Categories
transport

The lesson from Wednesday: Know your alternative PT routes

Wednesday brought with it the shock of two separate fatal level crossing accidents on the Frankston line; the first at Edithvale, the second at Mckinnon. The second in particular resulted in the busiest part of the line being closed over peak hour, and massive disruption for those caught up in it. For a taste of  ... [More]

Categories
PTUA transport

Tonight’s PTUA AGM means today is my last day as Prez.

Tonight’s PTUA Annual General Meeting means today is my last day as President. I’ll miss a lot of it, particularly dealing with the media, and meeting/discussing/debating with industry and political players (the former in particular often providing information that should be out in public, but isn’t. (Over the years, I suspect, the media has been  ... [More]

Categories
Consumerism transport

“an entire train painted with a betting slogan”

This train is rolling around with advertising for Sportingbet plastered all over it. It provoked this letter in The Age yesterday: THERE’S much disapproval of the AFL regarding the promotion of gambling to minors during game time. I eagerly await seeing equal concern at the state subsidised rail system, which now has an entire train  ... [More]

Categories
transport

Bad crowding on the trains

The last state election swung on public transport — both sides said so — specifically on the perceived lack of action from Labor on fixing the trains, resulting in delays, cancellations and sometimes horrendous overcrowding. The Liberals, especially in the seat of Prahran, should be aware that this is still happening on a regular basis  ... [More]

Categories
transport

I guess people haven’t got the message about collecting their #Myki receipts

Despite the publicity around Myki receipts back in August, it seems people are still leaving them behind. Remember, some of these receipts print even when you tell the machine you don’t want a receipt. And if you’re paying with a credit card, it will include 9 out of the 16 digits of your credit card  ... [More]

Categories
General

Where’s my phone? (New levels of dopiness)

Need to leave. Where’s my phone? Not on the counter. Not on my bedside table. Not on the desk. Not on the kitchen table. Not on the dresser. Not on the couch. Look again in all those places. Not found. Really need to go. Reach for home phone. Dial mobile number. It rings. It’s in  ... [More]

Categories
transport

17 years ago, Citylink ads claimed it’d fix our traffic problems. Surprise! It didn’t work.

Tony Abbott apparently doesn’t just think more roads can solve traffic, he actually thinks tarmac and cars smothering our cities makes them more liveable. Melbourne suffered traffic gridlock yesterday. It’s very important that the national government fund nationally important infrastructure. I have committed an incoming Coalition government to spending $1.5 billion to kickstart the East  ... [More]

Categories
Geek

Want to crucify your iPad? Logitech has you covered.

Did nobody in their design department stop and think “uhh guys, that may not be the best design to go for.” Or is it just me who sees this?

Categories
Melbourne transport

Ferries and underground railways!! … But why?

Yet again we have public figures extolling the virtues of technology over service in public transport. Underground railways Jeff Kennett thinks underground railways are the panacea: “If I was able to wave a magic wand even now, I would start the planning for an underground rail system,” he told the Australian Property Institute Pan Pacific  ... [More]

Categories
transport

The Elizabeth Street “which tram leaves first” conundrum: at last there is a solution

It’s been a problem for many years: how do you know which tram from the Elizabeth Street (Robert Risson) terminus will leave first? At last, thanks to Tram Tracker (and its clone apps on other platforms, such as Android’s Tram Hunter) there is a solution! Just use one of the apps or the mobile web  ... [More]