News & Discussion: Adelaide Metro Buses

[Hindley Street Alley]

internet is a nice idea

as for the ticketing system, i agree that there could be, at least at major bus stations, another way to purchase tickets...

i usually use multitrips, but in the case of this morning, i realised my last one had been used last night and I only had a $10 note on me... the bus driver wouldn't accept it, so i had to walk a few minutes to supermarket, spend some $ just to get change that they would accept (or potentially buy a multitrip if they sold them?, because it was before newsagents were open)... it was a little annoying.

I mean I understand the situation, but it would be nice if things were more convenient in that situation...
this all cost me an extra 10 minutes of stuffing around

[Norman]

Hopefully our new SmartCard system will reduce the amount of "Grannies with $50 notes".

[AtD]

I wonder if they’ll still sell tickets, in whatever form, on buses once the smart-card system is implemented. Or will we effectively have a pre-pay only network?

Speaking of smart-cards, what does the government want out of this system? Besides the obvious replacement of the existing system, what advantages will there be? Distance based fares is the only big thing I can think of. Do we really want that?

[monotonehell]

internet is a nice idea

as for the ticketing system, i agree that there could be, at least at major bus stations, another way to purchase tickets...

i usually use multitrips, but in the case of this morning, i realised my last one had been used last night and I only had a $10 note on me... the bus driver wouldn't accept it, so i had to walk a few minutes to supermarket, spend some $ just to get change that they would accept (or potentially buy a multitrip if they sold them?, because it was before newsagents were open)... it was a little annoying.

I mean I understand the situation, but it would be nice if things were more convenient in that situation...
this all cost me an extra 10 minutes of stuffing around

Wow you were unlucky to find a supermarket that didn't sell multitrips! Most areas have multitrip vendor saturation. My suburban corner has a deli, a foodland, a newsagent and a servo who all sell multitrips.

[monotonehell]

I've always thought there should be ticket vendors (either man or machine) at the key city stops and interchanges, just to speed up the queues. Then buses could be pre-pay only at those selected stops.

With the older buses that have two queues to board, the granny with 5c pieces doesn’t hold up the works too bad. The newer ones seem to have more trouble though.

There used to be queue sellers at all the major CBD bus stops during peak period way back when the machines were first introduced, just like there used to be them on trains and there still are on the trams. But they were fazed out, either due to management not wanting to pay them, the heavyness of the old batteries, or the lack of machines. Or all three.

[Norman]

I wonder if they’ll still sell tickets, in whatever form, on buses once the smart-card system is implemented. Or will we effectively have a pre-pay only network?

Speaking of smart-cards, what does the government want out of this system? Besides the obvious replacement of the existing system, what advantages will there be? Distance based fares is the only big thing I can think of. Do we really want that?

It'll be easier for people to board... just tap on and go. If they use it as a multitrip, they can put on as much or as little onto their card and use it until it's run out. And if there are future services to places like the Barossa and Murray Bridge, country fares, which already apply to Strathalbyn services, can be billed the extra money accordingly.

It also cuts the need to go to go to the shops every week to buy a fresh ticket. All they need to do is go to a machine and chare it up, or use their credit card online to increase the balance. Otherwise, they can simply link it to their credit or savings account where the money can be taken off straight away or payed for monthly... or weekly.

[urban]

The Bus Rapid Transit system developed in Curitiba, Brazil and on which the O-Bahn system is based uses off-bus fare collection. As described by Wikipedia:

Off-bus fare collection : Conventional on board collection of fares slows the boarding process, particularly when a variety of fares is collected for different destinations and/or classes of passengers. An alternative would be the collection of fares upon entering an enclosed bus station or shelter area prior to bus arrivals (similar to how fares are collected at a kiosk before entering a subway system). This system would allow passengers to board through all doors of a stopped bus.

Perhaps it is time to revisit the concept of buses using such tubes constructed in the median strip and serviced by a dedicated bus lane. It could be limited to O-Bahn buses. Bear in mind that in our new buses the area around the rear doors is identical to the trams so you would not lose any seats or standing room to the additional doors.

[AtD]

Well there was a proposal in this year's budget to put gates around the O-Bahn interchanges.

[monotonehell]

The Bus Rapid Transit system developed in Curitiba, Brazil and on which the O-Bahn system is based uses off-bus fare collection. As described by Wikipedia:

Off-bus fare collection : Conventional on board collection of fares slows the boarding process, particularly when a variety of fares is collected for different destinations and/or classes of passengers. An alternative would be the collection of fares upon entering an enclosed bus station or shelter area prior to bus arrivals (similar to how fares are collected at a kiosk before entering a subway system). This system would allow passengers to board through all doors of a stopped bus.

Perhaps it is time to revisit the concept of buses using such tubes constructed in the median strip and serviced by a dedicated bus lane. It could be limited to O-Bahn buses. Bear in mind that in our new buses the area around the rear doors is identical to the trams so you would not lose any seats or standing room to the additional doors.

OBahn nased on Curitba's BRT? Curitiba's PT is referenced in many papers on PT and is often held as a good example of TOD, but it's nothing like the OBahn. For one thing it's not guided and for another it runs down regular city streets, although in special bus only lanes.

But back on topic, Curitba's BRT does have pod stations or "tube stations" as they are sometimes called (nothing like in London lol) They are enclosed shelters with a ticket seller at the entrance. You only get in if you buy a ticket (also their buses are three section articulated). So everyone just boards when the bus arrives.

I'm unsure if such a system would work here unless all the buses were standardised with the doors at exactly the same positions on each bus. But that's probably a trivial point.

[urban]

I was referring to the fact that they are both rapid transit systems which use buses instead of the more common rail.

[Somebody]

School Bus L

Henley High to West Lakes Shopping Centre

1 afternoon (already commenced)

Why on earth is that on the Adelaide Metro site? Apart from a few pre-pubescent teens who will use it to go there there and chill after school who care, why are they promoting it as a genuine public transport improvement for Adelaide on the site? It's just a bloody skool bus.

[Norman]

Why shouldn't they tell them? Think of it as a way to advertise the service, which some parents might not know about.

[Somebody]

Why shouldn't they tell them?

You think it's an improvement worth marketing to the entire city?

Think of it as a way to advertise the service, which some parents might not know about.

Put it in the school newsletter.

[Norman]

Another bus is now in testing, this time a Scanka K3** UA or something like that. The EvoII body looks wierd on it, or maybe it's just the livery... or maybe it's just me.

Photos: http://www.busaustralia.com/forum/viewt ... 10&t=33471

[monotonehell]

Another bus is now in testing, this time a Scanka K3** UA or something like that. The EvoII body looks wierd on it, or maybe it's just the livery... or maybe it's just me.

Photos: http://www.busaustralia.com/forum/viewt ... 10&t=33471

*squeals like a Japanese school girl*

It's all livery-ed up in Adelaide Metro colours and all. I'd say it's more than just a test, this would be a pre-implementation run out. Otherwise it wouldn't be decorated in AdelaideMetro livery.

Thanks Norman!