Bus Observations 2024.

[BAMBAM]

I wouldn’t go that far, they still can’t their Elements 2 running in Sydney, Canberra or Hobart.

Why buy something when they spend more time parked and driving

I'm talking about design, but feel free to give examples. Launceston is a software issue, Sydney is awaiting charging infrastructure.

What I like about you is you’re loyal to the death, Liberals, anti-union and Custom Denning.

I’m sorry to break it to you but if a software issue was big enough to ground the fleet, it’s a BIG ISSUE. Canberra one was already meant to be in service before last year ended, we’re nearly in March and haven’t made it out. Not a good look there. Even the one in Sydney was able to make it Bus show and a technology show, yet cant come out service? Kingsgrove already got several in service so why can’t they’re element 2?

Again, sorry to say but apart from Sydney and Transit Systems being slow on their rollout, you can’t have buses parked more than they’re driving. At least the Chinese one have been moving regularly. Customs should either diversify their products and having Volvo or Scania on board for their electrics or sought their problems quick. Yutong, BYD, Volvo and Scania all had teething problems no doubt but they are at least on the road more than off the road.

[tonyp]

What I like about you is you’re loyal to the death, Liberals, anti-union and Custom Denning.

I’m sorry to break it to you but if a software issue was big enough to ground the fleet, it’s a BIG ISSUE. Canberra one was already meant to be in service before last year ended, we’re nearly in March and haven’t made it out. Not a good look there. Even the one in Sydney was able to make it Bus show and a technology show, yet cant come out service? Kingsgrove already got several in service so why can’t they’re element 2?

Again, sorry to say but apart from Sydney and Transit Systems being slow on their rollout, you can’t have buses parked more than they’re driving. At least the Chinese one have been moving regularly. Customs should either diversify their products and having Volvo or Scania on board for their electrics or sought their problems quick. Yutong, BYD, Volvo and Scania all had teething problems no doubt but they are at least on the road more than off the road.

Don't mix Custom Denning up with the other two! And not anti-union, just don't like unions that don't contribute constructively to the industry that provides their members' jobs. There are good unions too.

I don't know what the exact issues are, but they're now using ZF hardware, rather than the previous French drive technology. You can't go far past ZF. Even the Chinese use them. We'll just have to wait and see. Meanwhile, operators like Busways have been running them daily for a long time, so it makes you wonder whether these issues are at the manufacturer end or the operator end.

[Linto63]

It is my understanding that the buses that will be used are surplus to requirement buses from other jurisdictions, where the age limit for in service buses is a bit lower than our 26 (or 27 of late) years.

Was in Melbourne earlier in the month and Transit Systems appeared to have a couple of dozen buses laid up out the back at its Footscray depot. Although they were probably withdrawn for a reason, i.e. they were life expired.

Kingsgrove already got several in service so why can’t they’re element 2?

The delay in the entry into service of Kingsgrove's fleet appears to be infrastructure related, not necessarily within its own depot confines, but it may be waiting for upgrades to the electricity supply by the provider. Like most operators adding a few buses appears not to be a problem, hence a few have entered service, but different for a whole fleet. Had BYDs, Yutongs or any other type of EV been ordered, they too would probably be laid up.

[tonyp]

Nowra Coaches had to wait 18 months for the power supply upgrade to be approved. By the time it was commissioned, the demonstrator electric bus had come and gone. Electricity suppliers, local councils and other certifying authorities all drag the chains. I also think that bus electrification isn't high on energy suppliers' list of priorities, so depots sit in queues of other jobs waiting for upgrades. It has become a recognised issue that was one of the reasons that the timeline for rollout of electric buses was greatly extended. (The capacity of the manufacturing industry and smoothing out the flow of orders is another issue.) Meanwhile, demonstrators are supplied with their own temporary charging facility and the demand has to be within the capacity of the depot power supply.

[Aurora]

It has been a sight seeing the odd STA livery bus running in region 13 recently because of some transfers across the Transit Systems regions.

One left Parramatta 10 minutes ago on 907.

[Campbelltown busboy]

Transit Systems haven't assimilated the two parts of region 3 together yet so it's like region 3 is still 2 seperate regions where they have kinda assimilated region 2 by having ex Interline and Busabout buses drivers and shifts running out of Smeaton Grange and Bradbury depots Macquarie Fields only runs ex Interline routes as ex region 15 drivers are only at Bradbury and Smeaton Grange depots

[BanksfielderIdiot823]

Transit Systems haven't assimilated the two parts of region 3 together yet so it's like region 3 is still 2 seperate regions where they have kinda assimilated region 2 by having ex Interline and Busabout buses drivers and shifts running out of Smeaton Grange and Bradbury depots Macquarie Fields only runs ex Interline routes as ex region 15 drivers are only at Bradbury and Smeaton Grange depots

False. 904 has been having some Hoxton Park runs every now and then, and the S1 hopper has been having both Smithfield and Hoxton Park run it.

