News & Discussion: Adelaide Metro Buses

[Omicron]

Actually, they should leave it like that. How jaunty and fun! Dancing signs!

[ChrisRT]

A little bit off post, but looking at that passenger info. sign, Adelaide Metro seriously needs to hire some graphic designers to come up with a new logo. The current one is starting to look very dated. Changing the colour scheme may be a bit costly but at least a new logo.

Also the shape and layout of the sign is pretty ugly. The painted yellow outline with a curved top looks very 80s/90s and you are forced to bend over to find out when the next bus is scheduled. Just compare to the bus shelter in the same pic. Looks much more modern and streamlined.

What do other people think? Does the Adelaide Metro 'brand' need a refresh? I certainly think so.

[Pat28]

The Adelaide Metro brand in its current form is only 5 years old - the current style is an improvement on former attempts (I am of course reffering to the time when there were at least 12 different colours in use and lacked uniformity, especially when the first incarnation of the website was PURPLE for some reason).

Yes, a logo change maybe need in the future to coincide with either: A) a new service is introduced, B) a change of government, C) a massive and abitious service change which goes onto basically redesignate every single bus, train and tram route. Until such time, then leave the logo etc be.

[monotonehell]

...you are forced to bend over to find out when the next bus is scheduled...

Better that you need to bend a little than people in wheelchairs or similar cant see it at all.

What they do need to do is think about what timetables they place on what stops, sometimes the table they choose has very little bearing on the buses that stop there.

[Aidan]

...you are forced to bend over to find out when the next bus is scheduled...

Better that you need to bend a little than people in wheelchairs or similar cant see it at all.

What they do need to do is think about what timetables they place on what stops, sometimes the table they choose has very little bearing on the buses that stop there.

Yes, the real problem is the lack of Countdown. Rather than having to bend down to see the timetable, you should be able to look up to find when your bus is really coming. It seems to work OK on the few E-W routes that have it, so how long will we have to wait before it's implemented everywhere?

[metro]

the stupidest thing about the 721 is that on the other side of the city it is a 222, yet along both the 222, 721 routes there is no mention AT ALL of a cross-city service. IMO the 222 destination at the front of the bus should be "City and Noarlunga via Main North and South rds." or something along those lines including info at the stops. Also the 222 needs to meet the trains better at Mawson Interchange and Noarlunga Centre, they seem to arrive about 15min after the train has gone, and then depart 1minute before the next train arrives.

Funny also asking bus drivers for directions at railway stations, the southlink bus driver at mawson interchange when i asked how to get to Salisbury station said the quickest way there was to take the 224F or the 411 which would take a little longer. He did not mention the train at all until i asked "what about the train" to which he replied "it might get you there"

[bay transit]

From the Sunday Mail Sunday 14th March 2010

A multi million dollar State Government commitment to extend the O-Bahn bus service into the City Centre and replace its ageing fleet has been delayed.
Just 2 of the 97 new O-Bahn buses-promised in May 2009 in a $118 million four year replacement program-have been built and are yet to enter service because they are still undergoing safety testing.
At the current rate of 3 a year,the full fleet of 97 buses would take until 2040 to join the Tea Tree Gully to City route.The Government meanwhile has revealed its planned $61 million O-Bahn extension into the City Centre will be delayed by at least 6 months, until mid-2012 because the project still does not have Federal funding.
The Federal Government announced last May it would fund the O-Bahn extension,with the State Government claiming dedicated bus lanes between Hackney Road and the City would cut 10 minutes off travel times.
Transport Minister Patrick Conlon's media adviser Sam Ion said on Friday that construction on the busway would finish in mid-2012 coinciding with the "allocation of funds from the Commonwealth Government".
He said the Transport Department was still developing concept plans for the busway and preparing traffic modelling "with a view to a presentation being made to the incoming Government early in its term".
The O-Bahn is Adelaides busiest route carrying more than 7000000 passengers a year from Adelaide's north-eastern suburbs.
Opposition transport spokeman David Ridgway said the delays showed Government had"no idea" how it was going to extend the track."Clearly it was one of those projects that they have plucked out from the air",he said."They don't know where they are going to take it and it goes back to the lack of leadership from the minister".
"The community has been misled.This was something they just dreamed up one day,thinking it would sound sexy,without actually working out how to do it".
The Government has signed deals with transport company Scania Australia and Royal Park bus builder Custom Coaches to construct 200 buses for the Adelaide Metro system including 120 articulated buses.
Mr Ion said 97 articulated buses would be used on the O-bahn,replaceing its ageing Mercedes-Benz models,which were not accessible to the disabled and had no air-conditioning and were nearly 25 years old.
Under the Passenger Transport Act,buses must be retired after 25 years in service,unless otherwise approved by the Transport Minister.
Mr. Ion confirmed 2 O-Bahn buses only had been constructed;1 is nearing completion and "approximately 33" were in various stages of production.

