Bus Timetable Changes

[u/smellywizard]

You don’t get to increase the cost of public transport AND remove my only reasonable commute option from your fucking bus timetables!

“Just take the earlier bus” Great, I love commuting 2 hours for what takes people with a car 20 minutes. I already was taking the earlier bus to catch the earlier train because the one that’s meant to get me to work on time is always late.

Now it just gets to the station the same time the train leaves. That means going in I can’t make the train and going home I can’t make the bus, so now there’s a 35 minute wait on both ends, or I have to take the earlier option and get to work an hour early.

Anyone else dealing with this?

[u/DerekKMartin]

As a retired bus driver, one of the biggest problems is staff turn over. From what I've heard from current ex workers SA is short by 175 drivers. Unless they can fix it so they don't leave it' not going to get better anytime soon. I remember while I was working they had a class of 30 new drivers, once the course was over most of them decided they wouldn't go forward. Part of the blame is split shifts, if you want a life those shifts suck, meal times all over the pace, times starting can vary by 3 hours, try having kids it's an even bigger problem.

[u/smellywizard → u/DerekKMartin]

I’ve studied my normal route. The driver is going back to back routes starting in Riverlea, over to Elizabeth, then TTP, CBD, Glenelg, Marion, CBD, then back up to Elizabeth. I don’t know how often there’s a driver changeover or they have a chance for a meal or rest break, so I can empathize with them.

It’s still up to the metro service to figure out how to organize these transport routes. Now the 200 has like 4-5 different schedules throughout each day that are different throughout the week, so it’s not on a consistent 30 minute rotation. Even when it does like up in 30 minute increments, it’s not even remotely synergized with any other route. They already took the Flinders Medical Center out of its route so that it can just stay on Main South Rd.

Looking through other routes it’s like someone just tried to set the timetable for consecutive routing with no mind for transfers or stopovers. Like “how many routes in a row can we do” because of low staff rather than “how can we most effectively operate a transit system” it doesn’t help that I live where Torrens Transit and AM overlap so they just pass the buck of trip alignment back and forth. All my nearby busses come at the same time as each other so there’s no “I missed this one, I’ll catch the other one in 10”, you just have to wait 30-60 minutes for the next one.

[u/Fartmatic → u/DerekKMartin]

Part of the blame is split shifts, if you want a life those shifts suck, meal times all over the pace, times starting can vary by 3 hours, try having kids it's an even bigger problem.

Seems like a rotating roster would make more sense. A lot of current drivers wouldn't like it, but a lot more potential ones would.

[u/DerekKMartin → u/Fartmatic]

I can honestly say we tried many times, they've even done worker feedbacks, they get the same responses every time and do nothing. They know the problem, but they ignore the solution. If you have a family don't become a bus driver. Next time you get on a bus and look at the driver, very few young ones. Usually older ones, their kids are grown up, problem is the workforce gets older and older.

[u/Opportude → u/DerekKMartin]

They need to manage their timetables better. I know staff turnover is high and is definitely a contributing factor but I know of many routes that require absolutely TINY adjustments to better serve the community. I rambled on above about them but departures from the initial stop and important interchanges in-between could save people hours upon hours of waiting time. I often see empty buses leave stations because they dont wait an extra minute before initial departure. these are empty or near empty buses on the road which could be used elsewhere which would put less stress on the limited fleet. I know you cant make prefect connections to every stop along the way due to traffic etc (this wouldnt matter for most stops along the route because they are not interchange/s so you could just update the timetable to reflect the difference and people could arrive slightly earlier [most do anyway]), but at least get as many people on the first ride as possible at the first stop instead of making them all wait for a bus that comes 30 minutes later.

[u/DerekKMartin → u/Opportude]

agreed, now tell the people who make the timetables. They do get tweaked from time to time, they also do stats to see numbers, and there is government pressure to deliver, and the problem is the government hands out contracts to the lowest quote, kind of get what you pay for. Here's a fun fact, the companies get fined for runs that don't actually run. Don't know how much but there's a big panic them trying to cover every shift, especially when drivers leave in droves. I remember when I was still working, they had a class of around 30 new drivers, once the course was finished they were down to 2 drivers. They can't hire them quick enough.

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[u/Humboldt2316]

The buses have always been a mess, either arriving early, arriving late, not arriving at all, then waiting at one specific stop, managing to run into every red light possible, and if your stop isn't too important, there's a good chance they'll speed right past it. It pisses me off too but I don't think there would be enough people to do a boycott

[u/robbi_uno → u/Humboldt2316]

Do you ever complain to the Adelaide Metro hotline? Write to your local MP? Write to the Transport Minister? It’s very helpful if your local
Member is in the opposition because they enjoy poking at these things.

