iTunes for Belconnen

Interchange, that is.

ACTION is conducting a two week trial of playing music and announcements in Belconnen Interchange. The two main aims of this exercise are to provide commuters with a more pleasant environment as well as discouraging anti-social behaviour.

The playlist includes Delta Goodrem, Sting, Nat King Cole and Arethra Franklin.

If successful, the initiative will be extended to other interchanges.

Fatal Accident on Yarra Glen

A man has died following a single vehicle collision this morning.

The car left the road around 3.30am on Yarra Glen, hitting a tree.

The ACT road toll for 2008 now stands at seven.

Espresso with your Xpresso?

ACTION have called for tenders for Coffee Cart operators for the four interchanges (presumably for operation in peak times)

General Manager Tom Elliott said that the carts would initially run on a six month trial, and stated that consuming food on drinks on ACTION buses was still not permitted.

A great idea, particularly in Tuggeranong, Woden and Belconnen interchange where there's a bit of a walk to the nearest cafe. If they can get this up and running during Winter, they'll surely do a great trade while everyone freezes their asses off waiting for the next bus.

Four More Buses Going Your Way

Word has it that Buses 758, 948, 977 and 978 have joined 899 and 947 in ACTION's "Going Your Way" AOA.

In other fleet news, 979 has been transferred from Tuggeranong to Belconnen.

Canberra Times Poll

A Poll currently running on the Canberra Times website asks "How Regularly Do You Use Public Transport in Canberra?"

At the time of writing, 296 votes had been cast:

41.2% - Never
27.7% - On The Rare Occasion
21.3% - At least once a day
09.8% - At least once a week.

Canberra Times

68% of Canberrans Drive: Survey

A survey by insurance company AAMI has revealed that 68% of Canberrans drive their Car to get around town. We came in second only to Darwin (74%). Sydney had 57%.

The survey, conducted at the start of 2008 shows that public transport use in Canberra has risen 3 percentage points to 10%.

John Crommie from AAMI said that fifty percent of those surveyed indicated that public transport in Canberra is unreliable.

"One third says that it takes too long to get to their destination,"

"And a similar number, 35 per cent, said that they can't use public transport because it's not available where they live, work or go to school."

ACTION General Manager Tom Elliot refused to comment on the survey, repeating his claim from the previous week that more Canberrans were taking ACTION than ever.

ABC News

New Network Sees 8% More Passengers

According to the ACT Government, More people are taking ACTION as a result of high petrol prices.

Passenger loadings since the start of Network 08 are up by 8% against the same period in 2007, a figure, according to Acting TAMS Minister Andrew Barr, means that Canberrans are backing the new timetables.

The Minister did admit that some people were not happy with the changes and ACTION was working to satisfy their concerns.



ABC News

New ACTION Ads

With Network 08 now launched, ACTION are pimping their service with some new ads. Special thanks go to Locki from Act Bus Forum for the video!

2008 ACT Road Toll now at Six

An ADFA Cadet died this morning following a single car accident on Constitution Avenue, Russell.

Ben Taylor of Queensland was a passenger in a Lexus when the driver lost control, colliding with a concrete barrier just past Reg Saunders Way.

Police believe the car may have been speeding. Two other passengers remain in criticla condition in Canberra Hospital.

Greyhound Increases Passengers by 16%

The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting that Greyhound Coaches experienced a 16% rise in patronage on the Canberra-Sydney route in the year to April 2008.

Higher Petrol Prices appear to be the main cause for the increase. Greyhound CEO Robert Thomas said that "it (Greyhound) experienced customer growth in the past 12 months well beyond any figures recorded over the past decade"

Loadings on the Sydney-Byron Bay route increased by 18% for the same period.

Source: SMH

Free Travel for Over 75's Starts 1 July

Put down your needlepoint, grandma. Switch off that talkback radio, grandpa. Pop in your hearing aid and listen up.

From 1 July 2008, all over 75's are entitled to an ACTION Gold Card - this will entitle them to free travel on any ACTION service.

Visit the ACTION website to download the application (ask the grandkids), then get down to the shopfront to receive your pass.

Bless!

Raiders Shuttle Services

ACTION are again providing free travel to the Raiders vs Broncos game, this Sunday 15 June 2008.

Routes 980 and 981 depart from the Interchanges around midday for a 2pm kickoff.

For those enthusiasts who havent caught a bus to the footy before, get out there and take your camera - more than half of ACTION's PR180.2 Artics are usually out there, and it makes for a great photo opportunity.

Buses depart Bruce Stadium to the interchanges 20 minutes after fulltime.

Check the timetables at ACTION's website, and chuckle at the fact that they STILL can't spell the word "Route" correctly

Canberra-Goulburn Service In Trouble

The Goulburn Post reports that Bowman's Canberra to Goulburn service is under threat, due to low patronage. The service has been running for less than three months.

Ken Bowman of Bowman's Coachline told the paper that while they were hesitant to end the service, it could not remain financially viable in the longterm.

"We need more people to use it. It needs more support" he said.

Source

Got a Spare $27,500 (plus GST)?

Transborder Express are currently selling off their Mercedes Benz LO 81

It features a custom coaches body, seats 29 and has clocked up 580,000k's

If that doesnt tickle your fancy, then how about a Volvo B12B, for a cool $365,000 (plus GST)

Check them out on the TBX website

Christmas Route Numbers

Last year saw ACTION use single digit route numbers on Christmas Day. But with these route numbers now allocated to regular route services, "what numbers will be used for the Christmas Services now?" we hear you ask.

Well, ACT BUS can exclusively reveal that this year, the 90 series of numbers will be allocated to christmas day services.

Well, that answers that, then.

Full back ads return

A familiar site on the PR100.2 buses in the 90's and earlier part of this decade, full rear ads have returned to ACTION, this time gracing the PR100.3

A number of buses are now sporting the ad for the Incredible Hulk. Only time will tell if we get more of this type od advert in the future.

Photograph: Todd Milton

Change to Route 25/225

ACTION's website advises that Route 25/225 has now changed to service Namatjira Dr, Weston. It will now travel past the Mirinjani Retirement Village and Nursing Home.

Commuters can check the new timetable and map here, yet despite claiming to be, the map is clearly not updated to show the travel on Namatjira Drive. Not to mention Brewer St is curiously mislabelled as Neptune Street, which is actually on the other side of Westfield...

ACT BUS Updates

A number of updated sections on the website this weekend. They include:

- Route Listing: Christmas Routes Added
- Interchange Guides: All updated for new network
- Visiting Enthusiasts: Guide updated and tourist attractiond added
- Network 08: Small changes and corrections made
- From the Past: June edition added to History
- Fleet Lists: Transborder List updated

Enjoy!

New Network Causes Confusion

The introduction of Canberra's new bus network last Monday reportedly saw commuter confusion across the board. Whilst ACTION placed customer support staff on duty in the interchanges this week to assist commuters, many were still having a hard time adjusting to changes in timings, frequency, route direction, route numbers and departure platforms.

The Canberra Times reports that there was frustration from commuters along routes where frequencies have been dropped, or routes changed entirely.

Les Gallagher, ACTION's service operations manager said that 90 to 95 percent of passengers had no problems adjusting to the new network as they had researched the changes to their service and planned accordingly

ACTION service planning manager Tim Swift said it had been one of the smoothest ever introductions for a new network.

Tell us about your experience with the new network in the comment box below.

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