Buses World News

In brief: Worldwide montly news & informations about Buses, Busmakers, Passengers' and the Transport Industry

12.4.11

TRANSPORT POLICIES * Europe - * EU plan to phase out 'conventionally fueled' cars by 2050. The Commission says Europe's transport system remains unsustainable.

Brussels,Belgium -Gizmag, by Tannith Cattermole -April 11, 2011: -- The European Commission has released a white paper detailing ambitious plans to transform Europe's transport infrastructure by 2050... The overall goal is to create a unified transport system capable of meeting the needs of the 500 million EU citizens... Without change, oil dependence of transport will remain around 90%, CO2 emissions from transport will remain one third higher than their 1990 level and congestion costs will increase by about 50% by 2050... The major goals set out in the "Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area" are:

• The gradual phasing out of conventionally-fueled cars in cities with a view to significantly reduce oil dependence, greenhouse gas emissions and local air and noise pollution

• Use of smaller, lighter and more specialized road passenger vehicles with focus on fleets of city buses, taxis and delivery vans that can be adapted for new alternative propulsion and fuels.

• A 50% shift of medium distance intercity passenger and freight journeys from road to rail and waterborne transport

• An overall 60% cut in transport emissions by 2050

• Switching to cleaner public transport in cities, as well as the option of walking and cycling

• A higher share of travel by public transport with minimum service obligations. Public transport quality and connections must be improved if consumer behavior is to change: currently 71% of car users feel that public transport is less convenient than the car while 72% say they don't use public transport because of a lack of connections, 54% mention lack of reliability

• Multi-modal travel planning and integrated ticketing across Europe

The European Twowheel Retailers' Association welcomed the plans but were felt that the part two-wheelers could play in helping cut emissions had been underplayed... (Photo: A lorries protest in UK)

Labels: transport policies

29.8.10

TRANSPORT POLICIES * New Zealand - Taking the public out of transport

National-ACT’s determination to corporatise Auckland’s transport operation has been one of the most controversial aspects of its super city plan

(Video from YouTube, by greentui -31 Dec 2008: A bus ride through Auckland streets from the hospital to the university shows the diverse style of architecture, old and new. Includes a view of the Sky Tower)

Auckland,NZ -Blog Labour, by Phil Twyford -August 22, 2010: ... They rammed it through against the advice of three government departments who argued a council-owned company would be less accountable to ratepayers than if it was run in house. The transport agency, governed by a hand-picked corporate board, will spend 54% of the super city budget and have 1000 staff... There is no doubt getting progress on transport is top of Aucklanders’ must-do list for the super city. If it fails on this it will be judged harshly. And more specifically, it will be judged on its success or failure in ramping up public transport... The announcement of the newly appointed interm chief executive of the transport agency, David Warburton, gives further cause for concern. Mr Warburton does not appear to have any significant experience in urban transport... He may well be a good manager, but don’t we need leadership on urban transformation? It has been reported urban transport high fliers from Perth and London pulled out of the recruitment. Perth is the public transport success story of Australasia...

Labels: transport policies

9.11.09

TRANSPORT POLICIES * Europe - Balanced and practicable passenger rights rules

For bus and coach transports

Athens,Greece -Travel Daily News -November 6, 2009: -- The European collective passenger transport and travel industry jointly calls upon EU institutions to adopt practicable and balanced passenger rights rules in EU bus and coach transport in the interest of both passengers and businesses alike... Prior to a series of pivotal Council and Parliamentary discussions on the future rules on passenger rights in bus and coach transport in the EU, the four trade associations representing the European collective passenger transport and travel business, ECTAA, ETOA, UITP and IRU, reiterate their call for balanced and practicable rules, adapted to the industry specificity and structure, 85% of which is composed by micro- and small and medium-sized companies... In particular, the industry partners emphasise the need to:

* apply the future regulation to long distance regular services only and exclude urban, suburban and regional services from its scope;
* review the definitions of carrier, travel agent and tour operator, to avoid legal uncertainty;
* remove the articles on liability in case of accident, since they create conflicts with other existing EU or national rules and regimes and therefore allow Member States to adapt their liability regimes according to their specific needs;
* avoid imposing obligations on drivers to assist passengers on board of the vehicle, which would jeopardize the safety of all road users and the respect of social legislation; and
* avoid making operators responsible for delays at arrival, since these will severely penalise road safety.

However, the European collective passenger transport and travel industry jointly welcomes the opportunity to develop industry charters and commitments to secure the respect of the rights of passengers in short distance urban and suburban transport...

Labels: transport policies

3.7.09

TRANSPORT POLICIES * New Zealand - Metrobus for Auckland?

