Bus Observations 2024.

[Fleet Lists]

But such major changes would not be until after the conversion period timetables are no longer required.

[Randomness]

Then you’d end up with a CSELR debacle where timetabling is changed to benefit the many, but the media reports on Mary’s one journey commute to whoop whoop to buy groceries becoming a “nightmare” with 1 interchange with a frequent service.

[ScaniaGrenda]

Noticed what may have been either a Demonstrator or prototype coach going along Hexham yesterday afternoon, white unmarked coach with "King Long" where the registration plate usually is.

[bushead]

What was the rego of the bus in accident with a Ute at Guildford on Sunday 11th Feb 2024.

[BAMBAM]

What was the rego of the bus in accident with a Ute at Guildford on Sunday 11th Feb 2024.

1355 - Custom Bus CB80 Volvo B7RLE

[tonyp]

I had no idea Dick Rowe was still around, but apparently he's turned 100.

https://www.busways.com.au/news-items/b ... -turns-100

[ScaniaGrenda]

With the early retirement of the first ex STA B12BLE's, looks like some more misfortune with m/o 1415 breaking down in Hunter Street around 4:00 PM yesterday on the 11 to Newcastle Via University. Radio reports at the time reported a crash on Hunter street (No mention if this was related to m/o 1415) however when I went past it at 4:30 PM the driver was letting onboard PAX off the bus and had hazards on. Not long after a Highway patrol arrived at the scene directing traffic around the bus. (Some useless drivers were not getting the memo to go around the bus prior to HWP arriving even through the hazards were on to begin with and the bus was at a standstill).


My photos

[boronia]

It is amazing how many motorists are completely oblivious to hazard lights and their "message".

Many times I have observed a bus disabled just before an intersection. Hazard lights on, rear hatch open, even a mechanic in a hi-vis working in the bay part of the time. But the cars kept pulling up behind, waiting to turn left. As soon as one eventually got the message and pulled out around the bus, the car behind would move into gap.

[BAMBAM]

Another U-Go Mobility bus on fire. This time Scania K320UB CB80 (MO6690) from Kingsgrove on fire at Blakehurst. Was on 959.

[idontknow556]

Source please - There aren't any news articles suggesting a bus fire today or yesterday. Or did you see it in person?

[Campbelltown busboy]

Another U-Go Mobility bus on fire. This time Scania K320UB CB80 (MO6690) from Kingsgrove on fire at Blakehurst. Was on 959.

That's poor maintenance on U-GO's end if buses are cooking their engines to the point where the vehicle catches fire. I can understand 1 but you say another U-GO bus which says that this has happened before

[MiCCROwavE_OVEN]

With the early retirement of the first ex STA B12BLE's, looks like some more misfortune with m/o 1415 breaking down in Hunter Street around 4:00 PM yesterday on the 11 to Newcastle Via University.

I've always wondered why the Euro III B12BLEs are so ridiculously loud, and I recall the first time I heard one at full blast I was half expecting it to catch fire. Other than the STA Volgren B12BLE incident. However, I don't recall any other incidents with the Euro III B12s, which are nice to catch but terrible if one passes your house late at night.

As for the Punchbowl (edit: U-GO) fire, a quick search revealed a Custom CB80 Series 2 venting smoke, so that checks out: https://www.reddit.com/r/sydney/comment ... ?rdt=34710

[Merc1107]

Another U-Go Mobility bus on fire. This time Scania K320UB CB80 (MO6690) from Kingsgrove on fire at Blakehurst. Was on 959.

That's poor maintenance on U-GO's end if buses are cooking their engines to the point where the vehicle catches fire. I can understand 1 but you say another U-GO bus which says that this has happened before

Buried deep in the latest report from the Bus Taskforce was a small section on maintenance, or lack thereof among some operators, who were only concerned with maintaining buses for the life of the contract instead of taking a longer perspective. The example tendered indicated the OEM service interval for a particular type of bus in Sydney was recommended to be 30,000km. Two operators had halved this to 60,000km - which will certainly have serious long-term ramifications for the reliability of their fleet and therefore adherence to KPIs...

[Linto63]

About 40 former region 10, 12 and 13 Transdev buses that did not pass with the regions to the new operators in store in a yard in Tower Road, Bankstown Airport not that far from its depot that passed to U-Go Mobility. Given that a large fleet of buses is going to be required for the Bankstown line shutdown, perhaps Transdev have done a deal for them to be used on these services?

[boronia]

I was watching one of the news clips about the report the other night. The was a parade of nice new Elements in the background, tailed off by an Orana.

[BAMBAM]

About 40 former region 10, 12 and 13 Transdev buses that did not pass with the regions to the new operators in store in a yard in Tower Road, Bankstown Airport not that far from its depot that passed to U-Go Mobility. Given that a large fleet of buses is going to be required for the Bankstown line shutdown, perhaps Transdev have done a deal for them to be used on these services?

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.

I have my doubts about them being used for Rail Replacement for Bankstown Line. Only bus driver that Transdev have are with their Joint venture with John Holland at Eastern Suburbs, with those previously with Transdev either transferred to CDC, U-Go Mobility or Transit Systems or left left all together. They don’t even have charter operations anymore, so most likely have zero staff. Reasons why the buses are there I have no idea, but I sense that only way Transdev comes back is either buying an operation or winning contracts again.

[1whoknows]

No Bambam. The yard Linto is talking about is a new and separate yard down by the golf course where all the excess,but still TD owned, buses have been stored for some months. There was a suggestion they were being retained so TD could bid for Bankstown rail replacement. However given most of them are life expired, most (not all) are high floor, and without Opal readers, that seems an improbable idea. I posted several photos of the yard in Bus Australia FB a few weeks back. It has also been suggested, though I dont think confirmed, that TSA is getting the Bankstown rail contract. So there's a lotta late 90s/ early noughties buses with not much future. There's a few newer charter coaches which might see further use.

