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Would you prefer to change buses if it meant a shorter overall travel time (including shorter waiting times at bus interchanges), or stay on the same bus with longer travel time?
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Comment 1 28 Jul 2009, 9:16 PM
More than happy to catch more than one bus to spend less time traveling. Also happy to walk a bit, as long as from the time I leave home till I get to work is under 1 hour (which is what Ive got use to over time, would love to spend less time on the bus each day)
Comment 2 28 Jul 2009, 9:33 PM
Changing buses is a massive PITA, and discourages people from using the bus. For exactly this reason I get an expresso so I don't have to change. For changing to be okay, the wait time would have to be tiny - like guaranteed to be under 5 minutes. Otherwise I'd prefer a less frequent direct bus.
Comment 2.1 30 Jul 2009, 12:08 PM
I think it also depends on if the interchanges are indoor or outdoor. In winter, people have already waited for the original bus pickup outside and are therefore hesitant to then go and wait some more at an interchange.
Comment 2.1.1 30 Jul 2009, 2:20 PM
And the majority of stops don't have shelters of any description or shelters that are in such a poor state of repair (and have no bins) that people can't really use them.
Perhaps people may be more inclined to consider bus changes on this system if there were a similar option to what is used in Cardiff (Wales), Amsterdam and other European countries, with good, enclosed glass shelters that have electronic notification boards of the next arrival times, bus route numbers and any expected delays. I know there's been a lot of times where I've stood waiting for 1/2hr for my XPRESSO bus (that hasn't shown up) and missed a bus that I could have taken as an alternative (albeit with a much longer time to get into work).
Comment 2.1.1.1 6 Aug 2009, 10:17 AM
Yes, how about some of those bus stations described in the ACT Planning and Land Authority guidelines?
Comment 3 30 Jul 2009, 9:58 PM
I don't think we're ever going to get one route that suits everyone going all the places we go - so effective interchange is a must.
However, with current service frequencies no-one wants to interchange, so there's a plethora of routes that go everywhere and nowhere. If most routes were pulsed (ie met at an interchange at same time, waited 3 mins for everyone to swap, then departed) interchange might work (or less likely here in the ACT, turn-up-and-go service frequencies, ie less than 5-10 min, so you're only waiting a few mins on average).
Comment 4 31 Jul 2009, 7:22 AM
I think the reason people in Canberra hate changing buses so much is that the buses schedules are often timed so badly that people miss their connection by 5 minutes and have to wait another 40 minutes for the next. Honestly, I sometimes think someone has purposely planned the timetables that way.
If buses were more frequent we wouldn't have this fear. Miss one connection, get another one 10 minutes later.
Travel time is not really the problem per se, it's the waiting that kills you.
Comment 4.1 1 Aug 2009, 4:30 PM
Connections (or lack of) are unbelievable! For example, the 24 bus is scheduled to leave Woden at 9.00pm, and the Intertown bus from Civic is scheduled in at 9.01pm! Switzerland manges to arrange connections between trains, buses, ferries, mountain cable cars etc. throughout the country.
Comment 5 31 Jul 2009, 10:11 PM
Shorter overall travel time.
Comment 6 1 Aug 2009, 4:23 PM
Yes! I live in Farrer on the 23/24 circular bus route. This route has been made more convoluted and slower over the years (and has lost patronage on each extension). What works is getting off the 24 at Southlands and then a 5 minute walk to the Intertown bus on Athlon Drive. It would be even better if there was a 23/24 bus stop adjacent to Athlon Drive (which would also service Melrose High School). Doing this beats the tedium of roaming through the backblocks of Chifley and Lyons.
Comment 7 2 Aug 2009, 9:32 PM
Peak hour services should be direct and express.
Daytime routes should be shorter and changing buses shouldn't be a problem if they are co-ordinated and involve only a short wait (5-10 mins).
Comment 8 6 Aug 2009, 10:20 AM
Would you prefer to change buses if it meant a shorter overall travel time (including shorter waiting times at bus interchanges), or stay on the same bus with longer travel time?
I find this is an odd question as:
a) it presumes interchanges are the way to go when surely I can change buses at any bus stop/station; and
b) it presumes mobility is (potential) passengers.
In terms of travel time, I want a quick door-to-door, pleasant, safe, reliable and affordable trip with the fewest steps (it is hard getting on and off buses for me).
Comment 9 30 Aug 2009, 6:56 PM
Changing buses is preferable so long as (1) the waiting facilities are comfortable and appropriate to our local climate (which Adshel shelters are NOT) and (2) so long as the supervisor resources are committed to ensuring that connections are maintained as used to be the case in the past with the former 333 Intertown service.