Victorian Bus Observations 2026

[BanksfielderIdiot823]

Welcome to 2026.

PS. Volgren Dandenong's not far from completing Bus No. 6000.

[Heihachi_73]

Saw Kinetic bubble bus 595 parked at Ringwood station yesterday, which seemed odd given that they no longer run on Doncaster routes and AFAIK there was no planned rail replacement services. I'm guessing it was on driver training as it doesn't show up on the transportvic.me bus tracker as being in revenue service since 2021. Or maybe it just wanted to relive the good old days by running a 380 Ringwood loop service, not knowing it's now the 668/669.

[1whoknows]

Lots of standby rail yesterday - might have been on that.

[Heihachi_73]

Saw another bubble bus in Ringwood today, this time it was Ventura 1152 belching a heap of grey smoke while running a 742 Oakleigh service. Apparently 1147 was also on the 742.

[streetdirectory]

Does anyone have any info on what this bus was and what happened please?
https://www.theage.com.au/national/vict ... 5ntif.html

[scott]

The fleet lists are showing that Ventura 1150 has been withdrawn, the second of the bubble buses, the other was 1146 last year.
I would not be surprised if the whole batch of bubbles is gone by the end of the year, they are getting up there in age and seem to be falling apart.
Travelled on one before Christmas and it felt on it's last legs.
Parts may be getting difficult to procure maybe.

[Linto63]

Dysons on the market.

TPG gets cracking at $4b bus business Kinetic, eyes Melbourne buy (Australian Financial Review)

[Heihachi_73]

The fleet lists are showing that Ventura 1150 has been withdrawn, the second of the bubble buses, the other was 1146 last year.
I would not be surprised if the whole batch of bubbles is gone by the end of the year, they are getting up there in age and seem to be falling apart.
Travelled on one before Christmas and it felt on it's last legs.
Parts may be getting difficult to procure maybe.

I wonder how long Scania 858 will last in service. Or fellow oddball Scania 993 (CB80) for that matter. Both haven't turned a wheel this year according to the TransportVic bus tracker.

[MotorOmnibus8562]

Sighted on Bus enthusiasts Victoria Facebook is Transit Systems #43 repainted into the Transport Victoria livery

[scott]

[/quote]
I wonder how long Scania 858 will last in service. Or fellow oddball Scania 993 (CB80) for that matter. Both haven't turned a wheel this year according to the TransportVic bus tracker.
[/quote]

I saw 858 earlier this week in service on the 732 Vermont South shuttle. It is a 2012 model, so it would probably a few years left I would say, ditto for 993.
The oldest of the MAN bubbles were delivered in 2008, so approaching 18 years old, so getting ripe for withdrawal.
What are they going to replace the withdrawn buses with?, given our great Government have paused diesel bus purchases for 5 years, unless something has changed, I am not sure Ventura Eastern region bus services are going to go electric just yet.

[MotorOmnibus8562]

I wonder how long Scania 858 will last in service. Or fellow oddball Scania 993 (CB80) for that matter. Both haven't turned a wheel this year according to the TransportVic bus tracker.

I saw 858 earlier this week in service on the 732 Vermont South shuttle. It is a 2012 model, so it would probably a few years left I would say, ditto for 993.
The oldest of the MAN bubbles were delivered in 2008, so approaching 18 years old, so getting ripe for withdrawal.
What are they going to replace the withdrawn buses with?, given our great Government have paused diesel bus purchases for 5 years, unless something has changed, I am not sure Ventura Eastern region bus services are going to go electric just yet.

My best guess is with likely second-hand buses, I know there's a bunch of Ex Dyson's buses (mainly the K320C Optimuses and a few of the newer Ex Moonee Valley Buses) that are being leased to Torrens Transit in Adelaide, The tram replacement is finishing up shortly so We might see some buses being Transferred back to Melbourne, perhaps to other operators.

[BanksfielderIdiot823]

Broken down Dysons #944 (Optimus, K310UB) towed away @ Reservoir. Last tracked on a Rte 555 to Epping [17:11 from Northland SC; 17:32 @ Reservoir].

https://www.reddit.com/r/MelbourneTrain ... reservoir/

[BluDART]

Sighted a Transit System's Volgren optimus bus operating a 241 along Johnston Street this morning, oddly it was displaying route 401 to North Melbourne on its desto. Would have thought they had enough time to program route 241 into the controllers prior to the route starting.

[Heihachi_73]

Saw a Kinetic Gemilang today heading westbound (presumably from Mitcham) on Doncaster Rd towards the depot for "The Best Rest".

[MotorOmnibus8562]

Just sighted at The Transit Systems depot from the train was one of the Ex Dyson's buses that were sent to Adelaide to help with tram replacement. I think the fleet number is fleet #4264

[Heihachi_73]

I saw 858 earlier this week in service on the 732 Vermont South shuttle. It is a 2012 model, so it would probably a few years left I would say, ditto for 993.
The oldest of the MAN bubbles were delivered in 2008, so approaching 18 years old, so getting ripe for withdrawal.
What are they going to replace the withdrawn buses with?, given our great Government have paused diesel bus purchases for 5 years, unless something has changed, I am not sure Ventura Eastern region bus services are going to go electric just yet.

My best guess is with likely second-hand buses, I know there's a bunch of Ex Dyson's buses (mainly the K320C Optimuses and a few of the newer Ex Moonee Valley Buses) that are being leased to Torrens Transit in Adelaide, The tram replacement is finishing up shortly so We might see some buses being Transferred back to Melbourne, perhaps to other operators.

