Melbourne Source: Department of Transport, 2010
Vancouver B-Line 99B-line: First and the most popular of the B-Line routes in the regional system
B-line (BRT), Vancouver SkyTrain Millennium Line SkyTrain Expo Line West Coast Express Canada Line Melbourne existing SmartBus routes: 888/9 DART 901 900
903 703
Complementing the radial train and tram network and provide cross-town connections
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), connecting downtown Vancouver with regional downtown centres
Melbourne Components of the system: -Three orbital routes. - The radial DART route group. - Two shorter non-orbital routes.
Design objectives: -Higher frequency in Melb. Bus System - Constant night service - Express services for Universities. - Real time display of passenger information - Intersection and lane priority - Dedicated bus lines -Priority for headstart in some intersections - Accessible bus stops.
Vancouver B-Line Components of the system: -96 B-line (Guildford Exchange/Newton Exchange) -97 B-line (Coquitlam/Lougheed Town Centre) -99 B-line (UBC/Commercial-Broadway Station) -98 B-Line (Richmond/Airport/Downtown Vancouver , replaced by Canada line now) Design objectives: -Fast, simple , reliable high frequency, limited-stop service. - release pressure along busy transportation corridor. -Bring together vehicles, facilities, transit
Melbourne
Vancouver B-Line
Melbourne Melbourne
Vancouver B-Line Aspects
Vancouver
9
Number of Lines
3
450 km
Route Distance
51km
Defined and unchanging physical route
Fixed stopping pattern
Specific timetable
Unique line name and number
Single line in one corridor
99 B-Line connect to SkyTrain, FTN buses and other buses.
SmartBus 900,903 overlap with existing bus routes 624,800,802,804,862.
Melbourne 5 AM to 12 AM 137 Varies 5.7 million 6
Melbourne
Aspects
Vancouver B-Line
Operating hours Fleet Average stop spacing Annual passengers Passengers / hr per vehicle
Vancouver All day ( 20-22 h) 65 > 1km 16.5 million 59
10 min
Peak hour frequency
4-10min
15 min
Weekday frequency
-
30 min
Night frequency
30 min
Holiday frequency
Up to 15 min delay -
Punctuality (customer satisfaction) Average speed
15min 8.2-8.6/ 10 22km/h
Melbourne V/line train & coach, bus, train, Skybus, tram
Vancouver B-Line
Available modes in connections
SkyTrain, West coast express, FTN buses, Other buses
With rails at bus-train interchanges
Coordinated timetables
With SkyTrain and other buses at major connections
Bus lanes are introduced in highdelay locations ; In some areas SmartBus buses have the ability to request traffic light priority, doesn’t always work
Transit priority
Real-time travel information at selected high-use bus stops and bus-train interchanges Bus stops designed to the DDA standards. Local area maps and stop specific timetables Low-floor bus Yet not all stops are completely
Marketing & Passenger Information Facilities
Short queue jumper line bus pre –emption signals exclusive curb side
Real-time travel information AVL technology for improving on-time performance Dedicated far-side stops Distinctive Shelters Low floor bus with high capacity(>100 ppl) All-door boarding with door chime
Melbourne
Vancouver B-Line
Overseen by PTV, all routes are tendered to private operators. Municipal and private planners involved.
Institutional Structures
Myki Card (Myki money+pass, touching on and touching off) To be purchased online, at retail outlets and railway counters. Can be top up on bus
Fare system
The South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority, most simply know as TransLink Compass card (similar with myki, need ‘tap on and out’ + Single fare ( cash accepted on board)
Merits
Melbourne
-Annual patronage increase nearly 40 -Stimuli for outer suburban population growth
-Stimuli for outer suburban employment growth -Greater bus route awareness
Vancouver B-Line -Convenience bus connections
downtown centres, - Encourage 31% of former automobile users to use the BLine - A total of 96% satisfaction of B-line service
Criticism10 Public Transport Users Association
- Fails to meet its own service standards. - Not working all the hours that were offered - Lower frequency than offered in timetable. - Waiting time should be the same all days. (2009) The Age and Herald Sun - 80% of routes do not meet frequency targets (2009) - The Airport route is not largely used to go to or from the airport. (2013) - Seriously underbaked by world bus rapid transit system standards. (2008) - Electronic noticeboard for stops has shown problems to accurately predict arrivals (2006)
Users Voice
- ‘The bus is always crowded’ (2013)
- ‘3 door boarding means, never show your bus pass’. (2013) - Curbside bus lanes may require right turn improvements
The Vancouver Sun - The amount of ‘fare leakage’ was too much(2012) - Less than 2% of riders on the bus routes evaded fares during the average day (2012)
- http://www.ptua.org.au/2009/11/22/smartbus-stops-short/ -http://www.ptua.org.au/2012/10/03/frequent-services-still-lag/ http://www.theage.com.au/national/smartbuses-flunk-governments-timetable-tests-20091121http://www.theage.com.au/travel/travel-news/901-bus-service-flawed-20131026-2w8n7.html http://www.theage.com.au/national/smartbus-plan-will-not-work-in-current-form-20080713-3ej -http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,18763182%255E2862,00. html -http://www.vancouverbnb.com/BnB_maps.asp -http://www.yelp.com.au/biz/99-b-line-vancouver -http://www.vancouversun.com/Transit+police+checking+fares+passengers+Line+buses/71 86804/story.html -http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/policy/anre-menu-3021.htm