Categories
transport

PTV unified rebranding – pros, cons, and is it the last ever?

The PTV logo is gradually replacing the Metlink and Viclink logos across the public transport network. It’s just the latest rebranding — remember, some trains and stations have had up to seven different logos in the last 20 years… from the old The Met three-pronged logo, to the newer Met logos, to Hillside/Bayside trains, to  ... [More]

Categories
transport

Your local bus company may have changed

Before you complain to the bus company that your bus is late/cancelled/crowded, you might want to check that they still run the service. In August, a whole bunch of routes (including most Smartbus routes) formerly run by Ventura and Melbourne Bus Link were taken over by Transdev. Other recent changes include Ventura taking over Grenda  ... [More]

Categories
transport

It’s logical for PTV load surveys to exclude cancelled services

…documents obtained by the Greens through freedom of information reveal that the positive results did not include many trains that were affected by the knock-on effect of a cancelled or delayed service. Of the 437 trains surveyed, 113 were excluded. — The Age, Train overcrowding getting worse: Greens Here’s the thing. Load surveys aren’t measuring  ... [More]

Categories
transport

Latest in the Myki saga: a newly discovered Myki Pass bug

Guess what? Another bug has been found in Myki. (No, this is not an April Fool’s joke.) You know how you can load a Pass (weekly, month, yearly etc) onto your Myki, and use it, and load a second Pass which won’t activate until the first one has finished? Well there’s a bug which sometimes  ... [More]

Categories
transport

Which are the most crowded carriages in a train? Typically, the middle ones.

PTV yesterday released the results of the October 2012 train load surveys. These are primarily to measure how crowded trains are, against the 798 benchmark (which is not a capacity figure). Overall most lines are improving or about the same, the exception being the Dandenong and Werribee lines, both of which are becoming more crowded.  ... [More]

Categories
PTUA transport

Public transport: more openness, accountability, and consultation is needed

One of the problems plaguing public transport in Victoria is the secrecy. Historically the Department of Transport has kept its cards very close to its chest. There’s a lack of information, and a lack of consulation. As some people sitting around a table during a parliamentary inquiry into train services a couple of years ago  ... [More]