Who knows what will happen post DSCRL but at least initially the pairings are “short-long” with Gold Coast paired to Kippa Ring - I think that lets them get slightly more services in overall.
There are just too many brands and marketing gimmicks. Time to have consistent branding across Trains, Light Rail, Buses and Ferries. All called Translink. No G:Link, the Wave, the Gliders, BCC ferries, the BCC longer-bus that is more BCC than Translink. It is just a compete embarrassing mess.
2 Likes
Nobody really knows yet I think. The general consensus is at least post-CRR we’ll probably see SC and Beenleigh being paired. In future once DSCL opens GC to SC services seem much more likely.
Branded trains are tricky though, I’d much rather see QR services adopt the new Translink colour scheme. The grey, yellow and maroon are getting very dated…
1 Like
A question for those who know about Translink branding decisions. When making decisions on the livery for buses, do they consider the visibility or visual distinctiveness of the colour and design? The yellow-fronted buses are very distinctive and easy to distinguish from trucks and other large vehicles. A pale-blue fronted bus would be less visually distinctive from the rest of the traffic. That can make it hard for people with vision problems, who could either hail every bus-shaped vehicle that is nearing the stop (in the hope that it is a bus) or waiting to hail it at the last minute when it is close enough to identify as a bus. I realise this is not a mainstream concern but as a person with wonky vision I like to hope that visibility to passengers is factored into decisions about bus livery.
I can understand your concerns but transit agencies around the world don’t necessarily use yellow, it just needs to be high contrasting. In addition Translink Qld have addressed visibility issues with bright white fluorescent/LED exterior destination signs.
The specific pink shade in use was designed for visibility and distinctiveness as part of the smart ticketing rollout. As to the skyblue shade on new buses I’m not certain. (Yellow is only used on the BCC fleet anyway.)
For me it has always been more important the system get-up and branding is consistent no matter where you are in Queensland. The only part of the country where this has been achieved is in WA and only fairly recently - and possibly the NT if you are only looking at public buses.
2 Likes
Rumours floating around that a few more GBV MAN buses for Kinetic Gold Coast awaiting delivery are all in the new Translink branding and colour scheme.
Supposedly at least one older bus has also been repainted into the new colours too.
3 Likes
I’m told 2 older buses by now. I expect it will be the same for anything else that needs an overhaul or repairs at some point.
1 Like
I have finally come across one of the ex-surfside buses doing translink services in the Sunshine Coast and it’s… interesting.
The entire SC fleet is either in the old Sunbus Blue or Translink Green, so having two yellow buses thrown into the mix is quite jarring. Even more interesting is the fact that the unit I saw was fully kinetic branded with no obviously visible TransLink decals.
I imagine the two ex-surfside units will be repainted into the new Translink blue and pink some time soon, however in the meantime there will be 5 different colour schemes operating under the Translink banner on the Sunshine Coast which I feel is starting to get confusing for some, especially with the buses that are kinetic branded and bright yellow.
Hopefully we start seeing a few units swap over to the new brand this year.
Edit: Someone captured an image today of the unit I saw:
Credit: Ashley Hammond
I’d be surprised. They only have 2 years or so of life remaining. It’ll just be a stopgap until more electrics arrive.
1 Like
It just seems like the branding, logo overload and colour scheme is chaos.
Will BCC be getting more electric buses?
2 Likes
Interesting … wave 'bye as the train skips one’s station … 
I have heard rumours of the Council thinking of getting a fleet of Yutongs with Volgren bodies to replace their MAN CNG’s, as the Volvo electrics haven’t been very reliable.
I assume this won’t be for a while though, as there isn’t enough infrastructure at the depots, and they should be getting 20 more TMR’s eventually as well first, to go alongside with their current 18.
How old are those buses !!!
The Volgren bodies seem to be better, layout is reasonable and reflects the needs of Brisbane and Seq.
1 Like
Video Review: Volgren Optimus/Yutong E12 - Australasian Bus and Coach
For those of you who are curious about the Yutong chasis and Volgren body bus.
3 Likes
As of right now there are five buses on Kinetic Surfside’s fleet with the light blue paint job: 985 and 986 (brand new MAN GBVs), and 345, 475 and 480 (old BusTech XDis).
Apparently a double decker from Coomera is also being painted with the new scheme.
1 Like
4 posts were split to a new topic: Zero Emission Bus Program
I doubt BCC will be buying anything from now on other than Brisbane Metro related.
The strategy is now very clearly for TMR to procure and own the fleet using its bulk buying advantage, which is how it should have worked for years already now. The silly cottage industry approach taken up to now where every operator goes for its own preference in small batches is not efficient and produces considerable difference in passenger experience depending on whose bus you happen to be on. The aim should be a bus should be completely fungible within its type regardless of where it is so TMR can move them around as needed throughout the State (ie any 12.5m rigid bus should have the same basic livery, signage suite, door and seating layout regardless of who has the bus).
The need to upgrade depots to be able to support large fleets of electric buses (or build new depots altogether) is bound up in that.
1 Like
Makes you wonder if they will eventually move to a model more like rail with OEM fleet as a service and state managed operations.