While this practice saved money it confused those who did travel. And it required a substantial information campaign to warn passengers beforehand. Of course it didn't reach everyone and there were passengers inconvenienced by the reduced timetables.
A welcome consequence of the 2006 - 2010 minimum standards upgrades were that they usually deleted holiday timetables. Instead the same services would run all year (apart from some school day only trips). This made buses easier to use and reduced the risk of passengers being caught out by non-standard timetables and operating patterns over summer and on public holidays (which exist on those routes that didn't get upgrades). Old post on this from 2011 here.
Unfortunately these upgrades were not well targeted. There were only tenuous links between a bus route's patronage and whether it got service upgrades or had its irregular timetables rectified. Hence, while many minor routes had their summer timetables removed, some of our most used routes still cut service over summer. Combined with non-standard public holiday patterns and heat-related rail network breakdowns, summer timetables make public transport at this time of year confusing and unreliable.
Unfortunately these upgrades were not well targeted. There were only tenuous links between a bus route's patronage and whether it got service upgrades or had its irregular timetables rectified. Hence, while many minor routes had their summer timetables removed, some of our most used routes still cut service over summer. Combined with non-standard public holiday patterns and heat-related rail network breakdowns, summer timetables make public transport at this time of year confusing and unreliable.
A newer treatise on summer timetables is on the BCSV site at http://bcsv.org.au/vm/2016-12-to-2017-01-christmas-new-year-timetable-changes/ . That was written a couple of years ago. Today I'll summarise some salient points from it and add other comments.
Kastoria routes 475 and 501 cut their peak service over December/January. 475 peak service, for example, reduces from every 20 to every 40 minutes until 11 January. However with a bus network review under way and new routes to start next year this summer is likely to be the last with a reduced timetable.
Moonee Valley routes 503 and 506 also have reduced service over summer. 506 has the biggest cuts, with peak service dropping from every 10 - 15 min to every 20 min, again until January 11. 503 also cops a reduction in operating hours. The 503 and 506 summer timetables, along with restricted operating hours and schedules virtually unchanged for decades illustrate the extent to which both these routes are frozen in time, despite their potential to attract patronage across Melbourne's inner north.
At one time Route 605 had several timetable quirks. For example it never got upgrades to minimum standards. Its Sunday service started late in the morning. And certain trips did not run for approx. 3 or 4 weeks after Boxing Day. However PTV's website is showing a full timetable throughout this period. So it would appear 605 no longer cuts service over summer. However its operating hours are short with an unusually late Sunday start and low Sunday frequency.
At least two busy Ventura routes have summer timetables. Most notable is the 733, one of Melbourne's busiest bus routes (which deserves to be a 7-day frequent SmartBus). Peak period waits can blow out from 15 to over 30 minutes. Services are cut for four weeks but PTV provides conflicting advice on when this period starts and finishes.
Also reduced in the Box Hill area are the two Deakin Uni - Box Hill shuttles (201 and 768). They're basically an embarrassment where two routes run instead of one, with differing holiday patterns adding confusion.
On the bright side of the ledger is the 788 down the Mornington Peninsula. Its summer timetable actually has increased service. Instead of running every 60 - 80 minutes, weekend buses are every 40 minutes for about a month from Christmas Day. However this remains insufficient for demand, which is high from Schoolies week to the end of summer.
Also worth noting is the temporary 700 shopper shuttle from Oakleigh to Chadstone, somewhat hobbled by the current works at the station. And of course tonight there will be enhanced New Years Eve services on trains and trams. As well as some Doncaster area buses eg 907.
Trams also cut their service on a few weekdays days between Christmas and New Year. The approach here is to run a Saturday frequency. Although that would mean a service upgrade on Tram 82, which oddly has a better weekend than weekday service.
Reduced summer timetables on buses are one of the things that trip bus passengers up and make travel confusing. As there's few left, scrapping those remaining on less frequent residential area routes, would be fairly cheap to do. One might also query the tram cuts, given scenes like below:
That's my thoughts. What do you think? Maybe there is a place for summer timetables, as some routes are genuinely quiet, especially over the Christmas - New Years Day period. Or, would it be OK to trim service only on frequent routes where you'd still have a turn-up-and-go service after the summer cut? And what about trains, where an intensive peak service runs despite low usage on some days? That deserves a future post. In the meantime, please leave your ideas about summer timetables in the comments below.
Trams also cut their service on a few weekdays days between Christmas and New Year. The approach here is to run a Saturday frequency. Although that would mean a service upgrade on Tram 82, which oddly has a better weekend than weekday service.
Reduced summer timetables on buses are one of the things that trip bus passengers up and make travel confusing. As there's few left, scrapping those remaining on less frequent residential area routes, would be fairly cheap to do. One might also query the tram cuts, given scenes like below:
That's my thoughts. What do you think? Maybe there is a place for summer timetables, as some routes are genuinely quiet, especially over the Christmas - New Years Day period. Or, would it be OK to trim service only on frequent routes where you'd still have a turn-up-and-go service after the summer cut? And what about trains, where an intensive peak service runs despite low usage on some days? That deserves a future post. In the meantime, please leave your ideas about summer timetables in the comments below.
PS: An index to all Timetable Tuesday items is here.
PPS: This is the last post for 2019. Thanks for your readership, comments and support and see you all in 2020!
PPS: This is the last post for 2019. Thanks for your readership, comments and support and see you all in 2020!
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