Buses You Need To See!

To Myself , I thought it was the
New Blacktown Street Cleaner Truck

Funny Side To Public Transport - Worldwide!

Here I have located some rare and funny transport modes and reason for catching public transport - you may not see in NSW, Sydney or Western Sydney , maybe in my lifetime. I just want you to enjoy each one and should you feel free to provide further comments most welcome - some could be what the future holds:

More Positive Reasons for Free Public Transport In And Around Mount Druitt

When we lobby for just a Free Bus Shuttle service within Mount Druitt, we do it to provide many things that even include Community Pride.

Not only that, but if  there is free or any type of free public transport the economy picks up as commuters use the free provided public transport services to go shopping, sight-seeing (if a tourist or from outside the area), easy access friends, family, doctors, post offices, hospitals, job interviews and even to jobs.

In other countries, you will see how the trips have doubled,  patronage and promotion of public transport has increased fro a website that was referred to me today.

Click Here For Free Public Transport Success Details

NSW For Transport Possible Promotional Bus Songs

Well this is the time of the year to start to get into public transport stakeholders/decision makers and officers to get the message across to them that they need to  advertise the message of  more using  public transport.
So to help  them with the Advertising gurus - i have short listed from you-tube for promotion of buses and I've included bus stops as well. the following:

Click here for the Spadina Bus
Music lively - lyrics - some unlively

Click Here for Double Dutch Bus
Modern and unusual

The Bus Driver Song :
Great for as a tour guide song - I'm sure although is made in New Zealand - someone could  accommodate one for  NSW

Bus Stop - The Hollies - Click Here:
Old songs can be reproduced so that it can be made modern for NSW

The Magic Bus - The Who - Click Here
Repeated Words but this  could be transformed to the modern area as well

Wait Right Here at the Bus Stop Sign - Sesame Street - Click Here
Although i is a children's program - this could be  promoting Bus Real Time  or similar

Roll Bus Roll - A Take Away Show - Jeffrey Lewis - Click Here
Maybe if this is done professionally, the busking mans song bring the bus to pick commuters etc

(Are You Ready) Do The Bus Stop - Fatback Band - Click Here
This could be a promotional item to get people to bus stops - maybe more different words could be included

Bus stop with lyrics - Sugarplum Fairy - Click Here
Yes - this could be the one if you are around 50 and 60's. Yet even some young ones could like this one!

Everyday at the Bus Stop - Tommy February6 - Click Here
This is a modern version  that  a short version of this song could easily made people like to become commuters on buses

I know there could be others - no discredit to others but these are just  my personal judgement  on what is best out there - if anyone wants to share more, my rules are : they must be decent, not swearing  and meaningful, and

More Applications Available For Bus Real Time

NSW For Transport is advising of more applications that can be used for Real Bus Time:

Click Here for for information

Lucky Day for Lucky Bus Driver!

Today I was speaking to a Busways bus driver, who was  telling of his experience today when he said his new bus was overheating  as the gage showed it that way.Luckily the Busways replacement Bus ( from maintenance) came as quick as possible, ensuring that his last 758 route trip (for the day) would start on time. Fantastic!

Then he remembered myself in leading the charge to getting the Busways 755 returned and thought what good work was done to get that back! He also advised since he started working for Busways they employed approximately 140 bus drivers - now they have approximately close yo 200 bus drivers - which he says he is training two of them! 

This make me then think that more bus drivers means more route and then more trips and lastly more commuters catching buses. Not a bad conception of an idea!

NSW Public Transport Fares Increase 6/1/2013 & Discounts For International Students - Happy New Year 2013!

We have had a few international students asks for discounts in public transport fares (in previous blogs) - it is here check out at the below website for details.

Also public transport train and bus fares increase as from 6/1/2013 - to me they are minimal but they are an increase, check it out:


Click here for further details

Crime Doesn't Pay: Not Even With Public Transport Officers

This shows crime doesn't pay in relation to public transport officers lives being at risk. Although this didn't happen in Western Sydney - I would it to be  a showcase for anyone that is contemplating this to not contemplate it. It is just not worth it. The worse was the perpetrator was not  from Australia;

Charged man on bus driver attack!