[SRW]

Relevant thread here: http://www.sensational-adelaide.com/for ... &start=120

[crawf]

Bus chaos enters third week
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/bus-chaos ... 6166663057

Passengers are continuing to experience delays following the change in the state's bus services..

Reports of lost drivers, failure to stop at pickup points and even passengers having to instruct drivers have all marred the horror handover which continues into its third week.

Tell us now. Has the service improved for you? Have the buses been running late? Share your stories with us in the comment box below.

AdelaideNow readers have voiced of their experiences since the handover with mixed results.

"It's been shambolic," one said.

"Three times this week I've been left standing there waiting 30-45 minutes for an M44 to show up - this is a service running every 15 minutes for crying out loud. On Saturday the driver didn't even know the route and went the wrong way out of TTP."


Another commented: "I'm sick of drivers missing stops - they obviously aren't concentrating on their jobs - and slamming on the brakes at every bus stop, stop sign, turn etc."

Initially dismissed as "teething problems" by a Transfield spokesman the delays face yet another challenge next week when schools resume classes on Monday.

Teething problems?

[metro]

The last couple of weeks have been a debacle. Everything was fine with Torrens Transit, which is who Light City/Transfield are blaming for all their problems. But how is that possible, everything worked fine under them, buses were on time and reliable, buses were clean, bus drivers knew where they were going and knew how to drive on the Obahn. Torrens also had the J1 which was the city's most popular bus route which now requires a transfer plus a 15-30min wait in the city.

Just weeks before the change of bus operators, Adelaide's public transport had already lost a lot of passengers because of all the long rail disruptions, now with that combined with unreliable buses, mostly on and around the Obahn, has probably led to the worst drop in passengers in years, and quite possibly the first serious drop in passenger numbers on the obahn ever.

another thing that has frustrated people.. the J1 had to be broken up into 2 different buses because it operates in another bus operators area, but how do they explain the M44 then

[bay transit]

You have explained why we now have C1/2 buses on the O-Bahn terminating in the City operated by Light-City Buses.The M44 also operated by LCB (who have both contract for Outer North-East and North-South) is therefore able to operate the M44 from Golden Grove and TTP to the City and on to Marion Shopping Centre and continuing to either the 645 or 646 routes,and returning to the City,TTP and Golden Grove.
Likewise the G40 travels from Golden Grove and TTP to City and Flinders UNI and return(not at nights or weekends).

[Paulns]

This is what happens when you outsource... Should of just stayed with the Government in the first place. Lets face it, these private companies/multinationals only care about one thing and thats the bottom line. Everything else like passenger comfort and consistancy come second best to them.

[Will]

This is what happens when you outsource... Should of just stayed with the Government in the first place. Lets face it, these private companies/multinationals only care about one thing and thats the bottom line. Everything else like passenger comfort and consistancy come second best to them.

I completely agree. There are some things in society which should be done, simply because they are the right thing to do, and not because there is a profit to be made.

[AtD]

This is what happens when you outsource... Should of just stayed with the Government in the first place. Lets face it, these private companies/multinationals only care about one thing and thats the bottom line. Everything else like passenger comfort and consistancy come second best to them.

A well written contract would have a daunting array of requirements on all those things, and an equally daunting array of penalties for breaches.

[AG]

There's a few reports around the place that LCB is short on drivers (highlighted by the fact that they are still advertising for bus drivers), and also has a bit of a mess in terms of runs and stabling of buses since it only has the two depots at Morphettville and St Agnes. Many of its routes don't start anywhere near either of the two depots.

Also noted is the increased number of buses during morning peak hour running around "Not in service".