[MiCCROwavE_OVEN]

I've always wanted to know why the so-called 'shopper hopper' routes exist and when they were introduced - unlike with Metrobus, NightRide or T-Way routes there seems to be very limited information on their purpose.

I remember there used to be an S8 service that seems to have been renumbered 709, but I don't ever recall seeing it being too heavily utilised.

[swtt]

I've always wanted to know why the so-called 'shopper hopper' routes exist and when they were introduced - unlike with Metrobus, NightRide or T-Way routes there seems to be very limited information on their purpose.

I remember there used to be an S8 service that seems to have been renumbered 709, but I don't ever recall seeing it being too heavily utilised.

Community Service Obligation type services. Run a pathetically infrequent service that just ticks a few boxes.

But then the density of the housing in some of the areas it runs through, probably would never justify even one bus service every day

[Glen]

I've always wanted to know why the so-called 'shopper hopper' routes exist and when they were introduced - unlike with Metrobus, NightRide or T-Way routes there seems to be very limited information on their purpose.

In former Region 13 for example they were introduced in the late 2000's as remnants of old circuitous bus routes which were straightened up in the Integrated Network Plans so as to be more attractive to the majority of people.

The Shopper Hoppers then provided at least some service to residents who would otherwise have had no service at all.

[743]

I've always wanted to know why the so-called 'shopper hopper' routes exist and when they were introduced - unlike with Metrobus, NightRide or T-Way routes there seems to be very limited information on their purpose.

Robert Henderson's excellent website contains much history on these routes: https://sydneybusroutes.com/wp-content/ ... hopper.pdf

I've always thought the S17 to be interesting in how it's been swallowed up by the absolute growth area that is Spring Farm. It has some peak services and a variable frequency off peak. It's supplemented by the regular route 893, however for residents headed toward Narellan, each route departs from opposite sides of the road (e.g. Springs Rd).

[Campbelltown busboy]

I've always wanted to know why the so-called 'shopper hopper' routes exist and when they were introduced - unlike with Metrobus, NightRide or T-Way routes there seems to be very limited information on their purpose.

Robert Henderson's excellent website contains much history on these routes: https://sydneybusroutes.com/wp-content/ ... hopper.pdf

I've always thought the S17 to be interesting in how it's been swallowed up by the absolute growth area that is Spring Farm. It has some peak services and a variable frequency off peak. It's supplemented by the regular route 893, however for residents headed toward Narellan, each route departs from opposite sides of the road (e.g. Springs Rd).

The S17 is basicly what the old Narellan-Camden via Spring Farm 893 was before transport for NSW changed the 893 to Narellan-Campbelltown via Spring Farm and Narellan Vale

[Transport Buff]

Special Event 443 service will commence from 8 March, from QVB to White Bay Power Station, as a loop service. No timetable uploaded yet.
https://transportnsw.info/routes/detail ... /443/74443

It is for the Biennale of Sydney, from 8 March to 10 June:
https://transportnsw.info/events/2024/0 ... ey-rozelle
https://www.biennaleofsydney.art/ten-thousand-suns/

[swtt]

Special Event 443 service will commence from 8 March, from QVB to White Bay Power Station, as a loop service. No timetable uploaded yet.
https://transportnsw.info/routes/detail ... /443/74443

It is for the Biennale of Sydney, from 8 March to 10 June:
https://transportnsw.info/events/2024/0 ... ey-rozelle
https://www.biennaleofsydney.art/ten-thousand-suns/

Now uploaded - not a bad frequency!

[Campbelltown busboy]

Transit Systems have 3 BCI electrics that are more rare now as they were when Interline had them. Interline didn't have those BCIs out a lot and when they did it was mainly m/o 6918. I hardly saw the blue and white ones which Interline had their DVAs and passenger display screens working as I caught one of the blue and white BCIs on a 865 once a couple of years ago

[stupid_girl]

Special Event 443 service will commence from 8 March, from QVB to White Bay Power Station, as a loop service. No timetable uploaded yet.
https://transportnsw.info/routes/detail ... /443/74443

It is for the Biennale of Sydney, from 8 March to 10 June:
https://transportnsw.info/events/2024/0 ... ey-rozelle
https://www.biennaleofsydney.art/ten-thousand-suns/

Now uploaded - not a bad frequency!

2-minute frequency throughout Sunday afternoon seems to be an overkill.

[Bus 400]

Should be noted, Sydney Bus Museum are assisting Transit Systems with one of their buses being used.

Sent from my SM-S911B using Tapatalk

[boronia]

Should be noted, Sydney Bus Museum are assisting Transit Systems with one of their buses being used.

