SmartBus
Encyclopedia
SmartBus is a series of bus routes operating in the city of Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia. Undertaken as a part of Metlink
Metlink
Metlink, formerly The Met, is the marketing body and umbrella brand for public train, tram and bus transport operators in Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.-Responsibilities:Metlink is responsible for the promotion of travel by public transport...
, the program seeks to eventually establish a series of key suburban bus routes, and orbital bus routes around Melbourne. Key aspects of this program include more frequent services, extended hours of operation to include late evening and Sunday services, improved timetable information at bus stops, and priority at traffic lights right across Melbourne. According to the Victorian government, the size of the SmartBus network is projected to reach 370 km by 2012.
SmartBus routes
It was originally a policy initiative of the KennettJeff Kennett
Jeffrey Gibb Kennett AC , a former Australian politician, was the Premier of Victoria between 1992 and 1999. He is currently the President of Hawthorn Football Club. He is the founding Chairman of beyondblue, a national depression initiative.- Early life :Kennett was born in Melbourne on 2 March...
Liberal
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
state government of Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in the late 1990s, but was slowly implemented under the Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
government headed by Steve Bracks
Steve Bracks
Stephen Philip Bracks AC is a former Australian politician and the 44th Premier of Victoria. He first won the electoral district of Williamstown in 1994 for the Australian Labor Party, and was party leader and Premier from 1999 to 2007....
and then John Brumby
John Brumby
John Mansfield Brumby , is an Australian Labor Party politician who was Premier of Victoria from 2007 to 2010. He became Premier after the resignation of Steve Bracks. He also served as the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and the Minister for Multicultural Affairs. He contested his first election...
.
On 5 August 2002, the first stage of the trial was implemented, with the following services being chosen as pilot routes:
- Middle Brighton to Blackburn via Bentleigh, Clayton, Monash University, Syndal & Forest Hill Chase (operated by VenturaVentura Bus LinesVentura is a privately owned bus and coach operator in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Today the largest private Melbourne bus company, and operates a number of bus routes under contract from the Victorian State Government. The company purchased National Bus Company for A$45 million, and the Mount...
) - 888/889 Nunawading to Chelsea via Forest Hill Chase, Glen Waverley, Springvale, Keysborough and Edithvale (888)/Chelsea Heights (889) (operated by Grenda'sGrendaGrenda is a third generation Australian family business maintaining its position as one of the major players in the Australian bus and coach industry. Grenda Corporation is a bus manufacturing and mass transit company, delivering over twenty-five per cent of Melbourne’s public bus system. In...
) (incorporated into Route 902 on 5 April 2010)
These two routes received extra funding for more services, thus their timetables were re-written with up to 20% more services on 703 and up to 50% on 888/889. Sunday services were also added to 888/889, which previously did not have a Sunday or public holiday service.
The aim was to find out whether increased services and better reliability would increase patronage. The project was deemed successful when in 2003, on the 1st anniversary of SmartBus, the Victorian Government released a media statement that the SmartBus program increased patronage an average of 25% between 703 and 888/889.
A new set of Smartbus routes have been complete including two new orbital routes which commenced in 2009/2010 as well as the proposed DART routes to boost city links from the Doncaster area
- 900 CaulfieldCaulfield, VictoriaCaulfield is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 12 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Glen Eira...
– Stud Park SC (Rowville) via Chadstone SC, Oakleigh RS, Huntingdale RS, Monash University (every day). Operated by Grenda's Bus ServicesGrendaGrenda is a third generation Australian family business maintaining its position as one of the major players in the Australian bus and coach industry. Grenda Corporation is a bus manufacturing and mass transit company, delivering over twenty-five per cent of Melbourne’s public bus system. In...
and EastransEastransEastrans is a bus and coach operator in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. As a Melbourne bus company, it operates a number of bus routes under contract from the Victorian State Government. Eastrans is a brand owned by ComfortDelGro Cabcharge. Eastrans operate 3 routes in the Bayside and the South...
. - 901 FrankstonFrankston, VictoriaFrankston is a suburb within the Greater Melbourne metropolitan area in Victoria, Australia. It is located 40 km southeast of the state capital Melbourne at the southernmost edge of Greater Melbourne, near the beginnings of the Mornington Peninsula...
– Melbourne AirportMelbourne AirportMelbourne Airport , also known as Tullamarine Airport, is the primary airport serving the city of Melbourne and the second busiest in Australia. It was opened in 1970 to replace the nearby Essendon Airport. Melbourne Airport is the sole international airport of the four airports serving the...
via Dandenong, Ringwood, South Morang, Broadmeadows (every day). Operated by Grenda's Bus ServicesGrendaGrenda is a third generation Australian family business maintaining its position as one of the major players in the Australian bus and coach industry. Grenda Corporation is a bus manufacturing and mass transit company, delivering over twenty-five per cent of Melbourne’s public bus system. In...
, East West Bus CompanyEast West Bus CompanyEast West is a bus and coach operator in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is owned between a joint venture with Dyson's Bus Services and Reservoir Bus Company. As a Melbourne bus company, it operates bus routes under contract from the Victorian State Government...
