News & Discussion: Adelaide Metro Buses

[bay transit]

Many of its early morning runs go from Morphettville Depot to Port Adelaide,Blair Athol,Rosewater,Arndale and even Paradise Interchange? What a huge waste of drivers time.
LCB has been using charter buses of all shapes and sizes from private operators to cover journeys that they are unable to do because of a lack of drivers.Heard from a driver yesterday that they are still at least 50 drivers short.
Article in today's Advertiser,as well as online re "warring" between some Torrens Transit drivers and Light-City Buses drivers,and also about ongoing LCB problems,which will probably get worse next week as schools go back and LCB are working to full schedules!
From all observations and reports there are still major problems with "on-time running" -massive delays on many routes,also drivers getting lost and driving down wrong roads/streets.

[[Shuz]]

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.

It should be standard to have that kind of contract/system in place. For those of you familiar with Metro, the operator of Melbourne's passenger rail services, they are required to fulfil minimum service and operating standards - for example; 90% of trains run on time, on time being classified as no later than x minutes after scheduled, 90% of services must operate/show up (accounting for breakdowns, significant delays, etc.) that sort of thing, or otherwise they face fines and have to issue free travel to customers most affected by their failure to do so.

It took them a few months to iron out some of the issues, but as I understand it they have been meeting their targets in recent months, and have drastically lifted their game since. A similar arrangement should be put in place upon Transfield.

Here's a link for those of you curious;
http://www.metrotrains.com.au/About-us/ ... sults.html

[bay transit]

From yesterday's The Advertiser;-
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/bus-chaos ... 6166663057
From today's Sunday Mail;-
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/transfiel ... 6167481424

[crawf]

Mini buses now?.... Seriously this whole situation is a fringing joke.

[jk1237]

you would expect a few teething problems until they iron out their issues but some of its beyond teething problems. How can they be 50 drivers short, did they win the tender earlier than expected or something.

All I demand is to put the 174 back down North Tce (like all the other Payneham Rd buses) instead of this idiotic decision to put it down Grenfell St to connect with the airport buses. First couple of weeks has seen 177 buses jammed full out of the city, with 174 containing just a few people, caus naturally those on North Tce aren't gonna go running up to Grenfell St to get a 174. Its the most mindbogingly retarded decision they have made. And to get to Grenfell St why not use Pulteney St rather than Frome St so you can atleast cover the busy Adl uni stop

[Hooligan]

caus naturally those on North Tce aren't gonna go running up to Grenfell St to get a 174.

It would be good exercise but.

[rubberman]

But fellas, I don't understand.

When I was in the SA Public Service in the late eighties, management was getting rid of all its specialists in just about every field, water, power, transport etc and lecturing us who protested - "We don't need experts, all we need are managers - we can buy in the expertise any time we want."

Well, now we are seeing the results of this policy.

For those trained in the old State PS it is now great. Very very good hourly rates can be demanded from over-the-barrel-governments - and if they don't want to pay for the expertise, well you can see what happens. (Check your water and power bills, and wait for a bus). However, whether it has been good for the public of SA is another matter.

[crawf]

you would expect a few teething problems until they iron out their issues but some of its beyond teething problems. How can they be 50 drivers short, did they win the tender earlier than expected or something.

All I demand is to put the 174 back down North Tce (like all the other Payneham Rd buses) instead of this idiotic decision to put it down Grenfell St to connect with the airport buses. First couple of weeks has seen 177 buses jammed full out of the city, with 174 containing just a few people, caus naturally those on North Tce aren't gonna go running up to Grenfell St to get a 174. Its the most mindbogingly retarded decision they have made. And to get to Grenfell St why not use Pulteney St rather than Frome St so you can atleast cover the busy Adl uni stop

Had to catch a bus to Norwood from the city about 11am this morning, and you can definitely notice a decline in service.

Adelaide's bus system has never been crash hot, but these latest changes are beyond ridiculous. The bus was late going from the city, while coming back the H20? bus took the long way back to Grenfell Street. Instead of going down the usual Parade > Flinders St Kent Town > Bartels Road > East Terrace > Grenfell Street, the bus end up going up The Parade West > Rundle Street/Road > East Terrace > North Terrace > Pulteney Street and then onto Grenfell Street...

All this ended up doing was nearly doubling the time it took to get back on Grenfell Street. Whoever was the cock that decided to make these changes, needs thrown into the ocean.

I am so glad I do not have to worry about buses anymore, at least the tram services is semi reliable...

[[Shuz]]

Today's 251 was being driven by a driver who don't know how to drive, nor know the route, accompanied by an associate who seemed more than perfectly capabale of providing much needed relief on the network by driving another bus - as he was the know-it-all of the route and how to drive properly. But instead opted for a few moments of propelling expletive verbal ad nauseum and such flustured frustration that turned his face to pink marshmallow delight.

What a farce.

[[Shuz]]

Mini buses now?.... Seriously this whole situation is a fringing joke.

I saw them around too. What the hell has this situation come to?

[metro]

This is just atrocious, I think it's time the State Government gave Transfield the sack and bring back Torrens Transit, i think they should just tell all former employees and drivers that they've got their old jobs back, and that all timetables and operations will go back to what they were before October 2, and hopefully put this fiasco behind us.

but I cant see that happening

[Punishment466]

Ahh you guy's are freaking me out. I'm moving to the city from the country to start my new job on Monday, now I'm stressing out about if my bus will arrive in time for my first day >_<.

[[Shuz]]

Ahh you guy's are freaking me out. I'm moving to the city from the country to start my new job on Monday, now I'm stressing out about if my bus will arrive in time for my first day >_<.

Walk, then.

[AG]

Ahh you guy's are freaking me out. I'm moving to the city from the country to start my new job on Monday, now I'm stressing out about if my bus will arrive in time for my first day >_<.

Which part of the city are you relocating to?

[fabricator]

Ahh you guy's are freaking me out. I'm moving to the city from the country to start my new job on Monday, now I'm stressing out about if my bus will arrive in time for my first day >_<.

Which part of the city are you relocating to?

+1
Tell us the bus route number, or suburb name and someone will check if Transfield or some other bus operator is involved.