General Discussion

[Bus 400]

Bugger, I was hoping it was a piece of paper. I do it as a community assistance, as old people will call 2******** asking when the 2 will turn up & get something about number being disconnected

[Bus 400]

Some work has been done to Tuggeranong Depot this week.

This includes the lines being repainted in the shed, speed bumps at the exit of each bus bay & a speed hump as buses go around the back of the shed. Apparently all new bus bay numbers have been painted in different colours. There is also a new sign informing drivers about applying the handbrake before leaving bus. I suspect that this has to do with the OH&S rep identifying problems within the depot.

It also appears if the speed humps may be put in at Tuggeranong Interchange. If so I hope that speed humps go into each Interchange/bus station

[Sir Pompously]

It also appears if the speed humps may be put in at Tuggeranong Interchange. If so I hope that speed humps go into each Interchange/bus station

Why? All they need is a sump buster at the entrance to stop car's from entering the interchange (That'll learn 'em), leave the rest alone!

[Bus 400]

But they have to let so cars in, as ACTION Management have an office in the Supervisors building.

Although today we saw contractors inspecting Tuggeranong Interchange & ACTION Southern Manager was spotted having a word with Roads ACT person last week at Woden Interchange entrance.

[Bus 400]

-A Scania (330 I think) did a 3 point turn entering City West Interchange directly from Marcus Clarke Street. He crossed over the double lines & had to reverse a few times.

-Also 354 bashed the bollard stop on Callam Street b Corinna Street (Sky Plaza Stop).

-Also I saw a scary thing, it looks as if the new ACTION uniforms might be bright green. As I saw a driver with one of the new bright green hats. Now what drivers are getting in the current uniform issues are just back log as they still have the old logo. But as things run out we may see bright new uniforms. Apparently the mechanics have bright new orange uniforms.

[Sir Pompously]

A Brighter shade of fluro orange maybe......

The new design caps are green (And have been around since last year, used for promotional staff during launches), yes, however at the moment the Shirts are the same colour with a new green ACTION logo. They have not shown in any promo material, and I have not personally seen what the Jumpers or vest's will look like, however I presume they will be the same blue with Green logo. However, there may be a slim possibility they will go for a Green jumper with white logo, but I will believe it when I see it!

[Bus 400]

With the workshop orange. Once I noticed that when a workshop guy in his old orange vest walked past a MkII, you could barely see him.

[smitho]

I had a uniform re-issue earlier this year; everything was old style ACTION except some of the L/S shirts, which are a lighter weight fabric - of the same grade as the summer shirts (as far as I can tell).

[Bus 400]

If anyone gets a chance, could they have a sticky beak at Bus 857, I was behind it on Tuesday & just below the rear window on the right side, it appeared as if rust may of been starting to form. I saw that paint had peeled off, but I didn't get a chance to have a proper look & since then I haven't seen it around. Going by ACT Bus Wiki the bus is based at Tuggeranong Depot

[Snorzac]

A lot of .2s are rusty and have flaky paint. It's nothing new

[Irisbus Rider]

If anyone gets a chance, could they have a sticky beak at Bus 857, I was behind it on Tuesday & just below the rear window on the right side, it appeared as if rust may of been starting to form. I saw that paint had peeled off, but I didn't get a chance to have a proper look & since then I haven't seen it around. Going by ACT Bus Wiki the bus is based at Tuggeranong Depot

Yes, 857 is at Tuggeranong, and has had that rust patch for 8+ years.

[Bus 400]

Bus 876 was involved in an accident on Gooreen Street, Reid. Photos & explantion later.

A truck jackknifed at the roundabout of Northcott Drive & Fairbairn Ave, it then whacked a Dart. Didn't get the bus number of the super though.

[Irisbus Rider]

Ha ha, in your face Dart!

But seriously, that intersection in itself is an accident waiting to happen.

[Bus 400]

Those cement bunker shelters that were removed to make way for AdShel bus shelters are starting to return to use. There is one on Charleston St MONASH &  apparently around Mackillop College, Isabella Campus (Ellerston Ave & Dumston Street (or what ever the name is)

[Buzz Killington]

Good, there's nothing wrong with them and all should be redeployed for use on stops that need them.

