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