Busways Bus Region 1 Discussions For The Future!

On the 29th November 2012, WSPTU Representatives met with Group Service Development Manager for Busways, Andrew Glass to discuss Busways winning the tender process for the entire NSW Bus Contract 1.

The understanding is that WSPTU believed that Region 1 was going to remain as it was with Busways covering Mount Druitt to Blacktown and Westbus from Mount Druitt to Penrith to Windsor.

Mr. Glass advised us that they had done their homework with the tender of the NSW Bus Region 1 contract and submitted a competitive bid which built upon their decades of service provision in the area, under Rowes  Bus service and currently  under Busways. The Contract transition period when Busways will take over the complete Bus Contract 1 area is planned to happen in October 2013. This will be designed to coincide with the City Rail train time table changes in the same period.

In relation to commuters, bus routes and services will not be directly affected as it will simply be Busways taking over bus services. Which I find is a major point - although it is good to understand the process of NSW Bus contract tenders etc - to me it is like a Government changing the guard!

Busways will be ensuring that the trip times are more accurate, meaning less wasted time on buses for passengers.  This will help improve on-time running which is a major Key Performance Indicator in the contracts, and will allow the current Westbus services to achieve a similar level of reliability as per the current Busways services.

Bus Depots will have to be ready in place for the operational areas around Penrith/St Marys and Windsor/Richmond so that buses will be centrally located to meet current and future demand.  More information on depot locations will be provided in the coming months as DA’s ( Development Applications) are submitted and determined.

In relation to servicing bus shuttles - this will maintained and as directed too by the NSW for Transport and NSW Minister of Transport, pending on future funding by them.

Every Westbus bus driver will offered employment with Busways  and it will be left up to each individual Westbus bus driver if they take the employment offer up! There will also be Driver  Consultative Committees established at each new depot which will consist of Work Health and Safety Representative/s plus drivers, to ensure there is the opportunity for feedback.

Busways will continue to allocate buses so that the air conditioned and wheelchair accessible vehicles are “on the road” for the longest part of the day.  Since 2007 most buses are NSW Government owned but Busways will also be sourcing some additional buses to make up the shortfall. 

Growth bus services will be provided to growth population areas during the contract - which means newer areas across the region such as The Ponds, Jordan Springs and Waterside.

Feeder Buses - Mr. Hugh Worrall from WSPTU asked regarding  areas that lack need essential and vital  bus services can feeder buses be used to take commuters to major bus routes and the answer is pretty much it will have to discussed with NSW for Transport in light of the Long Term Master Plan, yet it was thought commuters do not like to have multiple modes of transport to get to their destination.

Bus Stop Infrastructure - Hugh Worrall was also suggesting that  block funding be proposed for bus stop infrastructure on a basis that 1/3 is paid by Federal Government, 1/3 by NSW Government and  the remaining 1/3 by  Local Government Area's as opposed to Local Government Area's fund the complete Bus stop infrastructure, yet if no money is allocated for this then this is completely neglected. Busways supports any efforts to improve the level and quality of infrastructure at bus stops, especially in terms of DDA compliance ( Disability Discrimination Act - Under the Human Rights Commission) . 

The only thing bus operators do towards bus stop infrastructure is install the bus stop “flag and pole” - the  rest is installed by Local Government Areas.  The way to look at it is,  how would it be trains  with train stations and then you look at buses without bus stops - Bus stops need to be audited to see if they compliant to DDA 

There was discussions the buses will have facilities installed for the Opal Ticketing Machine: currently it has been released to Sydney Ferries, later on to City Rail trains and finally on to buses.

At present, text bus stop timetables (in Sydney Buses areas) are not real time – they are basically just the printed timetable.  The roll out of PTIPS will allow real time information to be provided – this is a future project for Transport for NSW. 

