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Will this review lead to even more Newcastle Buses being sent to Sydney?
Before the state election, and just before the time changes in January, ten buses would be off the road. Jodi McKay said BEFORE the state election that these ten buses would NOT be going to Sydney, yet at a meeting & AFTER the state election; we have found that not ten, but fifteen Newcastle buses went to Sydney to make it their home. . QUESTIONS: 1. Will this review, if/when it happens lead to even more Newcastle buses making their home permanently in Sydney, as their will be even less bus routes? . 2. Once again before the election the state government/Jodi McKay said that these ten buses that were to be "off-the-road" might be used to improve Newcastle bus services; Why did she & the government go back on their word and send these buses to Sydney?
Comment 1 12 Dec 2007, 4:37 PM
Sorry title should read: "Will this review lead...?"
Comment 2 13 Dec 2007, 7:28 PM
in 02/03 we had 183, in 05/06 we had 177, in 06/07 we had 171. Newcastle Buses bos said on the 19 November we had 166 and that he anticipated the number after the rework the number would be 166 but the Kms travelled would fall to 6.8m kms. The 06/07 annual report quotes the distance as 8.322m kms. This week we seem to have 20 less. If some of our buses went to Sydney to help them out why did Newcastle Buses not hire some of our private bus fleet to cover our needs?
Comment 2.1 13 Dec 2007, 9:04 PM
Thanks for changing the title whoever that was.
Newcastle could be without 20 buses not just for this week, but for a few weeks or longer. Bigfeller, I note you say the report states "anticipated" the number, not that it will still be 166 buses. Better still, let Sydney work out it's own problems, and not go "running" to Newcastle for buses!
Previews, checks for any spelling mistakes before posting this time - but I still usually find mistakes!
Comment 3 15 Dec 2007, 1:01 PM
"not ten, but fifteen Newcastle buses went to Sydney"??? Only 10 were sent down in that original batch - and yes it was a broken promise from the Government, but it was only 10, not 15. Another 10 have since gone, but these have been replaced by 10 new Volvos.
I've been keeping a log of bus numbers for my own interest (got it out of the newspapers and a bus fleet website), so here it is to prove it:
10 "spare" buses initially sent down:
1. 2823
2. 2857
3. 2889
4. 2891
5. 2892
6. 2893
7. 2919
8. 2923
9. 2924
10. 2925
10 buses sent down when replaced by 10 new Volvos 4932-4940/4942:
1. 2822
2. 2824
3. 2855
4. 2856
5. 2858
6. 2859
7. 2885
8. 2888
9. 2890
10. 2918
So we didn't ever lose 15.
Comment 3.1 15 Dec 2007, 11:01 PM
Had a feeling someone would be keeping a log of bus numbers, but I wasn't concerned about each individual bus number.
Man, at a meeting, it was stated that 15 buses were sent down in that broken promise you mentioned, & if that's the case, the STA rep should have said no, it was only 10. Doesn't really how matter were sent down, the state government still "mislead" the public.
Replacing 10 buses with another 10 buses is a different matter altogther.
Comment 4 15 Dec 2007, 1:06 PM
And for the sake of completeness, the 16 LOANED to Sydney due to their shortage:
1. 2915
2. 2917
3. 2920
4. 2921
5. 2922
6. 2943
7. 2945
8. 2949
9. 2953
10. 2976
11. 2984
12. 3066
13. 3079
14. 3145
15. 3246
16. 3360
Comment 4.1 1 Jan 2008, 10:52 PM
Thanks for the numbers but if your file is correct where/what happened to 2821,2893,2894,2941,2947,2951,2978,2980,3041,3064
as age of bus is by prefix 28?? onwards to 36??. The NEW busses 3405/3405 are ex Sydney Airport Expresses The 1406-1610 onward replaced 26?? onward to early 28?? including 2805 (which caused a stop work meeting day of earthquake probably saving many pensioners who may have been playing bingo @ Newcastle Workers). Also 3678(MAN) was burnt out @ Highfields(MAN numbers 3668-3685 not consecutive)
P.S some of o the older 26?? plus series are now doing Sydney services so they got back their BOMBS & WE HAD VOLVO'S FIRST
Comment 4.1.1 7 Jan 2008, 5:18 PM
2821 went to Ryde in 2005.
