Dean,

I for one like to read of the experiences of other Trammies. Sometimes I wonder if I overdo my anecdotes on what REALLY happened on the trams. I guess that at least you are likely to read them.

But now you have got me started on the matter of the present Operating Performamce Regime.

As far as I can see it is a near total failure. You can’t get blood out of a stone. You can’t put trams on time by fining Yarra if they run late, and sometimes, with nowhere to stop, trams cannot help but run early but that is not accounted for in this.

It has not stopped trams bunching.

It has not removed the need for Short Shunts when something serious blocks the line.

It has not made timekeeping more accurate in most situations.

It certainly has not speeded up the ride for the passenger. In fact padding in running times to make punctual arrival more possible is often slowing the ride. K

It is ludicrous to fine Yarra because two cars crashed and ended up blocking trams.

It has failed to get late trams back on time.

It has put a lot of pressure on drivers who are blamed for something which is largely out of their control. Staff morale seems to be something very low on the list of priorities at Yarra, and that does nothing for staff cooperation.

So it is about time that timetabling moved with the times.

I wonder what percentage of passengers, at times of 15 minute headways or better, actually consult any form of printed timetable to plan their departure from home or wherever? Not many, I suspect.

How many people, if they bother checking times at all, would look at Tram Tracker or equivalent to see when the next tram will arrive at their stop? My guess is a lot more people than look at the printed version.

Already timetables at some stops (Luna Park, city bound, is one), for much of the day, simply say ‘every 10 (or whatever) minutes’. If that is sufficient for a tram stop, it should be fine for the printed timetable. I’m sure Journey Planner type formats could be adapted also.

The idea would be for trams to leave a terminus at the appointed time, then be driven as per road traffic conditions to the terminus. There should be adequate recovery time to make punctual departures generally possible.

The Operations Centre can see where all the trams are on any route, and if a tram is catching up to the one in front due to a good run, could ask the tram to wait a few minutes IF a suitable location is available along the route to even out tram spacing.

Passengers would not get frustrated by slow running, and get to their destination without undue delay.

Fines and bonuses to Yarra should be abolished for early and late running when such are entirely outside the control of the company, but certainly be enforced when services don’t run due to internal problems such as staff or rolling stock shortages.

Any comment?

Regards,

Richard

> On 14 Jan 2018, at 1:57 pm, Dean Filgatetramgunzle@... [TramsDownUnder] TramsDownUnder@...> wrote:

>

> Stupid keyboard !

> I'm NOT 'unco' - the send button just has a mind of its own !!!

>

> As I was saying, the inspector called-out "WHAT ARE YOU DOING BACK HERE SO SOON ??"

> "You said we could come back when the last passenger got off, and he got off at the corner !"

> "NO, NO ! You should have gone to at LEAST Deepdene !!" *

> "But you said . . ."

> "NO - oh, NO !"

> "Do you want us to run in, and then out again ?" (With a huge grin - not practical with that amount of traffic jam ;-)

> "No - just 'car-in' - how am I going to explain this ? Do you have any idea of the amount of paperwork . . ."

> "Thanks H, we owe you one !"

>

> I think that I'll leave it there for now, before the computer decides to send this one off in mid-sentence !

>

> X=X=X

>

>

> * Some hope - even worse to shunt there in heavy traffic, darkness, and a pronounced down-hill grade !

>

>

>