New Ticket System by 2010

[Bus 400]

I was going through the ACT Government Budget Estimates for the 2008-09 Financial year & it shows that ACTION will go with the smart card technology. The full report can be found at: http://www.treasury.act.gov.au/budget/budget_2008/files/paper4/14action.pdf

Something intersting though is that ACTIOn predicts that they will end up with a loss of $7343 & by the 2011-12 budget, that will grow to $10211.

In other parts of the budget it shows that $500,000 will also for bus lanes & bus priorirty measures.
Over the next 3 yearss, $16.5 Million will be allocated for Cohen St to be extended & replacing Belconnen Interchange

[Irisbus Rider]

From what I heard, the tender was still out, but cool, thanks for that info.

And I read this;

school bus services for students living in rural areas of the ACT

Wow, I've never seen this happen?! Do ACTION have bus services to rural ACT, even Tharwa? If so, what a photo opportunity!

More info on that please!!!!!

[Busnerd]

TP3000, It is common knowledge that ACTION has been running at a loss for years and years, but as you can see their projected outcomes of profit/spenditure is less than the budget alllows for. which is good as they aren't spending more than they have to so the loss isn't as bad.

I think the end result they are aiming for is, they should have most of the fleet replaced in 5 years. They should have introduced their new ticketing system by then, meaning it will be cheaper/easier to get the bus, by which time fuel will be well over $2 a litre and buses will be popular again, if they keep doing what they are doing, it may actually work, and with continuing growth of the region, I think they may once again be good! like back in the 80's

[Buzz Killington]

If they plan on replacing the entire fleet, they really should be keeping a lot of the renaults just in case.

Refurbing them is cost effective if they do a large number and ACTION have done large scale refurb programs in the past - see here: http://actbus.bur.st/articles_refurb.html

[Irisbus Rider]

Refurbs would be good, and are overdue even now!

I think "entire fleet" would be somewhat of an exaggeration, maybe getting rid of 70 Renaults at the most, at this current stage, thats nearly all the MkI's!

[Busnerd]

Personally, I would love for ACTION to take over Deane's in the future, we could have a QBN depot and operate all capital region school runs and QBN route service, it would make more money that way plus people could pay  a lower price to get between QBN and Canberra. Deanes could then focus on it's charter operations.

ACTION could therefore increase its fleet and hopefully profits too.

[Bus 400]

It would also make sense to have the same operator for the same region. ACTION could also service the new defence headquaters out at Bungendore & alot of school buses from NSW go to Canberra schools.

[Irisbus Rider]

I actually think it's a bad idea, profits would not increase if ACTION took over Deanes, as most of their routes are subsidised by the NSW Gov't, their actual profit is not that great.

And what about the ACTION fleet, realistically, does ACTION have buses that can travel down dirt roads, or that can be taken on two hour trips? Not at the moment.....
Even if ACTION took Deanes' fleet, I couldn't help but think the same thing will happen when STA took over N&W's fleet.

[Busnerd]

Incorrect.

Think of one reason an adult will not catch deanes every day to work?

How much is one single ticket? thats right $6.60 one way, what if you work in belconnen, theres another $6.00 to get an action bus out there and back to the city, then another $6.60 to get back home again. It's a rip off, and its one of the major factors that if you wanna go to canberra for the day it will cost you at least $13 which is terribly expensive, seeing as the STA's maximum single fare is something like $5.80 Taking ACTION into QBN would be benneficial to the local residents there as they would be better connected to the region.

Another suggestion could be that action and deanes could work together and integrate a new ticketing system that has the same fares across the board, so that you can use the same ticket to get from Barracks Flat to canberra city as it would be from Dunlop.

[Bus 400]

An integrated might be easier to implement if we do go along the lines of Smartriders. Then the passenger can just be charged by the distance travelled & it could be an advantage when the Defence Headquaters opens.

[Buzz Killington]

barracks flat?

ewww

[Irisbus Rider]

But thats the problem with the Canberra system, uniform fares. It has it's advantages and disadvantages I guess, but If Queanbeyan were to adopt it and intergrate it with ACTION, it would just be too cheap! $1.50 for me to go from Dunlop to Barracks Flat?! I wish.......

The section fare system is there to be fair, so someone travelling a short distance pays little, whilst a long distanct traveller pays what they should. But you're right there, the maximum fare to use both ACTION and Deanes ois just too high, realistically, no-one would really want to pay that, and they're not! Clearly.....

[Busnerd]

You have a point, as you say, I believe that the maximum deanes fare is way too high and unfair. I mean, if you look at their website, im not sure what route this is for, possibly the 850, but anyway 18 sections adult $8.30 concession $4.30. Who would pay $8.30!! you may as well drive for that. It needs to be either capped or integrated. I mean sure, its a private company and the fares are controlled by a third party but I mean people who have to use it will, and people who want to go to canberra and get back by 9pm will use it as its nearly cheaper than a taxi.

[Irisbus Rider]

Bottom line, everything is more expensive in Canberra/Qbn.

[Busnerd]

huh

[Irisbus Rider]

Taxi fares, buses services, petrol, houses, usually, things are more expensive here than Sydney.....