During COVID-19 bus ridership levels remained much higher than other public transportation modes in Melbourne, Australia highlighting the importance of clean, reliable and safe bus services to the communities in the State of Victoria.
Transdev in Melbourne have been working in partnership with the Department of Transport to deliver a range of improvements across our network which provide better connections, more services and an improved passenger experience.
Buses go where trams and trains can’t and more passengers on buses means less cars, so it is important that our network meets the needs of passengers.
We are working in collaboration with the Department of Transport and key stakeholders using network data and passenger feedback to deliver a high-quality bus service that delivers seamless passenger journeys.
Graham Smith, Head of Operations at Transdev Melbourne
From September this year, changes to 19 Transdev routes will deliver better connections to trams and trains and timetable improvements will result in more weekend services, earlier starts and later finishes.
From late August, catching the bus late at night will also be made easier with Night Network services introduced on six Transdev routes.
As part of a plan to reduce travel times for passengers, Transdev is also testing a rapid running service on Route 246, which removes the requirement for buses to wait at bus stops if they are running ahead of schedule.
The trial results to date indicate a reduction in journey time of 15 minutes over the length of the route. The results of this trial will be used by the Department of Transport to investigate other high frequency routes where rapid running could be expanded to in the coming months.
Transdev in Melbourne is also continuing to demonstrate its commitment to delivering a cleaner, more environmentally friendly bus service with the trial of Victoria’s first locally built, fully electric bus. In May, the electric bus began Phase 3 of the trial operating on Route 903 between Altona and Mordialloc.
Data from the trial will be used by the Department of Transport as it transitions the State bus fleet to zero emission technology, having recently announced that all new bus purchases from 2025 will be zero emission.
Transdev is also the first metropolitan bus operator in Melbourne to publish an Accessibility Action Plan, developed in consultation with our Accessibility Reference Group. The plan aims to deliver a more inclusive and accessible service for all passengers.
These initiatives contribute to the objectives set out in Victoria’s Bus Plan announced by the Victorian Government in June, which aims to increase bus patronage by delivering a modern, productive and environmentally sustainable bus network.
Read Victoria’s Bus Plan by clicking here.
*This article originally appeared in the Journey Maker News published by Transdev Melbourne on July 6, 2021