Transperth
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Image:Transperth-466-468-McIver-150705.jpg Transperth is the brand name of the public transport system in Perth, Western Australia. It is operated by the Public Transport Authority.
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[edit] History
Image:MTT bus colours Perth wa gnangarra.jpg The Transperth brand was launched in 1986 as part of a series of reforms integrating Perth's public bus, ferry and rail services.[1] Initially Transperth services were coordinated by the Metropolitan Transport Trust (MTT), with MTT operating bus and ferry services itself and coordinating rail services operated by West Australian Government Railways (WAGR). In 1993 control of Transperth was transferred to the Department of Transport.[2]
Between 1994 and 1998 Transperth began contracting out its bus, ferry and customer service operations. Buses and ferries are now publicly owned but privately operated. On 1 July 2003 Transperth was again transferred, along with WAGR's passenger transport operations, to the newly formed Public Transport Authority.[3]
[edit] Train service
Image:TransperthTrains-Aseries1Gen-Front.JPG Image:Bset.jpg
Transperth Trains operates Perth's suburban rail services. The system consists of 59 stations on four narrow-gauge lines, running to Midland, Armadale, Fremantle and Clarkson. Trains to Thornlie run via a spur off the Armadale Line. A fifth line to Mandurah is expected to open in 2007.
Services operate from 5:30am until midnight (later on Sundays), with a minimum 15-minute frequency until 7:30pm, and 30-minute thereafter.[4] The network accommodates 32.652 million passenger boardings per year. [5]
The network has been served exclusively by Electric Multiple Unit railcars since is was electrified in the 1990s. Before that time diesel-hauled trains and Diesel Multiple Units were used. [6]
| Transperth Trains |
|---|
| Image:TransperthTrains-Aseries1Gen-Front.JPG First-Gen A-Series |
| Image:TransperthTrains-A2Gen-Ext.JPG Second-Gen A-Series |
| Image:Transperth-466-468-McIver-150705.jpg B-Series |
[edit] Bus Service
Transperth oversees and regulates a bus service throughout the Perth metropolitan area and some fringe rural areas. Transperth buses are privately operated, but publicly owned.[7] Routes follow two basic formats: feeder services between residential suburbs and railway stations, and routes directly to the CBD. There are also some cross-suburban services, most notably the Circle Route, which links numerous railway stations, shopping centres and universities. Additional services are provided for schools and special events.
Transperth's most frequent bus routes run from 6am to midnight with services generally every 15 minutes on weekdays and every 30 minutes on evenings and weekends. Most other local routes run either every 30 or 60 minutes, with reduced service on evenings and weekends. Services to and from railway stations are normally co-ordinated to connect with every, every second or every fourth train.
Transperth is currently purchasing Mercedes-Benz OC500LE compressed natural gas-fueled buses. They comply with the Euro 4 emission standard and operate on locally produced Western Australian natural gas.[8]
Other features of the bus acquisition program:
- Bus bodies are made locally in Perth by Volgren on the Mercedes bus chassis
- CNG buses use one of the cleanest commercially available heavy duty engines
- Each bus saves over 9 tonnes of green house gas emissions per year compared to some existing buses
- Currently Transperth has 196 CNG buses: 141 Euro 4, 24 Euro 2 and 31 older buses
- Transperth has an additional 400 buses to be progressively delivered and these will all be powered by CNG
[edit] Ferry Service
Transperth operates a ferry service across the Swan River between Barrack Street (Perth CBD) and the South Perth foreshore. Services depart every 20 or 30 minutes. The ferry is popular with commuters and tourists who use it to get to the Perth Zoo.
[edit] Service areas
Transperth currently serves the Perth metropolitan area from the Perth City, east to Chidlow, west to Fremantle, south to Mandurah and north to Two Rocks. These suburbs are divided into nine fare-zones according to distance from the city centre.
[edit] Free Transit Zone
Travel within the Free Transit Zone in central Perth is free, including on the frequent CAT bus services.
[edit] SmartRider
Transperth have indicated that they will complete the introduction of SmartRider, a contactless smartcard fare collection system, replacing the existing MultiRider, in 2006. The system is provided by UK company Wayfarer [9].
[edit] TravelEasy
TravelEasy sends customers an email notification when there are disuptions and changes to their nominated services. The service was introduced in 2003. TravelEasy also provides a SmartRider link facility, allowing customers to check card balances and add value.
[edit] Operators
[edit] Bus
[edit] Train
[edit] Ferry
[edit] Call Centre
[edit] See also
- List of Perth railway stations
- List of Perth bus stations
- List of Perth bus routes
- Transwa - also run by the Public Transport Authority, controls public transport in Western Australia, outside Perth.
- New MetroRail - in charge of doubling Transperth's rail network.
- TransGoldfields
- Western Australian Government Railways
