Debate #1: Nightrider

[Buzz Killington]

I just watched a report about the new nightrider taxi service. The reporter commented that this new trial service "replaces the little used nightrider service"

Let's examine that shall we.

Given that Nightrider only runs for a few weekends in December, i don't really think "little used" is a fair assessment of the service. Anytime i've seen a Nightrider service (usually a Scania) there is easily enough people to fill a dart, and more. So why the hell don't ACTION run Nightrider year round, at the very least providing more direct versions of Route 300 to at least get people to their local interchanges, where they can go to their local clubs (Southern Cross, Labor Clubs etc) or get a taxi home from there.

The way i see it, there are several options:

- ACTION runs the full nightrider routes year round, on Friday and Saturday nights, maybe even Thursdays.
- ACTION runs limted nightrider services year round - club loop and a 300 variant
- ACTION runs the club loop service only (City-Manuka-Kingston?)
- Taxis run the club loop service.

The way i see it, Taxis are the worst possible option. Why? Higher cost, lower capacity and spew is much easier to hose off the lino floor of a bus than out of plus taxi carpet. Not to mention this new Nightrider Taxi service has only been allocated "three to six vehicles for the first six months"

Personally when I go out to civic, my friends and I will always take turns as designated driver. Not as fun for the desi, but the public transport is just too expensive and unreliable.

Personally - i think at the very least, given their funding increase, ACTION need to run the club loop service and an intertown. Ideally, the full compliment of Nightrider needs to be implemented year round.

Thoughts?

[Irisbus Rider]

I say the 300 isn't that great, because then people will have to drive to the interchanges to get the bus, or live in a close proximity to the interchanges, which is highly impractical, whereas the Nightrider service, which services about 10 suburbs in one service would be ideal.

And I say keep the "$10 - No Concessions", it's still cheaper than a taxi.

But, yeah, all year round, Friday and Saturdays would be good...

[Buzz Killington]

I say the 300 isn't that great, because then people will have to drive to the interchanges to get the bus, or live in a close proximity to the interchanges, which is highly impractical.

agreed, but probably better than nothing. Still, when you think about it there are taxi ranks and clubs within a five minute stumble from each interchange. So people can either club on or just get a cheaper, closer taxi

[Irisbus Rider]

Yeah, thats actually a good way to look at it too.

[Buzz Killington]

Tuggeranong - Southern Cross Club is right across from the IC, taxi rank is just around the corner on Anketell
Woden - Hellenic, Tradies, Southo within walking distance, taxi rank adjacent to IC
Belconnen - Labor Club in walking distance, taxis ranks on both sides of the IC
City - Well..

and if the 300 diverts by Erindale, taxis plus "The Venue" and assorted shitty pubs, and the Wanniassa Tav

[Irisbus Rider]

For example, there was a party at a friends house in the suburbs, and it finished at midnight, how would I get home with public transport?

[Buzz Killington]

der, you crash there, maybe start up a conversation with that hot chick in the singlet top and short shorts?

[Irisbus Rider]

Ha ha, yeah. I guess thats one of the solutions, but then again, after a night on the turps, just about anything can happen.....

[Sir Pompously]

Buses, atleast a bus service running to the interchange would suffice even better would be a service which joins many suburbs over one route like nightriders currently. Taxis are more expenisve, and you need more of them unlike a bus which is more economical with the amount of people that would be travelling. Year round would be the best, Friday and Saturday nights (And not Sunday as one person suggested many weeks back ) would be an ideal service. Even better if we have a surplus of buses and ACTION Could have specially liveried PR100.2's with vynil seating. But here I am dreaming.....

[Irisbus Rider]

Nah, just put the darts on them.....

Yeah, the Intertown would be adequate, nothing more, nothing less.....

[Buzz Killington]

to get the money's worth though, they may as well just put suburban nightriders on

[Irisbus Rider]

Yeah, for $10 a ride, they'd be making a packet!

[Buzz Killington]

well they'd need to pay penalty rates to the drivers for the hours

i mean, i dont know how much all the costs would be, but still it seems like they'd definitely break even

[Jack Bauer]

'Ow 'bout we all buy a bus and make a business out of it, eh?

[Busnerd]

John, it doesnt matter where you live, if you go to get pissed at a party and wanna get home at midnight its your own fault.

