What PT did you get today? (2019-)

[Sylvan Loves Buses]

Can't get Renault's anymore, but we still got Irises. Saw 306 on an R4 last night, that was a bit weird.
Ended up leaving home earlier an HOUR too early (good one...), but it turned out not to matter as the Irisbus that usually appears on the 71 was not an Irisbus today. It's rough not preplanning with anytrip, had to rely on old fashion 'hope this bus beats that one' tactics.
Instead I got one of the new Yutong's for the first time since the media launch which was a nice surprise. Appearance wise it looks relatively the same to me, however I really like the new next stop screen. Much easier to read, more relaxed font and a sweeping animation when the stops change, very nice. Wish it included more than 3 stops at a time though, 3 is not always enough.
Might be just me, but I feel like the electrics aren't as quite as they once were. Don't know if it's because of the white noise or the rattling, something's off.

812 (71N)
572 (70S)

[Sylvan Loves Buses]

818 (R5S)

[Snorzac]

I found the electrics became noisier as they came up for new tyres for the first time earlier in the year, I assume that the new tyres aren't as quiet as the factory ones.

This week:
23/9
641
483

24/9
809
484
483

25/9
476

26/9
472

27/9
472

[Busnerd]

I also recall the old double decker route would pick up at the shelter inside Commonwealth Park, turn left on to Commonwealth Ave then turn left after the bridge, left onto Kings Ave, left on to Parkes Way, where it became apparent the bus is speed limited to around 60km/h, right onto Cooyong St for the Canberra Centre drop off where the route started again.

[triumph]

22nd Sept

7286 (F2)
7286 (F2)
Reg No MO7286. Route F2 is Floriade shuttle from car park areas South of the Lake. This bus has similar characteristics to 7347 on route F1 the day before. See my previous post. (Unlike my trip on route F2 in a previous year, the published route was followed.)

25th Sept

750 (40)
680 (R2)

[triumph]

732 (23)
731 (23)

[L94UBbusfan]

478 (R8)
478 (R8)

Ironically got the same bus twice today, although I'm not complaining, I never ride enough STAGs

[triumph]

598 (R3)
516 (R4)
372 (57) Driver declared failed with power issues at Gilmore Ave. Replacement in about 5min. 25 min later mechanic arrived. All passengers continued on next scheduled service after 1/2hr wait. In over 25 years, only about 4th breakdown (as opposed to no-shows) I have experienced. Pretty good.
605 (57)
575 (R5)
446 (R3)
013 (R1)
814 (28)
416 (25)
009 (R1)
Keep getting feeling I have forgotten something - because of not tapping on and off.

[L94UBbusfan]

Keep getting feeling I have forgotten something - because of not tapping on and off.

It's definitely different not tapping on and off, I feel like a fare evader! Onto today's trip...

666 (26)
450 (R8)
609 (R4) - should have gotten 630 before, would have saved 15 minutes
472 (R5)
614 (R4)
336 (R4)
395 (R8)
360 (26)

A few notes from today's travels...

- I noted that 539 and 510 have had MyWay+ readers installed.

- While on 609 this morning, I saw 980 in the city, with a large "This bus is a training bus" wrap on the side, presumably to assure the public the Renaults are no longer in route service. I personally haven't seen anything like it before. Maybe it was a good thing I waited and got 609 instead of getting 630?

- 315 was on an R5, it's the second Irisbus I have seen on a rapid during the school holiday timetable.

- I spotted 689 in AOA and it's pretty underwhelming. Just a sand wrap with some text on it.

- 360 was the nicest L94UB I have ridden on in ages. It was in great condition for an 18 year old bus, and the engine sound was just wow. Truly the best in the fleet as of right now.

[Snorzac]

An electrifying week for me this week
2/10
811

3/10
821

4/10
811

5/10
819

6/10
535

[lukeo25]

634 (R6)
LRV-014
LRV-004
484 (R5)

[triumph]

Yesterday
582 (R3)
733 (R8)
LRV004 (R1)
653 (R2)
660 (R3)

Today
724 (R3)
516 (R4)
347 (57)
405 (57)
727 (R3)

[lukeo25]

601 (R4)
614 (R3)
730 (R8)
LRV-005
356 (R6)

[L94UBbusfan]

MO7284 (F1)
616 (R5)

Rode the Floriade shuttle today, my thoughts of the shuttle largely mirror triumph's thoughts. The bus I was on didn't even have a Floriade wrap on it, which was pretty lame. The frequency is AWFUL, every 40 minutes on weekdays is awful for an event such as Floriade. On the way back I decided to catch a TC bus instead, which is a far better option.