, Tullamarine Bus LinesTullamarine Bus LinesTullamarine Bus Lines is a bus operator in Melbourne's north-western suburbs, operating 8 bus routes under contract from the Victorian Government, including two Smart Bus routes which are shared with other operators...
and Invicta Bus Services. - 902 ChelseaChelsea, VictoriaChelsea is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 30 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Kingston. At the 2006 Census, Chelsea had a population of 6694....
– Airport West SCWestfield Airport WestWestfield Airport West is a shopping centre in the suburb of Airport West in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The centre hosts eight major stores, approximately 160 specialty stores including Village Cinemas. It is located on Louis Street, close to the Essendon Airport...
via Springvale, Nunawading, Greensborough, Broadmeadows (every day). Operated by Grenda's Bus ServicesGrendaGrenda is a third generation Australian family business maintaining its position as one of the major players in the Australian bus and coach industry. Grenda Corporation is a bus manufacturing and mass transit company, delivering over twenty-five per cent of Melbourne’s public bus system. In...
, East West Bus CompanyEast West Bus CompanyEast West is a bus and coach operator in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is owned between a joint venture with Dyson's Bus Services and Reservoir Bus Company. As a Melbourne bus company, it operates bus routes under contract from the Victorian State Government...
and Tullamarine Bus LinesTullamarine Bus LinesTullamarine Bus Lines is a bus operator in Melbourne's north-western suburbs, operating 8 bus routes under contract from the Victorian Government, including two Smart Bus routes which are shared with other operators...
. - 903 AltonaAltona, VictoriaAltona is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 13 km south-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Hobsons Bay. At the 2006 Census, Altona had a population of 9685....
– Mordialloc SC via Essendon, Northland SC, Box Hill, Chadstone SC (every day). Operated by Ventura Bus LinesVentura Bus LinesVentura is a privately owned bus and coach operator in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Today the largest private Melbourne bus company, and operates a number of bus routes under contract from the Victorian State Government. The company purchased National Bus Company for A$45 million, and the Mount...
and WestransWestransWestrans is the brand under which ComfortDelGro Cabcharge markets its bus services to the western suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.-Routes:Routes operated under Westrans Sunshine...
.
DART Routes (started 4 October 2010) (operated by NationalBus)
- 905 City – The Pines SCStockland The PinesStockland The Pines is a sub regional shopping centre owned by Stockland in Doncaster East, Victoria, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia. It was opened on 27 October 1986 by the state opposition leader of the time Jeff Kennett. The centre is located 19 km east of the Melbourne CBD on the corner...
via Eastern Freeway, Templestowe (every day). Operated by NationalBusNational Bus CompanyThe National Bus Company, or NBC, was the Australian brand for National Express Group's mass transit bus services in Melbourne and Brisbane. Its sister companies were Westbus, Hillsbus, and Glenorie in Sydney, Southern Coast Transit in Perth.-Routes:...
. - 906 City – Warrandyte BridgeWarrandyte, VictoriaWarrandyte is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 24 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Manningham...
via Eastern Freeway, Doncaster East, The Pines (every day). Operated by NationalBusNational Bus CompanyThe National Bus Company, or NBC, was the Australian brand for National Express Group's mass transit bus services in Melbourne and Brisbane. Its sister companies were Westbus, Hillsbus, and Glenorie in Sydney, Southern Coast Transit in Perth.-Routes:...
. - 907 City – MitchamMitcham, VictoriaMitcham is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 20 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Whitehorse. At the 2006 Census, Mitcham had a population of 14,211.-History:...
via Eastern Freeway, Doncaster Park + Ride (every day). Operated by NationalBusNational Bus CompanyThe National Bus Company, or NBC, was the Australian brand for National Express Group's mass transit bus services in Melbourne and Brisbane. Its sister companies were Westbus, Hillsbus, and Glenorie in Sydney, Southern Coast Transit in Perth.-Routes:...
. - 908 City – The Pines SCStockland The PinesStockland The Pines is a sub regional shopping centre owned by Stockland in Doncaster East, Victoria, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia. It was opened on 27 October 1986 by the state opposition leader of the time Jeff Kennett. The centre is located 19 km east of the Melbourne CBD on the corner...
via Eastern Freeway, Doncaster East (every day). Operated by NationalBusNational Bus CompanyThe National Bus Company, or NBC, was the Australian brand for National Express Group's mass transit bus services in Melbourne and Brisbane. Its sister companies were Westbus, Hillsbus, and Glenorie in Sydney, Southern Coast Transit in Perth.-Routes:...
.