2893 - mentioned it two posts above.
Since my posts, some more changes have happened:
2894 was transferred to Leichhardt last week in return for a new Volvo.
2941 is on loan to Waverley for the Sydney shortage.
2947, 2951, 2978, 3041 on loan to Port Botany for the shortage.
2980 and 3064 are still here.
Age of bus is generally by the prefix, from the 2800 series (of which we now have none left) introduced in the mid-1980's through the 3600 MAN's from 1996 and 1997. Then the 14-15-16 class of Volvos from 2003-2005, and the new 4900 series of Volvos currently being delivered.
Comment 5 16 Dec 2007, 10:27 PM
I think we should send alot more of the big buses down and hope they send lots of mini buses back. Then we can have a bus fleet that matches the needs of Newcastle and cuts our costs and pollution. Out with the stretch limos and in with some practical and viable public transport.
Comment 5.1 2 Jan 2008, 8:01 PM
And what about nights like NYE/NYD, Australia Day? Mini buses wouldn't be able to cope. And they certainly wouldn't be suitable for the 1xx series & Swansea routes.
For routes such as 100 Mayfield & 350 Swansea routes, bendy buses would be ideal, especially for peak hours.
Comment 5.1.1 7 Jan 2008, 5:15 PM
That is something I've always wanted to see (bendy buses). They could lead to STA saving kilometres - instead of two buses trailing each other on a Mayfield or Swansea trip to cope with the load, it could be covered with one bus - half the km's! Having ridden a few in Sydney, there aren't many turns on the main Newcastle routes which these buses couldn't negotiate.
Comment 5.1.2 10 Jan 2008, 6:55 PM
First you have to get the passengers! At this point of time there is only about 12m passengers and 8m kms covered each year.
Newcastle does not have a peak hour or even peak 10 minutes.
This is Newcastle not Sydney.
Mini buses are the best competitor for cars as they would allow frequency and flexability.
On New Years Eve the buses were empty so mini buses would have been fine.
Comment 5.1.2.1 10 Jan 2008, 8:20 PM
The buses were NOT empty.
I was out all of New Year's night, riding buses in and out as a curiosity to check loadings. Pretty much ALL were full. Sure, there were some empty routes - 222 in particular, but the main trunks - 350, 230, 224, 100 - were incredibly popular. In fact, they were pre-selling tickets at Newcastle Station, before people got on the bus, to speed up loading times - which worked a treat. The Depot Manager was there himself as a queue conductor which was a great sign of support.
You should have seen the crowds. I'm sure you wouldn't have been in them by your statement.
Comment 5.1.2.1.1 11 Jan 2008, 12:51 AM
I was out and about on New Years night from about 6 pm till about 4am.
The crowd was very poor compared to previous years and expectations. Please read the Newcastle Herald to confirm my observations.
I challenge you to produce the number of passengers carried and the Kms travelled between 2am and 4am.
Remember a bus is only full when all the seats are occupied and the standing load is at licenced levels.
Comment 5.1.2.1.1.1 11 Jan 2008, 2:22 AM
It was also reported that Warners Bay had the largest crowd on NYE in the area.
Comment 5.1.2.1.1.2 11 Jan 2008, 10:22 AM
Bigfeller, say a bus is designed to carry 70 people, but only 55 people use it, that means the bus is 79% full. That to me is a good load.
.
NEW YEARS EVE
But what they need to do, is maybe instead of Route XYZ coming at 20 min, 45, then a 32 min interval for example, might of been better to have a memory frequency. Sure the crowd was less than previous years, but it still a large crowd.
PS: Of course you are going to have less of a crowd out between 2 & 4am.
Comment 5.1.2.2 11 Jan 2008, 2:14 AM
Bigfeller, I have to agree with Man3668 - again! The buses were full. I know a number of buses that took almost just over 20 minutes to get from Newcastle - Broadmeadow because of the full load, and how long it was taken to pick up passengers.
On a side note Melbourne for NYE/NYD provided free public transport.
Comment 6 10 Jan 2008, 8:20 PM
10 of the Sydney loan buses returned to Newcastle today.