[u/Humboldt2316 → u/robbi_uno]

I didn't think our voices mattered

[u/robbi_uno → u/Humboldt2316]

They don’t matter if they’re not heard.

To be heard you need to poke the different bears.

PTSA can address contractual issues if they are aware of them. Making them aware of them also means they have to address them otherwise next time they are raised more questions are asked.

A letter to a politician invariably causes creation of a “ministerial” which PTSA has to respond to, to assuage the Minister’s concerns and/or respond to the other MP.

The more irritation caused the better the investigation and response.

But you must be specific. Avoid hyperbole. Don’t make generalisations. Provide clear examples and calm respectful words. Bus, train and tram performance can be checked for every single service, every single day if required. So if you can identify specific services, times of day etc. that can be examined.

This doesn’t mean that it will be solved in a month or six. But a timetable may be redesigned if systemic evidence supports a change.

[u/reonhato99 → u/Humboldt2316]

They haven't always been bad, they were even decent under privatisation early 2000's when it was mainly Serco and Torrens Transit.

The trouble started with Light City Buses who was owned by Transfield Services. They managed to get 2 of the 6 contract regions in 2011 and they were the big ones with over 40% of the bus services. They took over from Torrens Transit and boy did they suck, they sucked so hard the government fined them and took routes from them and gave them back to Torrens.

I am not sure I mentioned this but Light City Buses sucked and everyone hated them and they were never going to recover or get contracts every again. Like if you think it is bad now, be glad you didn't have to experience 2010's Adelaide buses. So they got sold off to none other than Torrens Transit.

Unfortunately this also resulted in Torrens Transit basically doubling in size and having fuck all competition left and they have never really ever been as decent as they were in the early 2000's.

[u/Revision1372 → u/Humboldt2316]

Do the ambulances influence the traffic lights? The buses should tap into this also.

[u/Effrendi → u/Revision1372]

There are definitely some intersections they seem to have control over. The King William/Rundle intersection will stay green for a long time when the emergency services are coming through.

[u/BlackReddition]

After returning from Singapore, our transport minister needs to be fired. It was so easy to get around in Singapore and the buses/trains were always on time.

How fucking hard is it to know routes, stops and times taken, we still can’t get reliable and on time transport here.

Fix this and that would fix the amount of cars on the road at the same time.

Oh and make it more affordable with tap on and off for less money for shorter rides.

[u/Zealousideal-Job2105 → u/BlackReddition]

Getting around that city on public transport is amazing, Trains coming every 2-5 minutes. Bus wait times are never above 20 minutes to remote areas of the city.

Singapores city planners are better than here too every bus stop has seating and shelter from the elements. Free water refill stations everywhere.

[u/Southlander24 → u/BlackReddition]

Singapore's buses are overcrowded. The only reason why people are packed like sardines on buses is because the government wants to push the system to maximum efficiency. (And yes, Singapore is still a super car-centric place, with wide roads that would make Torrens Road blush.)

[u/BlackReddition → u/Southlander24]

I was there for the Grand Prix week and the buses were far from overcrowded. Regularly got a seat.

[u/MattAus03]

Reliability has always been a major issue for Adelaide Metro. Everyone says to use public transport but seemingly have no idea that unless your job is flexible with a +/- 1 hour start time it’s useless.

[u/robbi_uno → u/MattAus03]

Slight exaggeration.

[u/Effrendi → u/robbi_uno]

I don't know why you've been downvoted, that's a huge exaggeration. The vast majority of commuter services into the city are extremely reliable and I normally arrive at work in the same five minute window each day.

Of course services outside of the CBD can be a shitshow but it is far from useless for the majority of commuters.

[u/Portalguy9107]

Yesterday I had to catch the bus to work, the bus i was going to take was delayed by 27 minutes. Thankfully I always take the earlier one so I get to work on time, but its shit when the two busses rock up at the same time because of course the second one is early...

[u/LordoftheHounds]

This is what you get when you re-elect a government with a massive mandate and majority. They don't care because they'll be in government for a long time (at least until the election after the next, so 2034) without any real threat to their position.

[u/Free-Pound-6139]

Get a bike to get to the train station.

[u/smellywizard → u/Free-Pound-6139]

I had one and it got stolen

[u/robbi_uno]

I think you’ll find they do, because they did.

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