General Discussion 2011-2015

[Maxious]

Even TAMS wants in on the ACTION livery, they painted the first Mitsubishi i MiEV electric car in their fleet orange and green.

[Bidgee]

Anyone noticed the nick name "Scooter" sticker on the rear of 491? Spotted it on Saturday.

[Buzz Killington]

Has been mentioned a few times in various threads. I've added it to the 491 page on the Wiki.

[Bus 400]

But what is (kinda) interesting is that Bus 492 is nameless.

Now Bidgee, did you see if Bus 491 had a camera above the bus stop light? I know Bus 492 does, but on my one & only ride on Bus 491 I didn't notice one.

[Merv319]

In case no one else has noticed, the City Transport Officer's Field Van has been painted in the ACTION Livery recently. It now matches the 2 Hyundai iMax's* at Belconnen Depot.

Sorry I forgot to mention-it was away on Thursday last week and came back to City with new livery the next day.
(They had a Hyundai instead on Thursday, not sure which one that was)

[Bidgee]

Has been mentioned a few times in various threads. I've added it to the 491 page on the Wiki.

Didn't notice, though the photograph I got of 491 in December or January didn't have the name.

[743]

There was an old poster in the behind-driver A4 case in 857 today that I don't remember seeing in any bus before. It had the old ACTION logo and said the information phone number was 2077611. It also listed separate lost property numbers for North Canberra, Belconnen, City, Woden / Weston Creek and Tuggeranong. It then went on to list even more numbers for City Shopfront, Concessions, Bus Hire and Client Relations.

[Buzz Killington]

There was an old poster in the behind-driver A4 case in 857 today that I don't remember seeing in any bus before. It had the old ACTION logo and said the information phone number was 2077611. It also listed separate lost property numbers for North Canberra, Belconnen, City, Woden / Weston Creek and Tuggeranong. It then went on to list even more numbers for City Shopfront, Concessions, Bus Hire and Client Relations.

It's been there for a while now, but I always forget its there and sit towards the back where I can't read it!

[Busnerd]

Damn it! We need a photo of that one Kyle! if anyone sees it again a photo would be appreciated for our bus, currently i have remade the current info line sign with the 6207 number as I had no photos of the old one

[smitho]

It's been there for a while now, but I always forget its there and sit towards the back where I can't read it!

I unearthed one of those posters in a Renault one day when I removed another out of date poster which had been stuck over the top of it.

[Busnerd]

well if anyone gets one could they get a photo for me? as i mentioned i created the current poster for our bus project however i would prefer the old one if someone manages to find it!

[Bus 400]

For those who aren't on twitter, a tree crushed an AdShel shelter on Northbourne Avenue today (near the Rex Hotel). It is quite an interesting sight & makes me feel unsafe about sitting in one of these non cement shelters in high winds. I expect the shelter to be gone either tomorrow or Tuesday, so if anyone wants to get a photo, please do & this week I won't get the chance & missed out today.

[manhinli]

For those who aren't on twitter, a tree crushed an AdShel shelter on Northbourne Avenue today (near the Rex Hotel). It is quite an interesting sight & makes me feel unsafe about sitting in one of these non cement shelters in high winds. I expect the shelter to be gone either tomorrow or Tuesday, so if anyone wants to get a photo, please do & this week I won't get the chance & missed out today.

Went past it four times today:

• 9am: was there, roof collapsed in
• 1:30pm: pieces were being removed
• 2:30pm: shelter completely gone
• 3:30pm: looks like part of the concrete slab was removed and completely fenced off

Couldn't take a picture because I was really busy - hopefully someone else did before lunchtime.

[Sir Pompously]

A Photo can be found on the Canberra Times website: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/photogallery/act-news/weekend-washout-your-photos-20120304-1uatc.html?selectedImage=3

[lukeo25]

odd..... http://www.public-transport-guides.com.au/gallery/Canberra/canberra-edition/107521

[Buzz Killington]

Strange choice of destinations to list on the cover..

[route56]

I drove past the crushed adshel and noticed a temporary bus stop sign on a very short pole welded to a steel wheel rim - car size. Does anyone have a good photo of this ?