[Bus 400]

Well Mackillop Stops have no shelter & lots of kids use them. Also Charleston Ave is in the same boat & since they moved the 65 & 312........waits are even longer now for buses.

[Barry Drive]

A truck jackknifed at the roundabout of Northcott Drive & Fairbairn Ave, it then whacked a Dart.

The Dart involved was 155. Drove past as it was being hooked up to the tow truck. So that's another Tuggy dart off the road for a bit.

[smitho]

Good, there's nothing wrong with them and all should be redeployed for use on stops that need them.

While doing the 980 and 80s, I've noted since last year a stash of them stored on a block just near the Fyshwick Mail Exchange.

[smitho]

The Dart involved was 155. Drove past as it was being hooked up to the tow truck. So that's another Tuggy dart off the road for a bit.

I passed it being towed by the truck heading south along Fairbairn; police were directing traffic through the Campbell Pk roundabout.
The incident seemed to give the workers @ Campbell Pk and Russell an excuse to flex off even earlier, both places producing zero passengers for my 226 South, which ran empty virtually all the way to Woden Interchange.

[Bus 400]

The incident seemed to give the workers @ Campbell Pk and Russell an excuse to flex off even earlier, both places producing zero passengers for my 226 South, which ran empty virtually all the way to Woden Interchange.

Same went for the next 226 (apparently).

[Barry Drive]

It was Friday. That's reason enough to flex off early.

BTW, I'm not sure if the truck jack-knifed. All I saw was a Dart which had been whacked in the rear and a truck which had damage to the front. It could have been a simple nose-to-tail incident.

[Bus 400]

City Super's told us that it jackknifed as it had no where to go except into the bus.

As some may of heard the reports of a Kangaroo in Tuggeranong Interchange this afternoon. Well I did see the kangaroo in the bushes near Platform 5. So (unless it has been taken away) Tuggeranong Interchange has 2 pets, the other is a pussy cat that hangs around the Interchange at night.

[Barry Drive]

City Super's told us that it jackknifed as it had no where to go except into the bus.

Which might mean that the jack-knifing was not the cause of the accident, but the result of the accident.

[Buzz Killington]

I don't care about some depot rumors like ACTION are selling the Irisbus's by years end & replace them with the ex Merc buses.

now THAT would be awesome.

[Sir Pompously]

Was waiting at Civic Bus Interchange today waiting for John to show up, when a Mccafferty's liveried Greyhound coach rounded the corner only for the luggage locker to burst open and dumped a bag in the bus bay. The coach did not stop, however motorist's did so I grabbed the bag and took it over to Greyhound. The girls behind the desk did not understand when I said 'a Mccaffertys coach went around the corner, and the luggage locker burst open dropping this bag'. I had to say it twice before a driver quickly stepped in and got them to call the driver who was in the coach to get him to stop asap and grab the bag!

[Buzz Killington]

lol, thats pretty funny..

[Bus 400]

ACTION are following along with the Emergency Services Agency & are changing their system for checking on their stock.

This means that ACTION staff will be checking every bus stop sign, seat, termini shelter, bus stop shelters, buses, spares, etc. All this will be then on a database that will most likely be kept wherever ACTION Headquarters are. So whenever a new bus comes in, it will be added, if a brake pad gets put on Bus 300, that will be noted for that item, etc.

This has to do with numerous items from different ACT Government Agencies going missing.

[Bus 400]

For those that saw Bus 866 parked on the grass on the side of Northbourne Avenue this afternoon (around 18:00ish). This was for a passenger transfer & he thought the 52 I was on went via Mitchell & he knew that his 59 went direct up Flemington Road. So he just sat there for 5 or so minutes while we brought a passenger with a guide dog.

For those that missed it, it was quite a sight & it was a pity that I didn't have the time to take the photo

[Bus 400]

The last remaining bunker shelters are being removed from Northbourne Avenue. Work is being done to put the new AdShel bus shelters in. This may of been why bunker shelters were placed in Isabella Plains/Monash a few weeks back.

