all upset when checked and the RPO fines them - but I tapped my card - your system is broken, stop harassing me, sort of thing.