ACTION lowers timely bus targets

[Bus 400]

ACTION lowers timely bus targets
Posted 6 hours 7 minutes ago

TAMS says the new figures do not mean buses are running any less on time. (ABC News: Penny McLintock, file photo)
ACT bus service ACTION has reduced its target for Canberra's buses arriving on time.
Until now the target has been 99 per cent but it has been cut to 83 per cent.
Territory and Municipal Services spokesman Tom Elliott says the old target was artificially high because it measured how often buses left the depot on time.
Mr Elliot says the new target reflects the Auditor-General's call for a stricter methodology.
"Last year they determined the manner with which we were measuring ACTION services was inappropriate and they asked us to change our process," he said.
"It does not mean we are necessarily running any less on time than we were before, it's simply how the measure is calculated."
Student price hike
The ACT Government has defended its decision to increase bus fares for Canberra's university students by almost 50 per cent.
Currently university students pay the same price as school students for ACTION bus tickets but from July they will have to pay the more expensive concession fare.
That means a 10 trip ticket will cost just over $12 instead of $8.
Liberals Transport spokesman Alistair Coe says the Government should have warned students it was planning to target them when it announced a fare increase in the budget.
"Some fees are going to be going up significantly more than 11 per cent," he said.
However a spokeswoman for the Chief Minister says the changes bring the ACT in line with other states and territories.
She says students will pay the same amount as other people on low incomes.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/27/2582361.htm

[Irisbus Rider]

Dissapointing, ACTION should be taking on time running seriously, not compromise their passengers schedules.
And ACTION wonder why people go back to their cars after trying the bus.

[Bus 400]

I do wonder why the Interchange supervisors have been out checking the timing on certain runs, if ACTION only go by depot leaving time?

[Irisbus Rider]

I do wonder why the Interchange supervisors have been out checking the timing on certain runs, if ACTION only go by depot leaving time?

Because they changed the technique of on time running, by timing the buses on their routes, opposed to buses leaving the depot.

But anyway, buses leaving the depot? That in no way reflects the on time running of a service. Just a way to make numbers look attractive. I'm glad they abandonded that technique.

[Bus 400]

I am surprised they don't use what is in front of them. As I have been told that the interchange supervisors have a list of when each run is expected to arrive/depart each interchange & what bus is doing those runs. So surely if a bus gets in 5 minutes late that should be noted. (I'll be mean here) Or even if they notice a bus gets in early that should also be noted.

[Busnerd]

Its simple. If they want to do timing checks, get a driver to sit in an interchange for a few hours, with a list of runs and what time they are due and write down the time they come through.

SIMPLE

[seat cover]

Its simple. If they want to do timing checks, get a driver to sit in an interchange for a few hours, with a list of runs and what time they are due and write down the time they come through.

SIMPLE

Why sit at interchanges, sit at a timimg poit along a route?

[Busnerd]

Same thing, it is a timing point.

But it depends what part of the route they want to check.

A good one would be something like Commonwealth avenue or London Cct, Northbourne too

[Bus 400]

Its simple. If they want to do timing checks, get a driver to sit in an interchange for a few hours, with a list of runs and what time they are due and write down the time they come through.

Every so often those guys that stand with the portable validators do this as each intertown comes in.

[Irisbus Rider]

They just mark them off coming in, as far as I know, not taking into consideration on time running. Could be wrong though.