Not many areas have 24 bus services, obviously a few exceptions such as the L90 and i assume a few others like the 333, 380 etc. But not that many places get services past 2330hrs. So most people would get a taxi, as normal passengers shouldnt have to put up with drunks like yourself :lol:

The intertown is very practical to run all hours...as people pay $3 to get to their local interchange, then get a taxi from there.

For example, its 2am your in civic..you get the 300 to tuggeranong, whilst on the bus you call a taxi for tuggeranong, then you get off the bus, get the taxi to your local tuggy suburb, and you've saved a bundle.

I had a look at the nightlink fares, as much as $43 for one person, but if you get more people it works out pretty cheap. Its like $61 for 5 people. so thats like $12 each.

[The Love Guru]

Most suburbs in Sydney have a 24 hour bus service. The nightrides service there run very well and carry decent loadings during the week and crush loads on weekends. As part of the nightride tender (well it used to be, is it still???) the bus companies were required to be able to call taxis on behalf of the passengers on board. Normally the pax would come up and ask for a taxi from such and such and the driver would write down a list and call the cab company and book the taxi for his arrival time.

Although Canberra is a different story, i think we do need public transport to run all night on Friday and Saturdays. Perhaps a revised nightrider network would be the answer, with the nightrider buses running the 300 route out of the city before passing through the suburbs. An hour service frequency, with runs being a little longer than they are now would suit the job nicely. This would allow a bus to do a service every 2 hours, hence 2 buses per run per night.

As for the fares on the service, i think somewhere about the $5 flat fare would be suitable. It makes it a lot more attractive than a taxi at that fare. There is no way for ACTION to recover their costs on an all night service, so perhaps a tax or levy imposed on late night trading for pub/clubs could pay for the service.

As was suggested earlier, dedicating a few of the older 100.2's to the nightrider service, with special liverys would attract interest in the service. It would also allow those buses to be fitted with security cages for the drivers safety.

The network could be operated with around 10 buses all together, this would enable 5 different runs to cover all of Canberra on an hourly frequency. Also, if the timetable was done correctly, it would be possible to arrange interchanging of buses out points out side the city. ie, Bus from city to weston creek via manuka and narrabundah, meets direct city to tuggeranong suburbs bus at woden IC. Buses could also be kept in radio contact with each other.

On a side night, i am also very disappointed in ACTIONs early morning services. At present, anyone working in the industrial areas of Canberra are unable to get to work before 7am. If working in Hume, you are totally out of luck. I think that an extension of Fyshwick services to Hume would solve most of these problems (buses doing a loop of Hume before returning to Fyshwick on the return run). Buses need to start in the suburbs around 5 am allowing connections to Fyshwick/Hume for arrival times about 6am. This would encourage those people involved in industry a chance to catch public transport (which is important as the people in these industrys aren't normally as well off as the public servants of Canberra, yet are completely ignored by the ACT govt in regards to transport alternatives)..

I wont get started on the lack of Sunday evening services.

Thats my 2 cents worth. Comments and opinions welcome.

Guru

[Buzz Killington]

i certainly agree with all your points there, Guru. Its surprising that an extension of nightrider has never really been considered by ACTION, and there are certainly other benefits that should be taken into account here (i.e. potential to reduce the chance of people drink driving)

Security cages in special liveraged .2's is also a good idea. I've seen photos of this sort of thing in other cities. Specia livery along with regular advertising on other vehicles would certainly do a very good job at promoting the service.

A levy or tax being imposed on late traders, pubs and clubs is also a good idea, to help the government break even on the service. Because if they're not making enough, you know they'd axe the service.

Also on your point on Sunday evening services, the current morning services are shocking too. At the moment, if i wanted to catch a bus into civic on sunday, unless i got a lift to tuggeranong interchange, i wouldnt be able to get there by bus until 10.30am, which is just shocking.

[Busnerd]

Later than that..

The 913 gets to tugg 10.04 but is always late, so the 10.15 300 gets to civic at 10.53am!

[Irisbus Rider]

I agree with you on the point of weekend and early morning services, Chris Guru.
Something needs to be done, as it certainly is ridiculous...

My idea was the 89, which was a Belconnen - Northbourne Av - City - Fyshwick - Hume - Chisholm - Tuggeranong.