Sent from my SM-S911B using Tapatalk

SBM is providing 3 buses on Saturdays and Sundays under contract to TfNSW acc to their Facebook page.

[Transport Buff]

x2 just registered TSA Custom Denning Element buses, now at Leichardt...

https://www.busaustralia.com/fleetlists ... %20Denning

[BAMBAM]

You mean Transit Systems, Bankstown Airport Depot was transferred to Transit Systems. Revesby was transferred to U-Go. Bankstown Airport is closer to the Transdev Holding yard.

My bad, Bankstown Airport depot had always been part of region 13 being acquired with Transit First

However given most of them are life expired, most (not all) are high floor, and without Opal readers, that seems an improbable idea.

The Opal readers would have been returned regardless. The buses Punchbowl Bus Co retained have had said equipment removed but continue to regularly be used on rail replacement services. While IIRC, 80% of rail replacement buses are meant to be low floor, doesn't always occur, e.g. on recent T1 North Shore replacements, there have been plenty of high floor coaches from Brighton Coach, North Sydney Bus Charters and others.

There's a few newer charter coaches which might see further use.

There are, or at least last year were, a few of the silver liveried coaches stored at Transdev John Holland's Port Botany depot.

Previously Transdev had a fair bit of surplus capacity at its Kingsgrove depot to store withdrawn buses. With it having to vacate, going to the expense of leasing a yard for buses it has no intention of using again does seem a bit strange. Some are from Transdev's Brisbane operation (still in National Express yellow) that were held unregistered at Kingsgrove and then moved again, so presumably Transdev have some reason for this. Time will tell I guess.

Under the contract, Transit Systems will provide rail replacement buses while the upgrade work is carried out for 12 months starting between July and October 2024.

While the press release says Transit Systems will provide buses, no way does it have anywhere near the surplus capacity in its fleet, even if the 50 or so stored Custom Denning Elements enter service.

Unlikely be a dedicated fleet of new buses as happened during the Chatswood - Epping shutdown. Unless there is a relaxation of the policy not permitting Sydney operators to purchase new diesels, then Transit Systems is going to be relying on sub-contractors.

Just an update on this matter, I believe several buses have now been sold to new homes as some has started disappearing from site. Not sure where some has headed but most likely Charter operators or scrap.

[Nath91!]

It has been a sight seeing the odd STA livery bus running in region 13 recently because of some transfers across the Transit Systems regions.

One left Parramatta 10 minutes ago on 907.

Was behind ex-Kingsgrove MO5494 L113CRL on Meredith St Bankstown, of which I think a couple of been transferred across to Bankstown depot. Spotted them in the yard on the way home from work on Monday afternoon.

This morning it looked like it was on Driver training on the 909.

[J_Busworth]

It has been a sight seeing the odd STA livery bus running in region 13 recently because of some transfers across the Transit Systems regions.

One left Parramatta 10 minutes ago on 907.

Was behind ex-Kingsgrove MO5494 L113CRL on Meredith St Bankstown, of which I think a couple of been transferred across to Bankstown depot. Spotted them in the yard on the way home from work on Monday afternoon.

This morning it looked like it was on Driver training on the 909.

3810 and 3824 have both ended up at Bankstown for driver training and school charters. Those two have moved around quite a bit recently, going from Leichhardt to Tempe, then back to Leichhardt and now to Bankstown.

[Stu]

The pick up point for special event route 443 at White Bay Power Station has been moved. The bus stop on the site of the White Bay Power Station is now for setting down only. The bus stop on Robert St (routes 441 & 442) will now be used for picking up passengers.

The temporary route 443 is currently a loop service, this is inefficient at certain times of the day. When customers who wish to travel from Town Hall QVB to White Bay Power Station, the bus must first commence in service from White Bay Power Station and essentially operate empty to Town Hall QVB. It would be more efficient if some of the current loop services were split into inbound & outbound trips respectively with regard to particular times of the day. This would also reduce the amount of buses required to fulfil the desired work. Also, buses could run not in service directly to Town Hall QVB from Leichhardt Depot in the afternoon on selected days.

[Stu]

x2 just registered TSA Custom Denning Element buses, now at Leichardt...

https://www.busaustralia.com/fleetlists ... %20Denning

With so many CD Element units in storage, any large sudden influx of commissioned units could possibly cause the retirement of old assets and a broad redistribution of active assets.

[Campbelltown busboy]

x2 just registered TSA Custom Denning Element buses, now at Leichardt...

https://www.busaustralia.com/fleetlists ... %20Denning

With so many CD Element units in storage, any large sudden influx of commissioned units could possibly cause the retirement of old assets and a broad redistribution of active assets.

That sounds like a interesting situation when it comes to these CD Elements and the Transit Systems region 6 fleet