News & Discussion: Adelaide Metro Buses

[Cruise]

The new artic failed miserably, only being able to reach 80 km/h.

[Norman]

The new artic failed miserably, only being able to reach 80 km/h.

Keep working on it then, Cruise

[Will409]

Vibrating floors again the centre of attention?

[bdm]

Surely it cannot be too hard to invest a bit of money refurbishing the old arcs. They're beasts. They were beasts in the 70s and they're beasts now. A bit of touching up and they'll live.

[monotonehell]

The new artic failed miserably, only being able to reach 80 km/h.

*eyes Cruise's comment suspiciously*
Why would they go to the trouble of livery if they're not past the initial testing? Or are these artics originally intended for non-obahn use?

[Cruise]

You know just as well as me that a bus can move around without an o-bahn mono....

[monotonehell]

You know just as well as me that a bus can move around without an o-bahn mono....

So they were bought for non-obahn use? or not or what? Please be less obtuse as I'm apparently being very dense on this point.

[Cruise]

It was bought for non o-bahn use and was tested on the o-bahn to see if it ran well, if it ran well, more would have been ordered but seeing as it did not run properly, it will be used in regular service. So it will be the only one of its kind.

[monotonehell]

It was bought for non o-bahn use and was tested on the o-bahn to see if it ran well, if it ran well, more would have been ordered but seeing as it did not run properly, it will be used in regular service. So it will be only one of its kind.

Thank you. I needed that spelt for me today.

Are low floors more trouble than they are worth? I don't like any of the Custom Coach layouts for low floors, they're like a children's jungle gyms with bars and ladders all over the place. Not to mention the low ceilings by the time you get up the back.

Go back to standard level floors I say (and maybe well find buses for my beloved OBahn then?).

[Norman]

Hopefully the new artics have better workmanship than the L94s. I always think they are about to fall apart when they run over the smallest pothole.

[Cruise]

Are low floors more trouble than they are worth??

I don't like any of the Custom Coach layouts for low floors, they're like a children's jungle gyms with bars and ladders all over the place. Not to mention the low ceilings by the time you get up the back.

Go back to standard level floors I say (and maybe well find buses for my beloved OBahn then?).

That right, It doen't matter if the body is built by Custom Coaches, Volgren or if you build it in your backyard. Its the Chassis.

[jk1237]

Bloody hell, has anyone esle seen more of these interstate reject buses around. Some of them just look so silly, including some coach looking bus that is always on the 286/7 route.

I found it strange that TA/Adl metro started phasing out some of those older silver MAN buses, who were bought by buses r us, and then when the Glenelg tram shut down the other sunday, TA hired the same buses from buses r us (for tram substitute), that were phased out a few months before. Does anyone find this weird, that 1 - a govt public transport organisation (in control of prob 1000+ metro buses) actually hires private buses as a tram subsitute, and 2 - they are ex STA/TA buses

[Norman]

Never fear, the recent batch we got will be replaced by brand-new buses soon.These are just a gap-filler as the extra order (80 buses over next 4 years) is being done.

And I actually really like the coach-like buses. The seats are so freaking comfortable.

[bm7500]

Pressure mounts on overloaded busway service

THE O-Bahn transport system is so congested commuters are being forced to catch buses several stops earlier than normal to get a seat.

Rising fuel prices have dramatically increased pressure on Adelaide's main bus service, with more complaints about overcrowding and late services, prompting calls from bus drivers and commuters for extra services to meet growing demand.

New Transport Department figures show complaints about overcrowding are up 26 per cent, while complaints about late services increased 41 per cent from 2006-07.

The demand for the service is growing so quickly, five new services have been introduced on the O-Bahn in morning and afternoon peak times.

The number of passengers using the service has grown from 7.4 million a year in 2004-05, to 8.2 million in 2007-08. Many commuters using the O-Bahn are complaining about delays and lack of seats.

Some are using Park'n'Ride stations at Golden Grove and St Agnes, instead of the main Park'n'Ride centre at Tea Tree Plaza, to ensure they get seats.

This time last year, only one or two commuters were boarding each early morning bus at St Agnes parking station. Now up to 10 or 12 people at a time are catching buses there.

Queues of up to 40 people are waiting at the main O-Bahn station at Tea Tree Plaza to catch peak-hour buses.

In the city in the evening, most O-Bahn users queue outside City Cross in Grenfell St. However, in recent months, more commuters have been walking several hundred metres towards Light Square to catch O-Bahn buses so they can find a seat.

One of the main reasons for delays on the line is traffic congestion in the city.

A Transport Department spokesman said delays in Grenfell St – used by most O-Bahn services – were "at their highest in the afternoon peak".

Preliminary estimates suggested delays of about five minutes, he said.

Bus drivers told The Advertiser the delays are often up to 15 minutes and that Grenfell St was "a moving parking lot".

Transport Workers Union secretary Alex Gallacher said drivers had been reporting problems with the busway for 12 months.

"It has been exacerbated by rising petrol prices forcing more people to use public transport," he said.

The Transport Department spokesman said testing of replacement buses for the O-Bahn was complete and approval was being sought to buy replacements.

Greg Kelton
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au

Looks like the Transport Dept have made their choice of Bus (please be an artic). Does anyone know which model they have chosen?

[Shuz]

All the more reason the case for the O-Bahn to be converted to a rail corridor, with an extension to Golden Grove. It will be able to take on board the increased capacity now and in the future with more reliable operational times. I would hope that as part of the State Governments public transport plan, that sometime in the medium-term a plan is outlined for such a project. It wouldn't jeopardise their purchase of buses either now, for they can simply be transferred onto another route and alleviate bus congestion elsewhere.