[smitho]

I drove past the crushed adshel and noticed a temporary bus stop sign on a very short pole welded to a steel wheel rim - car size. Does anyone have a good photo of this ?

A number of these were fabricated several years ago and used as temporary bus stop indicators along Flemington Rd while duplication work was in progress.

[Barry Drive]

Noticed in the Budget Papers, ACTION's target for "on time" running is 85%. It is defined as follows:

• "Operating on scheduled time" describes a bus service that departs a stop, which is a designated timing point, between 1 minute earlier and 4 minutes later than the scheduled time.  This information will be measured utilising GPS technology attached to the MyWay system.

It also defines "service reliability" as:

• percentage of services which operated to completion

[Barry Drive]

Let's see how long this lasts: all 6 shelters at Belconnen Community Station have working lights and all broken light boxes have been repaired.

[Bus 400]

Bus 385 sports a "Go The Blues" above the front door. I'm sure I've spotted Bus 386 with a sticker that looks the same. But I am yet to see it up close.

[Bus 400]

Next Sunday, the Cycling Promotion Fund, Pedal Power & the ACT Government will be joining forces to recreate the famous Muenster Transport photo that showed the advantages of using bicycles/buses against cars.

By the looks of things they are still after volunteers for the day. More information can be found at http://www.cyclingpromotion.com.au/content/view/562/9/ & just follow the different links.

The famous image can be seen at http://www.geo.sunysb.edu/bicycle-muenster/traffic.jpg
That was taken from the Bicycling In Muenster website (http://www.geo.sunysb.edu/bicycle-muenster/index.html).

[CNG]

I was interested which expresso are operated by a MIDI?
Is the 705 operated by one or was it ever?

[belcodriver]

Yeah there used to be some/all? 705s operated by the Darts. I've driven a few in my time although it would be at least a few years since I've done so. Don't know about now with the reduction in Dart numbers.

[Buzz Killington]

I've only seen Darts on the 749 since the new network.

I used to sometimes catch the 705 (not since Network 12 came in). Never had a Dart.

[smitho]

Some Belco-Tuggy Xpressos are still worked by Midis.

[Barry Drive]

I was browsing through the TAMS Annual Report (like you do), and noticed on page 29 it mentions that ACTION in the last year have installed "54 passenger safety panels to the Scania Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fleet". Although I think they meant to say installed panels to 54 buses.

So no more "suicide seats" on L94s.

[Sir Pompously]

Looked in a few yesterday and noticed they had the additional panel!

[Bus 400]

I don't know if Deanes/CDC has sold off any pie carts, but I spotted one putter down Northbourne Avenue yesterday with "Queanbeyan & Canberra Downtown Charter" on the side.

[Bus 400]

By the looks of things, Woden Depot is being used by filmmakers in the area shooting "Galore" to store their trucks.

[Sir Pompously]

Ahhhh, so that is what they are filming. I did notice a TAMS media release for a road closure due to filming and was wondering what they hell they would be filming here

[Busnerd]

Galore?

[Bus 400]

Galore?

http://www.daybreakfilms.com.au/galore/

A house in Kambah was also rented out for filming.

[Bus 400]

Has anyone heard of the "CQRTAG"? I was going through a few old papers of a relative who was a transport enthusiast (who would of thought I would take the same path) & I suspect this group may of been related to this. If it helps the letter is dated March 1992 & written by a Mr G (full name not revealed) Horn.

[Buzz Killington]

Canberra-queanbeyan region transport.... Aficionados group?

[Bus 400]

I did suspect Canberra & Queanbeyan Rail(way) Transport A******** Group. Sadly the old badges/membership cards/tie pins that my Gran kept aren't for this group. Sadly my transport interest back then was Thomas The Tank Engine & Fireman Sam's truck with a hint of the wheels on the bus go round & round & a bit of bus catching from Torrens to Southlands or Kambah.