Some SmartBus features are also present on the privately operated Skybus Super Shuttle
Skybus Super Shuttle
The Skybus Shuttle is an Australian airport bus service that runs between Melbourne Airport at Tullamarine and Southern Cross Station in the city of Melbourne. In 2008, Skybus carried over 1.6 million passengers a year....
route connecting Melbourne Airport
Melbourne Airport
Melbourne Airport , also known as Tullamarine Airport, is the primary airport serving the city of Melbourne and the second busiest in Australia. It was opened in 1970 to replace the nearby Essendon Airport. Melbourne Airport is the sole international airport of the four airports serving the...
and Southern Cross Station
Southern Cross Station
Southern Cross is a major railway station and transport hub in Melbourne Docklands, Victoria, Australia. It is located on Spencer Street between Collins and La Trobe Streets at the western edge of the central business district...
in the Melbourne CBD. However, this service is not officially stated as a SmartBus service.
It's expected that by 2012, there will be up to five more SmartBus routes which will operate in Melbourne.
In context, SmartBus routes are chosen because they provide 'cross-town' connections along major arterial roads to train stations, tram lines, schools, universities, hospitals, shopping centers and other activity centers.
Orbital bus routes
According to the Melbourne Transport Plan, in the coming years, the Victorian Government plans to roll out a series of Orbital Bus Routes around Melbourne. These routes will include:- Green Orbital 902 (including routes 888/889, 281 to Eltham & 560): Currently runs from Chelsea to Airport West via Springvale, Glen Waverley, Nunawading, Eltham, Greensborough, Keon Park, Broadmeadows & Gladstone Park. It has the potential to extend to Werribee via, Keilor, Sydenham, Deer Park and Tarneit.
- Yellow Orbital 901(including routes 901, 286 along Blackburn Road and 293 north of Doncaster): Frankston to Melbourne Airport via Dandenong, Knox, Ringwood, Doncaster, Greensborough, Epping, Roxburgh Park & Broadmeadows. Due to start on September 26, 2010.
- 905-906-907-908 will be the DART Bus services from Doncaster region to the City. Due to commence October 4, 2010.
The first orbital route rolled out in its entirety on Monday April 20, 2009. The Red Orbital was already months behind schedule and is set to delay the installation of all other routes. This was followed by the Green Orbital, then the Yellow Orbital. A Blue Orbital, route 904, was originally proposed in the 2006 Meeting our Transport Challenges publication, which proposed to service the inner city from Sandringham to Williamstown, however this proposed route was cut from the 2008 Victorian Transport Plan
Victorian Transport Plan
The Victorian Transport Plan is a now defunct transport planning framework for the state of Victoria, Australia announced on Monday 9 December 2008 by then Premier of Victoria, John Brumby...
, with the route not mentioned in text or maps.
Features
SmartBus aims to provide a premium bus service to commuters with quality stops and tram-like frequencies. However, SmartBus has attracted much criticism due to poor implementation, low standards, as well as inconsistencies between routes:- Services are offered at least every 15 minutes during weekdays in the daytime (from 5:30am - around 7:30-8:30pm), with services to carry on every 30 minutes till around midnight. Saturday services to operate half-hourly from 5am until midnight. Realistically, Saturday services operate every 20–30 minutes during the daytime. Routes 900, 901, 902 and 903 are the only SmartBus routes to run until midnight on Saturday nights, while the 703 runs only until around 9:00pm. Because of this, SmartBus has received much criticism by travellers and the public, due to not operating until midnight to help party-goers, late night travellers from the city, etc. On Sundays, frequencies range from every 30 minutes to 40/45 minutes from 7:00am (Route 902/903), 7:00am (Route 900/901) or 7:30am (Route 703) till around 9:30pm. Sunday services on the 703 have also been criticised, with Sunday services terminating short at Bentleigh Railway Station.
- Connections to other services. Connections are often designated, though they are poorly implemented due to conflicting frequencies (weekend buses are half hourly, and are supposed to connect with each train operating at 20-minute frequency), or services depart shortly before train arrivals (such as route 903 on weekdays at Box Hill, or route 900 at Huntingdale).
- Real-Time passenger displays are available at selected high-patronised bus stops along SmartBus routes, though many PIDs were turned off since November 2005, after they continuously malfunctioned. As of August 2006, new PIDs began to be installed, with new SmartBus colours of orange and grey (replacing the old Green/Black colour scheme). By early 2007, these had been installed at numerous bus stops on all 6 routes, though still have many glitches and are not available across the entire system.
- The ability to request a traffic light green extension or an early green to allow the bus to pass through an intersection when it is running late, in turn assisting the driver to help keep on time and to reduce journey times for passengers.
- Priority "head start" lanes at intersections.
- Bus stops that are in conjunction with the Commonwealth Discriminatory Act, with tactile tiles and better signage, as well as lower ground to allow the elderly or wheelchair-using passengers easier access to buses.
- Dedicated bus lanes on routes 900 (North Road), 901 (Stud Road), 902 (Mickleham Road), and 903 (Warrigal Road).
- More low floor buses with ramps to accommodate elderly and wheelchair-using passengers as stated above.
- Electronic "next stop" signage on each bus which displays and announces the next stop.
External links
- Department of Transport: SmartBus
- SmartBus timetables - MetlinkMetlinkMetlink, formerly The Met, is the marketing body and umbrella brand for public train, tram and bus transport operators in Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.-Responsibilities:Metlink is responsible for the promotion of travel by public transport...