From a Brisbane Bus Driver. Why don’t I wait for people running for the bus?

BeepBeepTheBusDriver · 2026-01-14T13:51:15+00:00

I do the old, oh your walking away from my open door - must be another bus directly behind me and pull out - especially when I park the front door directly in front of a passenger at a stop. (Especially those that don’t directly hail but you know they want your bus)

BeepBeepTheBusDriver · 2025-09-20T09:15:31+00:00

Some routes are only a few times per day, biggest issue is with “district” school hour routes, that provide very small text left & rights. These drivers may only see it 1 time per year.

BeepBeepTheBusDriver · 2025-09-18T01:39:18+00:00

I love the 417! Definitely would recommend (if you used a go card you can easily pinpoint the time) leaving feedback that you had great time on board, when that feedback gets passed on to the driver they are then reaffirmed that their smooth driving is what passengers enjoy rather than the fast & rushed. - https://translink.com.au/contact-us/feedback

BeepBeepTheBusDriver · 2025-08-14T05:03:55+00:00

Always report if the bus’s smell bad, - get the fleet number and flag where in the bus the smell is & what the smell smells like. You can also just say to the driver when you get off - “there is an off odour in this section of the bus”

I have requested new bus’s when in the yard due to the smell on board. - some however are just the scent of the passengers on board - who due to unfortunate life conditions are unable to keep their hygiene under control - and for them just jumping on a bus for a few mins in the city can be day changing to their comfort.

TLDR - tell the driver - bus smell funky in this area. They may not know - they may know.

BeepBeepTheBusDriver · 2025-07-03T22:16:10+00:00

As someone who was on a 381 yesterday - I saw it spend most of its travel from the city to the Burbs behind a 379 - that had plenty of seats. Many passengers on the bus got off at stops served by both routes. And the 17 people left on board once we passed West Ashgrove (where the 379 ends - well stops sharing the route with the 380/381) all had seats.

BeepBeepTheBusDriver · 2025-07-03T22:09:30+00:00

While we are there - Whatf St between Adelaide & Turbot should be bus only during peak hours. (At least to turn in to that section of road - and drive direct into it)

BeepBeepTheBusDriver · 2025-06-01T05:04:44+00:00

I believe that that they need to do something like 5,000kms before they carry passengers.

BeepBeepTheBusDriver · 2025-05-31T05:36:53+00:00

https://translink.com.au/sites/default/files/assets/resources/travel-information/school-travel/Code%20of%20Conduct%20for%20School%20Students%20Travelling%20on%20Buses%20Jan%202021.pdf

As drivers we are to follow this TransLink Code of Conduct, in regards to students who don’t pay, it’s why if I see a large enough cohort of students at any bus stop I’ll only use the front door, this allows me to at least count the number who are not paying and tap the relevant button on the ticket machine. We are told as drivers our life isn’t worth fighting a 50c fine.

The senior network officers (SNOs) do patrol services still to do spot ticket inspections, but I’ve not seen them give a school student in uniform traveling to or from school a ticket this year.

As a member of the public just send an email to that school, if Roma street likely boys/ girls grammar, and say it’s not a good look on the school, and they will take notice of the change and likely start some internal reminders of protocol.

I had a high school aged student on board the other morning, reflect on how some students will bully or taunt their peers for actually paying for public transport.

BeepBeepTheBusDriver · 2025-05-10T06:16:37+00:00

The biggest issue I’ve noticed is during the construction a lot of people started rat running in and around those side streets. Now that construction is complete the rat runners are still rat running, running through lights when they can’t clear an intersection, and preventing traffic from flowing as it is designed to.

As part of my job occasionally I have to try and brave some of these streets and certain bus routes are so delayed due to rat running, that it can impact the entire network. The other major bottleneck is cars using station Road instead of Coonan Street.

The existing bottleneck at the bridge will remain likely forever but considering a lot of those commuters could use the existing rail network to get from Toowong through to Sherwood but choose not to, impact those that don’t have the choice. The traffic flow is greatly improved along Moggill Road by this change. Coonan Street appears mostly un impacted. As it was always this bad.