Also the layover at Lanyon Marketplace has changed to the otherside of the road. So if a driver wishes to park near the Australia Post boxes, he will now park on the Aldi side of that road. This has to do with the Scania/MAN buses bashing the roof overhang of Lanyon Marketplace. The thing I have noticed is that most buses park on Box Hill Avenue anyway.

[Sir Pompously]

The last remaining bunker shelters are being removed from Northbourne Avenue. Work is being done to put the new AdShel bus shelters in. This may of been why bunker shelters were placed in Isabella Plains/Monash a few weeks back.

I believe when they remove the bunkers, they have to be installed elsewhere. AdShel's are being installed at a steady pace, and the small amount of Bunker's removed are slowly being installed elsewhere around the network (After being stored in Fyshwick). The one on Charleston Street you can see where the concrete line used to be on the shelter, it has not been installed as deep as it was prviously.

[Buzz Killington]

Noticed the other day, one of the Renaults that has the "Get Fresh" fullback ad, but only on the window, has had another ad stuck on the engine cover.

Looks rather odd!

[Bus 400]

I suppose it has to do with the new bus ad company, trying to get as much for their dollar as possible.

I noticed a few new ads on Tuggers buses today. I know one included a full side ad for Adventure Paintball & the other ad was something in Tuggers Valley, but forgot what it was.

[Snorzac]

Noticed the other day, one of the Renaults that has the "Get Fresh" fullback ad, but only on the window, has had another ad stuck on the engine cover.

Looks rather odd!

It is 823...it has been like that for months. You are right, it does look really stupid. And TP 3000 it has nothing to do with the new advertising company!

[smitho]

Since 2008, some of the advertising applied on the rear of a  number of Belco and Tuggy  PR3's (sometimes referred to as Mark 3s in this Forum) has covered up the high viz safety zebra stripes on the rear of these buses. I think a similar thing has happened to several Darts as well.

Over the past month or so, newly applied adverts on the rear of several Tuggy PR3's have been accommodated while retaining the safety stripes. From what I can tell, this has been achieved by relocating the safety stripes on to the bumper. I haven't seen any Belco Mark 3s with this treatment as yet.

None of the MANs have had safety stripes applied to date.

[Busnerd]

Well usually it is in the advertising contracts, that if they want to put a full rear ad on, it is the job of the advertising company to move the licencing and any other related safety stickers, usually they move them to the bumper, or anywhere out of the way...before they put the ads on!

From memory, buses don't HAVE to have the 'zebra stripes' anyway, however they must have DO NOT OVERTAKE TURNING VEHICLE on it, and obviously working tail lights and a number plate, that's all you need on the back to be able to drive it. But yes it does reduce visibility somewhat, and they should move them, or just put the ads around them!

I was actually watching an ad guy the other day, he was moving the DO NOT OVERTAKE TURNING VEHICLE and in the process he ripped some paint off the back, so he got a square sticker out that was the same colour as the paint he just ripped off, he cut it to a smallish rectangle and stuck it over the rip in the paint!

[smitho]

From memory, buses don't HAVE to have the 'zebra stripes' anyway, however they must have DO NOT OVERTAKE TURNING VEHICLE on it, and obviously working tail lights and a number plate, that's all you need on the back to be able to drive it. But yes it does reduce visibility somewhat, and they should move them, or just put the ads around them!

Yes, I can understand why the "Do Not Overtake..." is a compulsory requirement (even if most motorists either ignore it, or don't understand what it means)....but I had understood that the rear safety stripes were an ACT requirement, even though this is not applicable in NSW. Deanes seem to have most, if not all of their buses fitted with them, although I'm not so sure about Trans Border.

From what I can tell, the transition to the new ACTION logo has seen a reduction in amount of reflective 'paintwork' (vinyl) on our green buses; the old blue ACTION logo was reflective whereas neither the green or the white versions of the new logo appear to be reflective.

