Richard you'd have to ask Translink if they know the details of why their Gold Coast users find the buses more comfortable than the trams, but I think it boils down to the general public having different priorities from transport enthusiasts. I think users don't generally care what the mode is, as long as it gets them where they want to go quickest and most conveniently. The reason for trams is a need for higher capacity on specific corridors.

There are also significant differences in the quality of bus services in various cities in Australia. From the surveys though it looks like Gold Coast is now lucky to have good-quality service from both buses and trams. I understand that Translink put a lot of work into having a quality integrated system after the tram opened.

Tony P