Then I was allowed to talk about 3 issues that I am concerned about is weekend services, late night and Sunday services that do not allow commuters reach Sunday Funday events on time as there isn't early services and it is hard for shift workers not able to start early and come home late.

I also spoke about safety issues that Westbus have used with their buses and ask what will Busways/ NSW for Transport do to ensure safety to commuters and to drivers.

Finally I spoke about the current services that need to go back on Sedgman Crescent and also Chestnut Crescent in Mount Druitt.

What was suggest that the Light issue in Sedgman Crescent has to be fixed and currently there is no funding available to undertake the work.  Once this and the other outcomes of the safety audit are addressed, the restoration of services can be investigated. 

Chris, Andrew Glass, Hugh Worral & John Svoboda

Overall the discussion we had with Mr. Andrew Glass were pleasing and informative. I do hope we in Mount Druitt receive the help we need  to place peoples lives back into the road of public transport


Click Here to check Out The Sydney Bus Region Areas! And Especially Bus Region 1

High Turn Around Of Bus Drivers - Does That Affect Time Tables?

Is this question true? When I look at the last 22 years, 20 years and even 10 years - there doesn't seem to be many bus drivers that have long service with Westbus or Busways.

Bus driving itself, is an important job that is required to be done to make the community have with continual bus time tabled services. I suppose that one thing I am pleased is that Bus Operators are able to ensure there are bus drivers fulfilling time tables. That in itself  may be difficult. Yet when you speak to bus drivers - some could be overqualified and others will be quite satisfied to  even have a paid job and there will the the rest that are using the job as a landing pad to other jobs in other industries.

Take my father (rest his soul), he came to the country as a professional tailor, yet he couldn't get a professional job in Australia as well as a professional tailor. He was also a truck driver in the NSW timber industry and work fixing roads  with gangs of men! Then the Conductor  job on a tram got his his career job as a bus driver and then Bus Inspector Third Class. I really respect his jobs and how he got to retirement - he was well respected at Waverley Bus Depot! Sorry got carried away!

So I think Bus Operators have to look at ways of keeping their workers and keeping them happy , so they provide good long service and this will not affect  bus time tables in a negative way!

Westbus Bus Drivers Are Worried If they Lose Their Work Conditions: Years Of service, Sick Leave Entitlement Saved, Etc

Yes, bus drivers are talking of the New Bus Region 1 Contracts - although discussions do not really concern us, it concerns their life  and possibly how they perform their job.

Westbus bus drivers are worried of their entitlements not  being lost. That is  accrued sick leave, long service leave and also seniority ranking! I'm sure this is dealt with within the Bus Region 1 contracts between Transport for NSW, Ministry of Transport and  Busways to handle this this in a professional manner that will not create any upheaval and disturbance to  our future time tables.

On the good point Westbus bus drivers who live in  the Mount Druitt to Blacktown area , may be able to request to perform their duties in routes in this areas and also Busways bus driver who may live out west of Mount Druitt may be able to perform their duties of service  from west of mount Druitt!

Click Here for previous Bus Region 1 Contracts

Bus Honking - Mount Druitt!

Amazing, we think bus drivers sometimes get upset with commuters, imagine if words were used  instead of Honking in this video:

NSW Bus Contracts - How Do They Effect Commuters?

It was unbecoming to me that some commuters think there could be a complete negative affect on  time tables of buses around the area.

With my limited knowledge of bus contracts, it is simply very simple to resolve these thoughts. It is where bus operators are all tendering for  areas to manage and operate buses. The negotiations are top secret (and to me should be)  and  no direct feedback from community/ transport group because it is like this:  it is like anyone applying for a job with an employer and negotiating  what they will do provide the ultimate service. Even these dealings are kept within secrecy.

If anything, the commuter feedback is not required as it has no direct affect on the outcome. 

It doesn't have any negative affects of say reducing time tables and or services - that is done during the bus review program - this is where commuters/ transport advocacy groups need to have their say!

Click Here for previous blog