@danielbowen@mastodon.social
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danielbowen

@danielbowen@mastodon.social

Transport blogger / campaigner and spokesperson for PTUA / professional geek.
Opinions are all my own.
Boonwurrung country, Melbourne, Australia

This profile is from a federated server and may be incomplete. Browse more on the original instance.

danielbowen, to random
@danielbowen@mastodon.social avatar

I don't even drive that much, but Google Maps has sent me down long perilous dirt roads without warning, and likes to recommend spending $10+ on toll roads to save 1 minute.
So I switched to Apple Maps, which recently has tried to direct me down a road closed for works, and on another trip diverted me (on the promise of saving time) from a relatively free-flowing road into a huge traffic jam.
Neither of them are outstanding.

danielbowen,
@danielbowen@mastodon.social avatar

@jpm ha! I was thinking I might try Waze, but then again maybe not!

danielbowen, to random
@danielbowen@mastodon.social avatar

Looks like Big Tobacco is after Albo

danielbowen,
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@joannaholman 🤨

danielbowen, to melbourne
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“Does this train go to Kings Cross?
…
“Sorry, Southern Cross.”
“Yes.”
“Thanks”

danielbowen, to random
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Blog: Tay Tay at the 'G - transport lessons for the every day
https://danielbowen.com/2024/02/24/tay-tay-at-the-g/

danielbowen, to melbourne
@danielbowen@mastodon.social avatar

Metro: "we also reached huge milestones on Saturday and Sunday, recording our highest passenger numbers since 2018!"

danielbowen,
@danielbowen@mastodon.social avatar

Melbourne's Taylor Swift concerts show that if authorities put the planning and resources into public transport, it works really well.

I wrote a blog a few years ago about how big events can be a catalyst for everyday PT improvements. Let's hope some of this, especially higher train frequencies, flows on:
https://danielbowen.com/2018/09/13/sport-public-transport/

Also: if huge MCG crowds can get there with no general public parking in Yarra Park, how about we ban parking for all MCG events?

danielbowen,
@danielbowen@mastodon.social avatar

Subject to change, but tune into ABC Radio Melbourne tomorrow morning around 6:35am AEDT to hear me (possibly half asleep) talk with Sammy J about big events and public transport. https://www.abc.net.au/melbourne

danielbowen,
@danielbowen@mastodon.social avatar

Listen back to my chat with Sammy J here - should be about 68 minutes in. Of course I thought of the best line straight afterwards. Might be time for a follow up blog.
https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/melbourne-breakfast/melbourne-breakfast/103474360

danielbowen, to random
@danielbowen@mastodon.social avatar

We're starting to post PTUA videos on Tiktok.
https://www.tiktok.com/@ptuavic/video/7336703313838099719

Daniel talking about Melbourne suburban train frequencies on Sundays

danielbowen,
@danielbowen@mastodon.social avatar

@ajsadauskas We're already posting to all the mainstream social media networks. Would need to be convinced the audience is there on others - it's already a considerable effort.
I'm hoping Threads making accounts visible on Mastodon comes soon. It'll help.

danielbowen,
@danielbowen@mastodon.social avatar

@ajsadauskas I'll talk to the guys. We'd need to work out how to manage it.
I think we'd want to see that there's actually an audience there.

PS. Thanks for raising it.

danielbowen, to random
@danielbowen@mastodon.social avatar

Oh this is what we’re doing now? Blocking footpaths with a VMS and a scooter?
Fine, I fixed it for you so wheelchair and pram users can get past.

No I can’t be arsed trying to figure out how to make the scooter stand up on the grass.

Variable message sign and scooter on grass.

timrichards, (edited ) to random

Hmm I'm at a Chemist Warehouse where the chairs for waiting for prescriptions aren't placed where people will trip over them. Curious departure from tradition.

danielbowen,
@danielbowen@mastodon.social avatar

@timrichards Next you’ll be telling us the aisles aren’t ridiculously cramped.

danielbowen,
@danielbowen@mastodon.social avatar

@timrichards All CWs.
Most of the Pricelines I've been into are luxuriously spacious in comparison.

danielbowen, to random
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So much good stuff in this podcast with Christof Spieler, including the point that public transport decision makers often think of service frequency only in terms of capacity; passengers think of it in terms of waiting/travel time.
https://podcast.apta.com/735176/14516235-season-4-episode-4-a-conversation-with-transportation-planner-and-author-christof-spieler-on-factors-that-lead-to-effective-public-transportation

RM_Transit, to random
@RM_Transit@mstdn.social avatar

deleted_by_author

    •
    danielbowen,
    @danielbowen@mastodon.social avatar

    @RM_Transit Those Metrolinx ads are appalling patronising.
    But I do think there is a value in some types of external promotion, especially in the face of constant, huge amounts of advertising from the car industry.
    Years after some Melbourne suburban lines were upgraded to run every 10 minutes at most times, many people who rarely/never use the service are unaware of it, even though it's far more competitive with driving now.
    There's a balance to be found.

    decryption, to random

    deleted_by_author

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    danielbowen,
    @danielbowen@mastodon.social avatar

    @decryption @jessta Yep $174K per car space. How the hell they think it's money well spent is a real mystery.

    danielbowen, to melbourne
    @danielbowen@mastodon.social avatar

    Good news for the Swifties - the complete shutdown of the Werribee and Williamstown lines on the weekend of the concerts has been cancelled/postponed.

    There are still smaller closures on some middle/outer parts of the Belgrave and Frankston lines: https://www.metrotrains.com.au/planned-works/

    Pic from before the change from @timchuma

    danielbowen, to Adelaide
    @danielbowen@mastodon.social avatar

    A few months old, but I hadn't seen this before: proposal for an underground rail loop, as well as light and heavy rail extensions. https://www.indaily.com.au/news/2023/11/08/adelaide-underground-rail-key-to-transport-vision

    danielbowen,
    @danielbowen@mastodon.social avatar

    @timrichards Perhaps. All their lines come into Adelaide stn from the west, so through-running isn't an option right now. On the other hand, they currently have 9 platforms for 4 lines... I know there's some frequent service in peak, but I wonder if they've fully optimised their operations and/or what frequencies the report envisages in the future. (I should find it and read the whole thing)

    danielbowen, to melbourne
    @danielbowen@mastodon.social avatar

    It’s about 3 weeks since I sent feedback in to PTV about this signage at Ormond, McKinnon and Patterson being wrong. The quick easy fix is to simply remove them. No action (or even a reply) yet.

    danielbowen,
    @danielbowen@mastodon.social avatar

    @timrichards Which stop is that?

    danielbowen, to random
    @danielbowen@mastodon.social avatar

    ‘Eighty-six of the 1412 Opal cards issued in December 2012 are still in use today’
    https://www.theage.com.au/national/nsw/do-you-own-sydney-s-oldest-opal-card-20231130-p5eo5u.html

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