why flexbus is a fiasco

flex bus was the perfect accompinment to a drunken night out – you could get your usual bus home, still have no idea where you were or how you got home, no missing out on staggering, as you hopped off the bus in some spot you werent sure wher you were, but feared that the unfamiliar streets may take you far away, and the unhelpful (and I guess unhappy) drivers provide plenty of aggro

I commend it as a form of transport perfectly matched to the very drunk. Probably designed and introduced by the very drunk,( while on a bendy?)

yeah, kind of knew the meaning, just haven’t heard it been applied to ppl before.

seepi – combining multiple routes would work as it would provide certainty.

jey – oxford english dictionary defines it as: asiatic – relating to or deriving from asia.

miz – loop buses would also work as it provides certainty.

How about running a FREE system like in WA? The Central Area Transit (aka CAT) operates three bus loops through Perth central – all of which run every 10 minutes. A fourth operates in Freo. Only the bus routes that take you outside those circuits actually cost money – and EVERYBODY uses the CAT buses. They could bring back the 333 – make it ‘free’ between all interchanges and then hike up the prices a bit to head on out to the burbs. At least that way peeps would be encouraged to use public transport, and you could make a choice to a) use the specrapular taxi service to take you home directly, or b) wait around until the next bus can take you on an increasingly circuitous route home.

So my question is…that if WA’s population is probably more affluent than here, and also a ‘small’ city, then why can’t we do something similar?

Area buses worked when you wanted to go home from an interchange, but I think Flexibus tried to also help get people from their homes to an interchange conveniently.

Good idea, but for me the stumbling block was trying to work out what to do and actually having to be pro-active (ringing every time to try and work out when was the next one, where it would take me, how to connect, was a pest and I could never work it out). I’m fairly organised but I found this a barrier.

Also, on our side of town they simultaneously combined introduction of Flexibus with making Erindale a hub, and I still don’t get that bit either – don’t know where to wait or which side of what road, when, where it takes me (Tuggers or Woden?) etc.

I like the concept of loop buses so you can go inter-suburb without having to go via an interchange, as well as to the centres.

I always expected Flexibus to be a problem.
Mainly because ppl wouldn’t be completely aware of the service and would be waiting for buses that don’t come.

Bonfire, I’m curious about the choice of term ‘asiatics’. I haven’t come across it before. Is it more PC? Or an attempt at creative linguistics?

It is pity it didn’t work out. Flex bus used to work well when they had it years ago (called Area Bus). Used to be they combined two neighbouring bus routes, people getting on would advise their normal busstop, and the bus would go there. The driver would take the quickest way to get each person to their stop. The busses were going from town centres outwards, and there was no intention that anyone would get on along the way. It’s a pity it didn’t work this time – instead we get half empty busses goign at night, or no bus at all.

I’d still like to see the bus routes straightened out and the buses refitted to allow light personal transport to be carried on

(scooters, bicycles, electric bikes under 25kg etc)

yes an experiment that I have never been game to do

ps should say here not hear, forgive me but i’ve sat two 3 hour exams in the last 2 days.