356 (R6)

I saw 356 on an R6 around 3:45pm today, so I may have seen your bus.

[triumph]

334 (R3)
422 (R3)
659 (R3)

(Noted 321 in service at Platform 2 Westfield Belconnen mid-afternoon.)

[Snorzac]

Last week
Tuesday 8/10
331

Wednesday 9/10
323
373

Thursday 10/10
369
381

[L94UBbusfan]

Tuesday (15/10/24)

462 (23)
319 (25)
378 (26)

Today (17/10/24)

442 (26)

[lukeo25]

502 (R6)
399 (54)
503 (54)
821 MW+ Test #1 (as a testing member of the public) (57)

[triumph]

Yesterday

535 (54)
375 (54)

[Snorzac]

Another short week for me 
Monday 14/10
816

Tuesday 15/10
823

Wednesday 16/10
382

[L94UBbusfan]

Today I rode on the Sydney Metro for the first time, a Citadis X05 on the L2 light rail (this ride made me wish Canberra's light rail went through the city streets) and a Waratah Series 2 B23 on the T8.

[triumph]

819 (R5)
812 (R5)

[lukeo25]

8625 (831)

[L94UBbusfan]

328 (26)

Also saw 826 on a school run.

[L94UBbusfan]

628 (23)
689 (26)

I am still yet to travel on a bus with MyWay+ installed, so far the only buses I have seen with MyWay+ are all Belconnen CB80s (artics and standards). I also got a picture of 689s AOA, and after seeing it a bit more, it's starting to grow on me.

[triumph]

Yesterday
679 (R3)
729 (R3)

Today
826 (R3)
390 (R4)

[Snorzac]

Bit of a change this week
Monday 21/10
661
751
414

Tuesday 22/10
739
748

Wednesday 23/10
463
722
305

Thursday 24/10
303
316
723
391
669
(Yes, 5 buses in one day as a driver 🙃)

Friday 25/10
703

[Sylvan Loves Buses]

Holy crap I've had one hell of a morning. Got my usual pre-planned buses...

302 (71N)
611 (70S)

...but when I was about to go home after a shopping mishap at the Hyperdome, I spotted 751 parked at the Interchange. I literally thought to myself not 1 hour prior "I haven't seen an Element in a really long time, I hope they're still around". No way I wasn't going to go home with this opportunity dangling in my face and luckily the driver was just coming back from his break.

751 (77N)

To avoid the usual 'Erindale' things, I got off the stop before on Ashley Drive to get an R5 home. This period of having no Anytrip to pre-plan trips sucks (albeit I can only do it from home anyway because I don't own a phone), doing things the 'old fashion' way usually doesn't work out all that often, but lo and behold, what pray tell came up from behind the trees as the R5...?

749 (R5N)

"What the f**k!"

So, what do I think of the Elements now that I've ridden, not 1, but 2 ?
Well damn they're noisy for an 'electric' bus. Those high-pitched whistles and sounds are quite the shock. Didn't think I would hear a higher pitched bus again after the strange sounds the GAS MAN make. I still remember when I heard 748 pass me for the first time a few months ago, hearing it immediately reminded me of the sounds used on the Mercedes-Benz eCitaro G from the Bus Simulator 21 game. Hearing it now, it is much different up close.
The inside is pretty cool, nice and high, no tripping hazards (like those god-awful double step-ups on the Yutongs that you can easily injure yourself on - which I have). A back window so you can FINALLY SEE OUT THE BACK AFTER 20 DAMN YEARS!!! Of course I sat on the reverse seating at the back, did so on 302 too .
Apart from the engine, the bus its self is much quieter than the Yutongs, no retarded beeping and booping giving you and the driver a headache. The front doors sweep nicely and the plug doors I could watch all day - damn I've missed that, and of course I had to press the wheelchair button just once. That wheelchair light and the buzzer sounds I think are a bit much, is it too much now days just to have ONE buzzer sound lol. Only the driver needs to know who's getting off and they have a dashboard for a reason.
I made a couple videos too, will share them later if I can somehow reduce the size. Don't know why my camera was set to the maximum video quality. The photos are usually pretty sh*t, there's something wrong with it if it take better film than photos.