Buses are, by a very long stretch, the most popular form of public transport in Auckland

Auckland,New Zealand -Auckland Transport Blog -26 June 2009: -- I think around 80% of public transport trips in Auckland are on the bus. However, generally bus travel is pretty unappealing when compared with travelling either by train or by car – because it is generally so slow... I think this contributes quite significantly to Auckland’s very low level of public transport use... Along various corridors where bus travel has been “sped up”, like Dominion Road and Onewa Road, the results are significant. Around 50% of people using the Dominion Road corridor at peak times are on public transport, while for Onewa Road I think the total is around 40%... Considering that across Auckland as a whole less than 10% of people use public transport, there’s obviously something that these corridors are doing right, which Auckland could learn from and expand to other corridors... Clearly, in the longer run some of these routes should be replaced by rail services: most obviously in the far east between Panmure (or Glen Innes) and Manukau City via Botany, as well as having the Northern Busway eventually turned into a railway line. But in the meanwhile I think having some kind of Metrobus system would provide a higher-quality public transport option for Aucklanders. It’s something that could be relatively easily and cheaply (at least when compared to building railway lines) initiated, and it could be up and running pretty quickly.

Labels: transport policies

19.5.09

Transport Reform * Malta - Bus owners have no veto

La Valetta,Malta -The Times of Malta -13 May 2009: -- The Transport Ministry said today that it was not excluding the Bus Owners’ Association from talks on the transport reform. Nor was it excluding it from tendering for a new contract. But submissions by all tenderers would be treated equally... The association, however, needed to realise that consultation did not mean having a veto... The ministry said the association could not be awarded the 10-year contract it had referred to because the EU had turned down the proposal made by the government in agreement with the Transport Authority... While the government would seek to conclude these talks before issuing the call for tender, it was being made clear that it would not subject itself to any veto which the association might think it had by letting the talks continue unnecessarily, the ministry said... In its statement, the Bus Owners' Association accused Transport Minister, Austin Gatt, of trying to create trouble in the country over the way he announced that a call for tenders for the operation of bus routes would be issued in July...

Labels: transport policies

5.2.09

To Give Way to Buses * Singapore - Mandatory Scheme at Three Locations

Buses spend about 10 per cent of their total journey time trying to exit from bus bays...

Singapore -RizkiBeo the Transporter -January 31, 2009: -- To give more priority to buses on our roads the Land Transport Authority (LTA) will introduce a pilot scheme to make it mandatory to give way to all buses exiting at 23 selected bus stops located along three roads. This scheme will complement and further enhance the effectiveness of existing bus priority measures, such as bus lanes... From 20 December 2008 onwards, special yellow boxes and triangular give way to buses markings will be painted in front of selected bus stops along Bukit Batok East Avenue 3, Toh Tuck Road and Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8... Signs will also be installed ahead of these bus stops to warn motorists they are approaching a bus stop where they must give way to buses... An earlier study showed that buses spend about 10 per cent of their total journey time trying to exit from bus bays...

Labels: transport policies

15.9.08

Transport Policy * New Zealand - Bus companies attack takeover by regulators

Auckland transport regulators insist passengers will enjoy better services under legislation which the region's main bus operator warns may see investment drying up

Auckland,N.Z. -The New Zealand Herald, by Mathew Dearnaley -Sep 12, 2008: -- The Auckland Regional Transport Authority says it will move fast to take control of both commercial and subsidised bus and ferry operations, after Parliament passed the Public Transport Management Act under urgency yesterday... Authority customer services chief Mark Lambert said from Melbourne last night that this would provide better use of the $93 million of public subsidies which Auckland Regional Council and the Government have budgeted for bus services in the region this financial year... But NZ Bus, which has taken over the former Stagecoach fleets in both Auckland and Wellington, says businesses will become less willing to invest in public transport because the legislation will allow the authority - or regional councils in other centres - to do away with commercial services and take "unfettered" control... Transport Minister Annette King told the Herald the law would prevent private operators from "cherry-picking" the best routes and leaving gaps in services elsewhere.

Labels: transport policies

6.5.08

London * UK - When work begins for Mayor Johnson

Boris Johnson has been elected mayor of London - but it is not until Monday morning that he will officially take control of this major capital city

London,UK -BBC News -3 May 2008: -- ... When that happens he will face a huge challenge, as mayor, he will be in charge of everything from transport to the policing of London as well as the city's economic development...

* BUSES: Buses became a big part of Mr Johnson's election campaign... Once he is in charge he can carry out his promise to phase out the bendy bus, which he claims is dangerous and unsuitable for London's streets, and run a new competition to find a 21st Century version of the Routemaster bus... He also wants to put more police on buses, especially in outer parts of the city and introduce live bus mapping, where passengers can monitor the progress of their bus in real time on the phone or online...

* CONGESTION CHARGE: Once installed at City Hall, Mr Johnson will be able to start his plans to reform the congestion charge, another high profile part of his election campaign... He has criticised his predecessor Ken Livingstone's plan to introduce a £25 levy for the worst-polluting vehicles... Instead, he has said, he wants to re-consult on the western expansion of the congestion charge zone and make paying the charge easier by allowing people to do it on a monthly basis...