And of course, at no stage have the green buses carried the full length reflective off white strips which make the Mark 1s and Mark 2s really stand out at night.

[The Love Guru]

The "Zebra stripes" (called marking plates) are required by law on all heavy vehicles, with the exception of buses used solely for suburban services.

The 'Do not overtake turning vehicle" sign is not required by law, however without this sign displayed it is not legal to use more than 1 lane when turning left (or right from a 1 way street). You will not see many long vehicles without it (wouldn't be able to get around leagally).

Similar thing goes for the 'give way to buses' sign. If it is not displayed the bus does not have right of way out the bus stop.

[Ed]

Check this story out

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/bus-driver-beats-up-passenger/story-e6freuy9-1225751476986

[Snorzac]

I would say that it is the end of his career. I doesn't say how he ended up with a dislocated shoulder though

[Bus 400]

The Dart involved was 155. Drove past as it was being hooked up to the tow truck. So that's another Tuggy dart off the road for a bit.

Spotted this bus on the Reed Street South side of the Depot today, it has extensive damage & the whole right rear corner piece will probably  need to be replaced. The engine cover & another bit have already been removed. I'll try & grab a picture tomorrow.

[Irisbus Rider]

Saw that sitting there on the 10th, suprised it's still there.

[Bus 400]

I have been told that Belconnen Workshop normally does the bodywork fixing & they'll just make new parts from the fibreglass (that's what the side piece looks like) & metal for the rest. I did suggest that a bus flies into the workshop & has a brake failure & finish 155 off, but that would be frowned upon.
Here is Bus 155


Also as some may note, I did post about safety upgrades at Tuggeranong Depot. Well a speed hump that was put in has been moved after workshop told Depot staff that it was damaging the buses. It has been moved closer to the main building, where a stop sign is.

[Snorzac]

Belconnen broke their speed hump in under a week.

And TP3000 it doesn't hurt to put your camera through the fence...

[smitho]

Belconnen broke their speed hump in under a week.

On Friday, the Tuugy Depot speed hump on the western side of the garage was relocated to the zebra crossing outside Starters Office.

[Bus 400]

On Friday, the Tuugy Depot speed hump on the western side of the garage was relocated to the zebra crossing outside Starters Office.

I already mentioned that in my last post. Probably a different way

[Bus 400]

Also going to add, quite a few security cameras are being installed at Tuggeranong Interchange. Mostly 3 on each side of the Supervisor Office, including a few roaming cameras. A few are also being installed/upgraded down the Platform 5/6 end & I have been told there are plans to instal a camera in the lunchroom. Woden Interchange will be next.

[Busnerd]

So another 10 or so cameras to join the other 20!

[Bus 400]

From what I've been told the old ones will be disconnected.

The ACTION Kangaroo made a visit to Tuggeranong Interchange again. So we have a bus gunzel returning or a new one. As apparently a kangaroo spent a few weeks at Tuggeranong Depot, but was eventually shooed out after it started causing problems.

[Bus 400]

As everyone may/should be aware of, one of the new southbound lanes on Drakeford Drive opened today in Gordon/Calwell. Well this caused huge traffic delays as traffic has to form one lane before the Woodcock Dr/Johnson Dr roundabout. I was on a peak service 318 South & it took 30 minutes for the bus to get from Tuggeranong Interchange to Covenant College.

Also ACTION are currently checking on timing points for all runs at different times of the day. Apparently running times won't be shortened, but just moved around. So while on Route 3 South, it timing may be like:

CSBS-0 Mins
LSBS-2 Mins
CABS-6 Mins
Calvary Hosp-15 Mins
O'Connor Shops-23 Mins

These times would just be altered to keep running time smooth. There are some runs that drivers have too much time in some spots & then not enough on other parts.

[smitho]

Also going to add, quite a few security cameras are being installed at Tuggeranong Interchange. Mostly 3 on each side of the Supervisor Office, including a few roaming cameras.

These roaming cameras - do they get about on foot, or do they have their own set of wheels? I'll have to be sure not to run over them if they're roaming around Tuggy Interchange next time I drive through.