Ventura wants buses, not self-propelled Camden benches.

An accurate scale model of a standard-issue Dysons green and white Scania can be ordered here:
https://www.toyworld.com.au/products/br ... tion-truck

It probably would cost almost as much as a new bus just to upgrade a typical Dysons bus to Ventura standard - the bus would have to be gutted internally and fitted with a brand new interior, repainted to remove the green livery and the non-transparent Dysons logo wrap which covers the windows even more than the ads, upgrading the destos and PIDs if the Dysons ones aren't the same (apparently some of them are identical to Ventura's though). Nah, dump the lot in Adelaide or NSW!

[MotorOmnibus8562]

There are also plans to upgrade the bus network round Wollert and Epping with a new Route 355 and Route 577 being extended and renumbered to Route 337, so either, Dysons may get a couple of their sold buses Back, source some Buses from Shepparton by replacing those with Electric Buses (as the Shepparton Depot now has infrastructure for Electric Buses) or reactivate buses retired from route services for Growth.

[BluDART]

Observed a considerable number of Scania Hybrids from Kinetic deployed by Fitzroy and Doncaster away from the usual orbital routes this weekend operating on routes 207, 250, 251, 302, 304, 305, 905, 906 & 907 compared to the odd one every now and then on weekends.
The Scania Opticruise transmission is noticeably different in acceleration but also quieter on the freeway compared to ZF ecolife transmissions.

[Heihachi_73]

No! Keep them off the freeway, I don't want to hear constant rattling from the myki pole immediately ahead of the rear door for 45 minutes on the 906 (the last one I copped with that issue was 4022 yesterday). The Eastern Carpark isn't exactly known for having a freeway-quality road surface, only for-profit toll roads funded by the government for half a century receive get that treatment. Never mind Victoria Pde which was seemingly last paved circa 1960 (or 1860, going by the cobblestones in outbound the bus lane).

[Heihachi_73]

Ventura B7RLE 850 crush loaded on a 670 from Ringwood at 7:20PM due to Lilydale train AWOL. Mooroolbark passengers SOL as the "connecting" buses from Croydon (689) and Chirnside Park (675) were already in bed asleep as the area hasn't seen any reform in forty years. 664 from Croydon/Chirnside to Manchester Rd/Mooroolbark College was not even shown as an option in the (P)TV app.

Edit: I wonder if this has anything to do with it...
https://redd.it/1rgjkem

[Heihachi_73]

StavLink 210 (an ex-Cranbourne Transit CR221L from 2003) was running an express Box Hill to Parliament rail replacement with Hallam 894 on the desto today.

stavlink.jpg

[Heihachi_73]

Caught a tagger literally red-handed on Kinetic 4060 on the 901 in Greensborough today (they got on at the station and off at Bolton Rd, CCTV will probably show them pushing a trolley with two boxes of grog in it). If anyone wants the photo to ID the person with their tag PM me as I'm sure the admin will probably remove a photo like that from the topic (FWIW the tagger looked roughly 20-23, so not a child). Conveniently the red paint pen they were using had leaked all over their hands, arms and phone. I doubt Crimestoppers or VicPol give a toss about a single window tag though.

[Randomness]

I'm not from Victoria but I got recommended a video about Ventura's new Hailo system. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkQviCFOL_g

Hail Ventura Buses while you wait with the Hailo App https://venturabus.com.au/hailo/

The Hailo app allows you to send a signal to a Ventura bus driver that you are waiting at a stop. With real-time alerts and accessibility features, Hailo helps make catching the bus easier, safer and more accessible. Whether you’re travelling with a pram, using a wheelchair, have low vision, or simply want extra confidence that your bus will stop, Hailo gives you another way to connect with your driver.
Why Use Hailo?

Hailo adds an extra level of confidence when catching the bus.
With the app you can:

- Hail your bus from your phone when you arrive at the bus stop
- Notify drivers of accessibility needs before the bus arrives e.g. ramp
- Track your bus live while you wait
- Track your journey onboard live and receive an alert when you’re approaching your stop
- Plan your journey

The app has been designed to improve accessibility while making Ventura buses easier to use.
Important Information – Ventura Trial

Ventura is proud to introduce the Hailo app across our network as part of an innovative accessibility trial.

During this trial:

- Hailo will be available on Ventura-operated bus routes across Melbourne
- Route 900 is not currently supported as it is operated by multiple bus companies
- Customers are encouraged to share feedback to help improve the system

Your feedback will help shape how accessibility technology is used in the future.

Tracking to within 10 seconds apparently. If advertised enough, I think this will be a massive boon that may see similar implementations across more operations and across to other states.

[Heihachi_73]

Route 900 is not supported in the app. Only one of the most well-used Ventura routes out there ever since they lost the rest of the SmartBus contract to Transdev and Kinetic (RIP SmartBus 2002-2014).

Hey (P)TV, why not let Ventura take over the entirety of the 900 and let CDC's 20-year-old silver SmartBuses take a well-earned break? Or put them to better use since CDC Oakleigh's other bus frequencies are trash tier, especially the 612 and 623.

The 623 in particular should be upgraded to a proto-SmartBus like the 207 and 402 with the same frequency levels, cut out the Mount Waverley backtrack which is entirely covered by the much more frequent 733 and you've got a direct run from Glen Waverley to Chadstone to St Kilda.

The 612 to run later than *checks notes* 5PM on weekends and public holidays (even on weekdays it finishes at all of 7PM). Maybe a switcheroo with the 766 at Union station as well, let Ventura venture up to the 109 tram and beyond allowing the much longer 612 to run straight to Box Hill.