[L94UBbusfan]

546 (23)
551 (R8)
716 (26)

It's a bit hard to believe some of the CB80 Scanias have been around for 10 years now, to me at least they feel a lot younger than what they are.

[L94UBbusfan]

588 (30)
690 (30)

[L94UBbusfan]

Yesterday (1/11/24)

304 (23)

Today (2/11/24)

All trips were a part of the Renault PR100 Farewell Tour

ex-ACTION 717
930
980
962
982

[triumph]

28th Oct
LRV005 (R1)
LRV004 (R1)

31st Oct
749 (R3)
704 (R4)

[Snorzac]

Monday 28/10
394
670

Tuesday 29/10
628

Wednesday 30/10
706
825

Thursday 31/10
426

Friday 1/11
411
748

Saturday 2/11
Ex 717
982
980
962
930

[Sylvan Loves Buses]

I wasn't gonna post Saturday cuz it was going to be basically the same as everyone else, but yesterday was pretty funny and I've had an interesting week too.

Sun 27th
650 (R4N)
643 (R6E)
421 (61N bushop)
394 (R4S)
416 (R4N)
821 (R6N)

Mon 28th
302 (71N)
611 (70S)
751 (77N)
749 (R5N)

Tue 29th
452 (R4N)
614 (62N)
333 (62E)
465 (R4N)

Wed 30th
701 (71N)
658 (70S)
645 (R4N)
649 (R6E)

Thu 31st
445 (71N)
647 (71S)
487 (R4N)

Sat 2nd
393 (70S)
ex717 (ex333N)
ex930
ex982
ex717
ex930
ex962
ex962
ex717 (ex333S)
704 (R5S)

Sun 3rd
631 (R4N) - via Melrose drive detour. Unlike any other detour, this one just 'felt right', it's almost as though I was feeling the fact that buses should be using this road or something...
448 (R2S)
ex717
556 (902W) - broke down half way up Hindmarsh drive because of an engine/handbrake fault. Funny how a bus 2-3 times the age of this one is more reliable
818 (R6W)
597 (R6N)
809 (R5S) - got on at the Melrose Drive stop. Miss being able to catch buses from here (people I know who live around here have expressed the same too).

[lukeo25]

4546 (CDC 830)

[L94UBbusfan]

Monday (4/11/24)
559 (30)
460 (30)

Today (6/11/24)
431 (23)
620 (26)

431 had a different next stop sign, it said "STOPPING" in blue text, instead of the usual "STOP" on all the other MANs. I can't find any information anywhere surrounding this sign, so it must be new, right? Or have I missed something?

Oh, and some of the MANs are starting to have MyWay+ hardware installed, 460 had it, but 431 didn't.

[lukeo25]

514 (R2)
546 (56)
634 (R6)

[triumph]

9/11/24
579 (R4)
699 (R4)

Today
733 (R3)
814 (R3)
617 (R2)
321 (R6)
469 (R3)

[Snorzac]

Monday 4/11
580
657
681

Tuesday 5/11
437

Wednesday 6/11
440
655

Thursday 7/11
453

[L94UBbusfan]

Monday (11/11/24)
630 (30)

Today (13/11/24)
709 (23)
657 (25)
521 (26)

[triumph]

825 (R2) (Noted not yet equipped with PID and Myway+ readers.)
439 (R4)

[Snorzac]

Hope the ride on 825 was nice and smooth 😃

[triumph]

822[/b (R2)]
630 (R2)

[Sylvan Loves Buses]

first... ...email system, it was good, and provided you with what you wanted... ...When the site was re-designed... ...they... ...are too lazy to put in the things that are actually significant. - Like a bus strike, I would like to know if there's a bus strike on instead of going out, waiting at the 300 bus stop for nearly an hour before realising what's wrong...

Oh cool, another bus strike with no prior warning. See told you these happen... Good thing I wasn't planning to go out early today.

Thursday 14th:
671 (R4N)
812 (R5N)
363 (R4S)

[lukeo25]

9013 (831)

[triumph]

709 (R3)
507 (R3)

[L94UBbusfan]

585 (25)
585 (23)

I saw 508 in its AOA this morning, and then I saw it this afternoon out of it. Must have been a pretty quick removal job to have 508 back in service on the same day.

[lukeo25]

418 (56)
720 (R6)

[Sylvan Loves Buses]

534 (R4N)
318 (32W)
303 (42L)
306 (R3E)

[Buzz Killington]

A rare entry from me in this thread..

393
538
805 (my first ride of a Yutong, believe it or not)