[Bus 400]

Something I found on the ACT Archives website was when the Pope visted Canberra, including the special routes& tickets. It can be found at http://www.archives.act.gov.au/home/educational_resource/find_of_the_month/2012/november/previous_find_of_the_month_-_112012 & http://www.archives.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/255955/Working_Group_Report_07-10-1986.pdf

[Bus 400]

There was a Mercedes Sprinter on Constitution Avenue shuttles today. It had ACTION signs & was driven by a City Transport Officer.

[Bus 400]

If anyone has seen Deanes buses around Belconnen of a Friday night. It's because of a charter for the National Youth Science Forum. Each time a different group of 190 odd students are here. Apparently this weeks group was from Queensland.

[route56]

Has anyone heard of the "CQRTAG"? I was going through a few old papers of a relative who was a transport enthusiast (who would of thought I would take the same path) & I suspect this group may of been related to this. If it helps the letter is dated March 1992 & written by a Mr G (full name not revealed) Horn.

Ask the timetableists at the AATTC/ACT Transit meetings. They are all of that vintage (and older...).

[400:D]

http://www.procurement.act.gov.au/tenders/tender_download/open_tenders/19860.211

Don't know if it's old news or not but has anyone seen this yet? Possible depot in Gungahlin?

[Buzz Killington]

Mmm, was meaning to write a story about that for the site but haven't had a chance as yet

[Buzz Killington]

36 years today since the ACTION name was adopted - they celebrated with cupcakes and a string quartet in City Interchange during the morning peak.

[Bus 400]

I hope someone can help me out here, but my understanding of the following development application (http://www.actpla.act.gov.au/topics/your_say/comment/pubnote?sq_content_src=%2BdXJsPWh0dHAlM0ElMkYlMkZhcHBzLmFjdHBsYS5hY3QuZ292LmF1JTJGcHVibm90ZSUyRnB1Ym5vdGVEZXRhaWxfbmV3LmFzcCUzRkRBX25vJTNEMjAxMzIzMDM0JmFsbD0x) is that someone wishes to construct a bus depot within the suburb of Beard. If so the question would be who? While haven't seen the block in question to determine its size, could this mean CDC is moving Deanes to Beard or is that mob at the back of the railway station being kicked out or something else?

[ajw373]

Who do you think it is a bus company wanting to build a depot? The DA is talking about a transport depot, which doesn't mean buses necessarily. Now looking at the name of the applicant, they are a construction consultancy mob, so maybe they are getting into construction in general and want a depot to store their earth moving equipment etc.

[ajw373]

I noticed a guy paining white lines the other day, by the looks of it marking out a new footpath from the bus stop on Florey Drive Macgregor (Latham side) just up the hill from Hayward Drive to the bridge over the creek. I am scratching my head asking why and if the money couldn't be better spent elsewhere. I mean to say the bus stop has done without a path for 35-40 years and more or less leads nowhere except the bridge. As can be seen elsewhere in town people don't like using bridges under roads, so doubt this will be any different so they will continue to cross Florey Drive.

[The Love Guru]

I noticed a guy paining white lines the other day, by the looks of it marking out a new footpath from the bus stop on Florey Drive Macgregor (Latham side) just up the hill from Hayward Drive to the bridge over the creek. I am scratching my head asking why and if the money couldn't be better spent elsewhere. I mean to say the bus stop has done without a path for 35-40 years and more or less leads nowhere except the bridge. As can be seen elsewhere in town people don't like using bridges under roads, so doubt this will be any different so they will continue to cross Florey Drive.

All stops must meet DDA requirements and this is part of that process.

[Bus 400]

Who do you think it is a bus company wanting to build a depot? The DA is talking about a transport depot, which doesn't mean buses necessarily. Now looking at the name of the applicant, they are a construction consultancy mob, so maybe they are getting into construction in general and want a depot to store their earth moving equipment etc.

http://203.9.249.2/e-registers/pubnote/pdf/SCRITERIA-201323034-01.pdf Page 7

[Barry Drive]

If it's a large site, then CDC is possible, but Murrays is also a possibility.

[Bus 400]

It's only 1,597m squared. In comparison, Tuggeranong Depot is 59,798m squared. Even the whole block where I work is 14,210m squares & it has 2 large buildings & room for a B-Double to turn around (promising no one is parked in the car parks).

So this site is tiny.