Labels: transport policies

1.5.08

TRANSPORT POLICIES * India - Experiment gridlocks Indian capital

A new transit scheme aimed at speeding up New Delhi's bus service has caused traffic chaos with thousands of motorists stuck for hours in gridlocks

New Delhi,India -AFP -Apr 23, 2008: -- ... Engineers designated special bus lanes along a 5.8-kilometre (3.5-mile) strip to get public transport moving quicker in the city, which has an estimated 18 million people... But a trial run that began Monday has already been described a flop in the city famed for chaotic traffic scenes with cows and bullock carts sharing the roads with scooters, cars and buses... Environmentalists are also up in arms over the project because thousands of mature trees have been felled to make way for the dedicated bus lanes that run through the middle of the streets... A number of casualties have been caused as pedestrians have struggled across the congested traffic to reach the dedicated bus lanes in the city centre... The din of growing protests prompted New Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit to seek explanations from project engineers, saying she was exasperated with the traffic snarls... Several schools changed timings as students were turning up late because of the experiment and ambulances were told to avoid the troubled rapid transit stretch... (Picture: Indian commuters are struck in a traffic jam at a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor in New Delhi)

Labels: transport policies

26.3.08

TRANSPORT POLICY * UK - Rural bus routes under threat could be saved

London,UK -The Telegraph, by David Millward -26 March 2008: -- Threatened rural bus services could be saved under plans unveiled by ministers... The changes, contained in the Local Transport Bill, will give councils the power to dictate services to bus operators... The proposals, which will affect the three million passengers who are estimated to use buses outside London each day, are an attempt to impose order on an industry that was deregulated in the 1980s... One key move will give councils the right to demand "quality contracts" from local operators if they fail to reach an amicable agreement...

Labels: transport policies

15.2.08

TRANSPORT POLICIES * Canada - The TTC will put more buses on routes across the city

To ease overcrowding and improve service

Toronto,ONT,CAN -CTV.ca -Feb. 14 2008: -- Starting Monday, people who depend on transit in Toronto will notice a significant increase in bus service, according to the Toronto Transit Commission... At a news conference Thursday morning, TTC officials said riders will notice more buses along 43 public transit routes throughout the city... They said the plan is the largest single service increase in the commission's history... (Video fromYouTube, by wyliepoon -November 18, 2005: "TTC Bus 10" Toronto buses- Route 25 Don Mills)

Labels: transport policies

IMPROVE TRANSPORT * USA - Daley challenges Chicago Transit Authority to quickly produce results

Mayor Daley announces $227 million project to improve the safety, reliability of city's trains and buses -
Chicago,ILL,USA -The Chicago Tribune, by Jon Hilkevitch -February 14, 2008: -- Mayor Richard Daley issued a challenge Thursday to the CTA: on-time buses, cleaner and quieter trains, attractive shops in rail stations and fare machines that accept credit cards... Daley demanded that he start seeing quick results as he announced a $227 million project to improve the safety, reliability and comfort of CTA trains and buses...

Labels: transport policies

3.12.07

Bus routes * Taiwan - In remote areas could be canceled

"The government seems to think that bus operators are supposed to labor under these losses."

Taipei,Taiwan -The Taipei Times, by Shelley Shan -Dec 02, 2007: -- Five bus companies in the south said yesterday that they might end their operations by the end of this month because of heavy financial losses... The five bus firms that issued a joint statement were Chiayi Bus, Singing Bus, Sinen Bus, Kaohsiung Bus and Pingtung Bus... The routes of these companies cover seven counties in the south and provide the only public transportation in some remote or sparsely populated areas, such as Wutai Township and Manjou Township in Pingtung County... In their statement, the companies said they had been appealing to the government for help covering their costs for years, but had not received sufficient aid... (Video fromYou Tube, by 88hawaii -December 27, 2006: -- I'm lost and I ended up in a totally different city. This is not good. I end up in San Chong City of Taipei County)

Labels: transport policies

7.11.07

TRANSPORT POLICY * Spain - How to increase public transportation use more than 30% in 4 years.

Here´s how it happened...

Valladolid,VALL,Spain -Jaime Ordas/ordas.wordpress.com -1st Nov 2007: -- Thanks to the re-design of bus routes, fleet modernization and the incorporation of technological advances that made Valladolid the first city in Spain (and one of the first in Europe) with a working global positioning system (GPS) for public transport, along with other technological advances such as ecological vehicles powered by liquid petroleum gas (LPG), smart payment cards and onboard audiovisual information screens, all accompanied by a highly effective public information campaign, ridership increased by more than 30%... Along with modifications to the network, the following technological changes were subsequently carried out:

* Design and implementation of a localization system for the entire fleet, based on GPS technology...
* Replace obsolete, resistive payment technology with an electronic, “smart card” system.
* Equip buses with audiovisual information screens that provide passengers with information on stops, transfers, itineraries …
* Convert 75% of the fleet to Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) vehicles, with the necessary modifications to fuel supply and storage and fleet maintenance that this implies. Also carried out tests with bio-fuel (methylic ester from sunflowers).
* New bus shelters would be designed and installed and stops modified to make them accessible to the handicapped.

The strategy was so successful that four years after the study was initiated, use of Valladolid´s public transportation system had increased by more than 30% and this public service had turned into a source of civic pride...

Labels: transport policies