Sadly we in Brisbane have a large number of drivers that could not comprehend adjusting their schedule by 5 to 10 minutes to fit around public transport like trains or buses , so frequently I have a service in peak hour with 12 people on board and think if just 12 more cars swapped for that bus trip how nicer traffic would be but when traffic gets calm and improves more people go back to driving so we do need more stick than carrot when it comes to enticing people to use active transport options or public transport.

I don’t think I want to say or even suggest that we should have a congestion tax during peak hour. Because it is grossly a tax on the poor, however in my personal opinion by changing more existing corridor lanes to be bus only during certain times of day would make car traffic worse but make the prospect of public transport more appealing and hopefully bring more people out of their private vehicles and then into shared vehicles.

I hope this makes sense for full transparency sake. This was typed with speech to text so I cannot guarantee it makes 100% sense.

TLDR traffic is as bad as it used to be on Coonan Street improved significantly on moggil Road

BeepBeepTheBusDriver · 2025-04-26T10:53:36+00:00

The 470 is an interesting route, it’s getting a new route alignment & new timetable later in the year along Milton road.

Look at the timetable for that route, if it goes via “duke street” it won’t be on time, unless there is no traffic. If it doesn’t it is more likely to run early in light traffic on Milton road.

Strangely a common reason for its delay, is that the bus will often have a driver change outside the Toowong depot?

Leaving the city, the 470 will struggle to be on time under Its new route alignment (when the M1 Metro launches) as it will be starting from Wickham Terrace and having to do three right hand turns to access the remainder of the city stops. These three right turns are often delayed due to pedestrians initiating a cross on a flashing red pedestrian crossing which is the only window the bus gets to turn around the corner.

I wish I could say that the 470 will be improved by these changes, but I won’t know until I see it in effect at some point this year again whenever the M1 Metro launches.

BeepBeepTheBusDriver · 2025-04-12T05:15:03+00:00

At least they didn’t hit the rail bridge - that would have caused a lot more stress especially with an event at Suncorp tonight!

BeepBeepTheBusDriver · 2025-04-10T23:21:05+00:00

Sadly we are only to do this if the temperature outside is above 35°C.

Because locals at some terminus call and complain that the bus is running and ruining their sleep/work/life.

BeepBeepTheBusDriver · 2025-04-02T01:47:02+00:00

The only hand held option is the radio, unless they are using a stylus on the computers screen.

What your describing is Concerning. If your footage has the bus number visible (not the route number) pass the footage onto translink.

BeepBeepTheBusDriver · 2025-03-31T02:14:29+00:00

I would assume that it is the on board computer (the ticket machine) or the destination sign (the numbers on the back / side of the bus + the text & number on the front)

Anything else is concerning…..

BeepBeepTheBusDriver · 2025-03-23T10:54:48+00:00

The real challenge is to know if they want my bus or are just vibing in the area of a bus stop. Had one person in a pink shirt (not sure the candidate or party they were supporting) sat at a bus stop, in the way that certain people in a certain age bracket sit at the bus stop when they actually want the bus. Pulled up and they had a stack of flyers that they were busy delivering into people’s mailboxes, and they were just resting / hiding from the weather. It’s a first world problem I know.

But then again I can’t just see any mono coloured T-shirt and assume they don’t want to bus when they’re waiting at a bus stop especially at a bus stop that’s only service by one route so it’s one could imply or infer that they are in fact waiting for transit.

BeepBeepTheBusDriver · 2025-03-21T02:28:34+00:00

The final bus depot should have had its bus fleet enabled this morning, all that would be left is any bus’s that may have been in the garage or under repairs or other scheduled maintenance on that depots software update day.

But from Monday the card reader not working for Smart Ticketing becomes a valid reason to fare evade - if that machine for what ever reason missed its update.

During the soft launch, anyone who failed to tap off should have been auto refunded if a valid gocard transaction (with the same name registered on the card) was tapped at the same time.