[BAMBAM]

No Bambam. The yard Linto is talking about is a new and separate yard down by the golf course where all the excess,but still TD owned, buses have been stored for some months. There was a suggestion they were being retained so TD could bid for Bankstown rail replacement. However given most of them are life expired, most (not all) are high floor, and without Opal readers, that seems an improbable idea. I posted several photos of the yard in Bus Australia FB a few weeks back. It has also been suggested, though I dont think confirmed, that TSA is getting the Bankstown rail contract. So there's a lotta late 90s/ early noughties buses with not much future. There's a few newer charter coaches which might see further use.

I know about the new yard, but I was talking about was Bankstown Depot being transferred to Transit Systems and Not U-Go Mobility. The person mentioned Bankstown Airport was transferred to U-Go Mobility, which isn’t the case but Revesby was considering it’s not too far from Bankstown Airport too.

About 40 former region 10, 12 and 13 Transdev buses that did not pass with the regions to the new operators in store in a yard in Tower Road, Bankstown Airport not that far from its depot that passed to U-Go Mobility. Given that a large fleet of buses is going to be required for the Bankstown line shutdown, perhaps Transdev have done a deal for them to be used on these services?

The bold part is the part I was correcting. In no way I mentioned them being wrong about the Transdev holding yard.

[Glen]

Transport for NSW has appointed Transit Systems to enable delivery of the 2024 Temporary Transport Plan for the T3 Sydenham to Bankstown conversion as the line is upgraded for the new Metro.

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.

https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/news-a ... -transport

[Linto63]

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.

[lunchbox]

INNER WEST BUS SERVICES - PUBLIC HEARING

There will be a bus passenger forum held on Thursday the 29th of February 2024 at Petersham RSL from 10am-12pm. This will be an opportunity to share directly with the taskforce your opinions on Inner West bus services.

Ideas you might like to present to the taskforce -

The extended "Red" phases at traffic lights for inbound morning peak traffic on Victoria Road in Drummoyne and Rozelle, in an apparent attempt to "solve" the congestion fiasco which is the Rozelle Interchange, are DELAYING INBOUND MORNING PEAK BUS SERVICES. Large queues are forming at bus stops, resulting in unacceptably long bus travel times.

If a service must be cancelled, for whatever reason, then every effort must be made on the part of the operator to ensure that the immediately following service on the same route is NOT ALSO CANCELLED! (a not uncommon occurrence!).

SIGHTLINES AT CITY BUS SHELTERS.
City Council has failed to respond to year-long complaints about advertising panels blocking the the intending passengers' view of approaching buses. Council's General Manager, Ms. Barrone, had the disingenuous hide to inform us that the sight-blocking advertising panels would be removed, but that "it may take some time". In other words, she will let the current advertising contract run its full term! (Perhaps this abject failure in bus service operation should have been taken to ICAC. Transport for NSW was present when EVERY ONE of the Development Applicatons, one for each shelter, was approved.)

The Australian-designed Custom-Denning electric bus is way ahead of its imported Chinese competitors. Among other things, it has a 100% flat floor, with no internal steps, and it has a rear window; useful for changing travel plans & buses en route.

The Kingsgrove depot (?) Custom-Denning has an advertisement covering the rear window. This must stop!

The new "GoZero" electric bus, currently being promoted, is NOT passenger -friendly, especially with respect to its high floor / low headroom. There may be other faults, which might only be detected in a physical trial. Do we know of any?

it's never too late to stop putting perforated advertising film over the windows of Sydney's buses. Civilised European cities don't do it. You know what happens when it rains.....

12568

[tonyp]

The Australian-designed Custom-Denning electric bus is way ahead of its imported Chinese competitors. Among other things, it has a 100% flat floor, with no internal steps, and it has a rear window; useful for changing travel plans & buses en route.

The Kingsgrove depot (?) Custom-Denning has an advertisement covering the rear window. This must stop!

The new "GoZero" electric bus, currently being promoted, is NOT passenger -friendly, especially with respect to its high floor / low headroom. There may be other faults, which might only be detected in a physical trial. Do we know of any?

it's never too late to stop putting perforated advertising film over the windows of Sydney's buses. Civilised European cities don't do it. You know what happens when it rains.....

12568

By GoZero, I presume you mean the BYD/Gemilang buses of Transit Systems?

These Chinese manufacturers also manufacture flat-floor models - for the European and Singapore markets. That's because the operators and agencies that order them have higher standards than Australian operators and agencies who have virtually no design standards. That's the problem, not so much the manufacturers. You should try talking to some of the people in the bus sector. They have absolutely no idea about bus functionality, productivity and passenger amenity issues - though I did speak to somebody in PTV who was around the issues, so we might see some movement in Victoria. Or I thought there might be as they started off with stepless floor BZLs and Elements, but lately three operators have ordered large fleets of BYDs with high floors.

The Custom Denning is clearly the design leader in electric buses here, but the Volvo BZL chassis is close behind, only lacking that rear window which I agree is important. The problem is that operators go for the cheapest, which is Chinese.

There is another contender among the local electric bus manufacturers, Bustech, but every time they have a go at it they get something wrong. The latest blunder is with the just-released Scania electric bus in Adelaide which has a fully stepless chassis, but Bustech bodied it with a high floor at the back. On top of that, AdMet hasn't picked up that design flaw. So much cluelessness rampant.

[BAMBAM]

The Custom Denning is clearly the design leader in electric buses here

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

[tonyp]

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.

[J_Busworth]

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.

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.