Route sharing was very common prior to the current contract system that commenced 2005 - 2006.Linto63 wrote: ↑Mon Oct 11, 2021 11:00 pm Each route may have been allocated to one region, but in practice depots from multiple regions have operated routes, particularly since 2013 when the route optimisation scheme was introduced to try and reduce dead running. In the case of region 6, it wasn't until a few months after the region was taken over by Transit Systems that route 400 was split, both it and State Transit region 9 operating services from Burwood to Bondi Junction for a few months.
In the cases of regions 7 and 8, shared routes were allocated to one region shortly before tenders were called, giving a base specification for tenderers to bid against.
As to how TfNSW compiles its patronage and mileage data by region, it could be done a number of ways. In the case of the aforementioned route 400, it could have been done be including all trips as either region 6 or 9, or allocating to the region that each individual bus was allocated to, or determining it based on the boarding or alighting point.
During the early days of the current contract system, route sharing between depots was reduced. The two main routes that were shared were route 200 and route 400 (ex Metroline) for obvious reasons. Route 200 R7 Willoughby Depot shared with R9 Waverley Depot and route 400 R9 Waverley shared with R6 Kingsgrove Depot. When route 410 was introduced, it was originally allocated to R9 Waverley and sharded R6 Kingsgrove Depot and then vice versa after a few years.
Randwick Depot used to operate a handful of short working 381 trips in the PM peak from Bondi Jct. Kingsgrove Depot used to operate some route 409, 480 & 483 trips which were Burwood routes, the reason was due to Burwood Depot had reached capacity, this included additional bus stabling site in Five Dock. After Leichhardt Depot was redeveloped, this took pressure of Burwood Depot.
Route optimisation in May 2013 saw a return to route sharing and a dramatic increase at that, by November 2015 there were more routes shared compared to routes not shared.
Regarding the route allocation of Region 6 prior to franchising, there were four stages,
Stage 1.
17/11/2017. This occurred when there was a Sydney wide timetable overhaul for bus services.
- Routes 389 & 440 were both truncated to Bondi Jct. and operations transferred over from Region 9 to Region 6.
- R6 Tempe Depot no longer assist R9 Waverley with operating route 352.
Stage 2.
06/05/2018.
The separation of Region 6 from Region 7 - Growth buses and adjusted timetables for both regions.
- No more route sharing such as R7 Ryde Depot operating some R6 route 504 trips and R6 Leichhardt Depot operating some R7 routes 501 & 506 trips.
- R7 Ryde Depot 458 to remain in R7.
- The separation of Region 6 from Region 8 - metrobus M30 services to operate from R6 Tempe Depot, no longer shared with R8 North Sydney Depot.
The separation of Region 6 from Region 9.
- Route M10, previously shared with R9 Port Botany Depot since its inception in 2008. All route M10 trips transferred to operate from R6 Tempe
Depot.
- R6 Tempe Depot no longer assist R9 by operating routes 301, 303 & 309.
- R6 Tempe Depot no longer assist R7 by operating route 343.
- R6 Kingsgorve Depot no longer assist R9 by operating the single PM route X03 trip.
Route M20 transferred out of Region 6. R8 North Sydney Depot to pick up route M20 trips and other trips to be allocated to R7 Willoughby Depot and Ryde Depot.
Stage 3.
Route M20 transferred back to Region 6. All route M10 trips transferred to operate from R6 Tempe Depot on 18/06/2018.
Stage 4.
Routes 400 & 410 were shared between R6 Transit Systems and STA from 01/07/2018 until 30/09/2018 when the route 400 was split to create new route 420 and route 410 was withdrawn. This is also the time when thr route 418 was truncated to Kingsford and the route 357 was reintroduced although in a slightly different trip pattern.
Regions 7, 8 & 9 (2020 - 2021).
18/12/2020 (end of Term 4). Withdrawl of Region 9 UNSW routes 891, 893 & 898. Region 8 will no longer be assisting with any UNSW routes from R9.
20/12/2020 (start of school holidays). Region 8 bus network & service changes.
- R7 Willoughby Depot no longer assist by operating R8 Brookvale Depot routes 136 (renumbered to 166 and truncated to Frenchs Forest), 144 and
North Sydney Depot route 263.
- R8 North Sydney Depot no longer assist by operating R7 Willoughby Depot route 257(renumbered to 114 and truncated to Crows Nest).
24/01/2021. Region 7 bus network & service changes.
- R7 Willoughby Depot route 343 shared with R9 (all depots). Northern leg renumbered to route 115 and Southern leg remains as route 343 and
operates to City as had previously done so before the route was merged with former R7 route 273 on 04/10/2015.
- R7 Willoughby Depot route 340 (ex M40) shared with R9 (all depots). Northern leg renumbered to routes 120 and Eastern leg withdrawn, absorbed
by frequent services on route 333.
- R9 Waverley Depot route 200 was previously shared with R7 Willoughby Depot. Service truncated to Gore Hill and operated wholly by R9.
* Night Ride route N80 & N81 transferred from R4 to R7 and R7 route 458 transferred to R6.
* The above information is relevant to the time the changes were implemented, the applicants in the tender process would have this information well in advance as would be required in the tender process.