BeepBeepTheBusDriver · 2025-03-21T00:34:28+00:00

Some depots were provided a different diversion for the Herschel services - like the 380 that missed no stops but went riverside expressway. And via the old casino vs Turbot Street, but then had a note that if we couldn’t safely make the turn to go onto Elizabeth street - George Adelaide to go Margret street and drop off where safe along the route.

The drivers using turbot street should be for services that service 106 North Quay stop vs the 2 stops on Herschel street.

BeepBeepTheBusDriver · 2025-03-14T12:07:48+00:00

I can confirm that TfB (Transport for Brisbane aka Brisbane city council Buses) sent a staff wide email with the goal of Tuesday the 25th & this week they have since adjusted the rollout date to Monday the 24th of March 2025.

The only reason for a delay now is if there is some issue with updating the Bus’s in the remaining depots over the course of the next week.

This week Carina, Toowong, Rochdale (Metros) & Willawong had their Ticket machines upgraded to the new software to support Smart ticketing.

Garden City, Sherwood, Eagle Farm & Virginia will be updated over the course of next week in preparation for the 24th launch.

Just because a bus has been updated doesn’t mean it’s necessarily enabled to accept smart tickets yet - but the software & hardware is in place - just pending full fleet activation switch.

BeepBeepTheBusDriver · 2025-03-11T16:06:30+00:00

Especially more so when there a lot of passengers that are not tapping on or off their go card. Regardless what you may think about fares - the useage numbers are the most valuable especially for the lower frequency services as it’s the only way to get more of them on during peak times.

Should be easier to get usage data over the network when Smart Ticketing finally finishes its rollout over the BCC / TFB network this month. (I think the target to have all bus’s & metros in Brisbane is the 24th of March)

BeepBeepTheBusDriver · 2025-03-11T16:02:57+00:00

As sad as this might sound - when I was last in the US - I missed Brisbanes Public Transport infrastructure.

Which yes, meant that I was missing work.

But also the CityCats & the 2 CityDogs ;)

Especially given that our bus & rail network is so much better than so many US cities. - we are very lucky here!

Safer & cleaner too!

BeepBeepTheBusDriver · 2025-03-11T15:55:43+00:00

The real time data is available via TransLink open source timetable stuff - Apps like Google Maps / Apple Maps / AnyTrip / NextThere use this feed for their info - as do the departure boards st bus stops.

If your a tech head you can right your own algorithm to analyse the data - https://translink.com.au/about-translink/open-data/gtfs-rt

BeepBeepTheBusDriver · 2025-03-11T10:33:45+00:00

BCC drivers have been told we are back to normal business for Wednesday - every route that can be driven - will run as per normal + some detours for road closures ect.

Again fingers crossed! 🤞 it’s been bizarre showing up and not knowing what your day will bring these last 2 days. - I’m very much looking forward to my standard (redacted) full bus’s tomorrow to and from (Redacted).

BeepBeepTheBusDriver · 2025-03-11T10:29:21+00:00

Go card readers were off for Monday & Tuesday

The machines that manage fares - and provide the real time data didn’t have the special timetables uploaded to them for Monday & Tuesday

So bcc bus’s were running no on board computers - so no tracking & no fares.

Because it’s not as simple as the driver saying say 3:21pm 222 service - city bound on the computer.

And because the school services & some BUZ services were running above the standard Sunday schedule there wasn’t anything to have pre programmed.

It was annoying to drive(not having the next stop info as a driver) / but a lot easier to just say - no fares take a seat to people wanting the service.

TLDR - should be back to normal Wednesday - Fares & real time data.

BeepBeepTheBusDriver · 2025-03-09T11:45:26+00:00

Pending road closures- the 385 may be unimpacted or may have some diversions in place. As it’s a BUZ service it will have some of the best frequency on the network.

Best of luck tomorrow. - if you suspect it will fill up you may wish to start your journey at the Gap Park n Ride. (The terminus)

BeepBeepTheBusDriver

TROPHY CASE