Guy Segev (they/them)Just wrote my first ever article on public transport đ
It investigates the ways that mental overhead negatively impacts bus experiences and how Switzerlandâs approach gives me hope for my least favourite public transport vehicle.
Julian Gamble@Bucket @ckent I think these would be valid points in a pre-TripView App, pre-Apple Maps, pre-bus live location data world of 15 years ago. Today it feels like a smart-phone addresses these issues.
What about issues of inexperienced drivers, jerky automatic brakes, poor air quality and ambiguous social rules regarding seating priority?
What about issues of inexperienced drivers, jerky automatic brakes, poor air quality and ambiguous social rules regarding seating priority?
@juliansgamble @ckent
GPS signals are often imperfect, especially in the CBD, and other high density places.
Checking for your stop via constant monitoring of your phone is a mental overhead. Especially with GPS inaccuracy.
Stop announcements are easier in comparison, and accessible to those without phones.
Youâre right about those other issues with buses. Tbh thatâs why I prefer light rail when possible đ What would you propose as ways to improve these?
@Bucket @ckent jerky brakes and poor air conditioning sound like mechanical engineering problems ie - funding priorities.
Ambiguous seating priority social rules sounds like an opportunity for an education campaign - but youâd need a way to get the pedants and ârule-lawyersâ on-side.
Inexperienced drivers? There must be a way to retain experienced drivers other than just increasing pay. As I understand it (could be wrong) theyâre casually employed which is good for people who like flexibility. It makes it tougher for non-financial incentives for retaining staff.
Iâm happy to be corrected on all of these, I just want to get the discussion going.
Ambiguous seating priority social rules sounds like an opportunity for an education campaign - but youâd need a way to get the pedants and ârule-lawyersâ on-side.
Inexperienced drivers? There must be a way to retain experienced drivers other than just increasing pay. As I understand it (could be wrong) theyâre casually employed which is good for people who like flexibility. It makes it tougher for non-financial incentives for retaining staff.
Iâm happy to be corrected on all of these, I just want to get the discussion going.
@juliansgamble @ckent all great points! I would add that the noise pollution of Sydney buses might also be possibly tackled via those pathways too.
I wonder if jerky driving could be also mitigated via fewer, more streamlined stops and routes. Adding bus only lanes would maybe also help. Hard to be jerky if you donât need to stop suddenly.
Christian Kent@Bucket @juliansgamble There's certainly *some* scope in there â not all buses are born equal
Rule-of-thumb is that 3 axles beats 2, for example the B-Line is just plainly a superior bus. It goes like the clappers, too, showing up all the car traffic on Pittwater & Military Road.
Might be worth noting here that Sydney Buses / STA / UTA has traditionally specified superior stock â e.g. the head-long favouritism for Mercedes buses in the 1980s and 2000s was subtle but thorough. You could tell.
@Bucket @juliansgamble I want this to be top-of-mind when thinking about "jerky" stopping: Streamlined stops and routes, and fewer stops, can do very little about that.
Is ride comfort more art than science? Probably not, but it's good business (tenders & contracts & shoot-outs), and just being choosy. That includes seats that support the torso â passengers may not realise they're doing core exercises during their commute, but they'll know they're hating it
@Bucket @juliansgamble Sydney Trains (CityRail) did a thoroughly scientific assessment when commissioning the first 4GTs (the Millennium M-sets) by trailering carriages to a best-in-class V-set (the GOAT, and last word in comfort). They measured motion in both models simultaneously, to make sure the new technology could equal the old.
If you've ever ridden in a bus museum tour, you'll know that ride comfort isn't something we discovered since the mobile phone. In fact, we forgot a thing or 2.
@ckent @juliansgamble thank you so much for this detailed response!
Tbh Iâve never thought that hard about the buses themselves (as mentioned in the article I often find them overwhelming).
For my own interest Iâd love to visit the bus museum đ„ș could u share the location and also any cool links I can follow to read up more?
@Bucket @juliansgamble For sure, Guy! Start here: https://www.sydneybusmuseum.com
This museum is attached to the Leichhardt bus depot (and the property might have been shared with the former tram depot). The static museum is quite good, but vintage rides happen on "selected Sundays".
Most people would only notice them on Australia Day, when a huge number of old buses magically turn up in the CBD. They always do free rides, but ask for a voluntary coin donation. (No tap-to-pay, haha!)
@ckent @juliansgamble oh wow I used to live right next to this! I gotta check it out đ