TransLink Transit Authority
Formation	1 July 2008
Type	Authority
Headquarters	Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Location	South East Queensland, Australia
Membership	Queensland Government, Brisbane City Council, QR, private operators
CEO	Peter Strachan
Budget	A$956 million
Website	www.translink.com.au

For a list of all TransLink services, see the list of TransLink services.

The TransLink Transit Authority is the body of integrated public transport that covers rail, bus and ferry networks in South East Queensland, Australia. It was introduced by the Queensland Government in July 2008^[1], replacing the former TransLink body introduced in 2004, which was a agency operated by Queensland Transport with an annual budget of A$956 million.^[2]

The aim of TransLink is to coordinate transport services run by QR Citytrain, Brisbane Transport, and more than 10 other public transport operators in South East Queensland. The system allows a ticket purchased on any of these public transport services to be used for travel on any of the other ones, provided that it covers the appropriate zones.

TransLink is a marketing repositioning strategy for public transport which is trying to get passengers onto buses, trains and ferries. There are 2.6 million residents living within South East Queensland, and this is set to increase as the region is the nation's fastest growing area.^[3] Each new family in the region will generate an estimated seven extra trips per day, so the need for quick, low-cost, efficient and integrated public transport is great.

To this end, TransLink is largely responsible for the operational and financial management of all public transport in South East Queensland, a role that, prior to the scheme's introduction, was left in the hands of the individual operators. Today, all fare revenue is collected by TransLink, who then pay the individual operators based on kilometres travelled. TransLink also approves funding for new services and infrastructure.

[edit] Zones

TransLink bus stop

Zones radiate out in concentric rings from the centre of Brisbane which are used to determine ticket prices for passengers. There are a total of 23 zones stretching from Gympie (170 km north of Brisbane) to Coolangatta (100 km south of Brisbane). The zones stretch as far west as Helidon (80 km west of Brisbane) and as far east as the bayside suburbs of Brisbane. While these zones indicate TransLink's coverage, services may not actually be in operation in certain parts of these zones. For example, in the outer south-west of the region, TransLink may control public transport, but there are no public transport services in operation.

The borders between zones are called precincts – areas where the cost of a ticket purchased will depend on whether the travel is away or towards the Brisbane Central Business District. This ensures that the passenger always pays the lowest fare for their journey.

[edit] Tickets types and fares

A ticketing machine at a Citytrain station

Tickets available include:

• Translink Go Card – a contactless fare payment card requiring the passenger to touch on and off at a card reader at the start and end of each journey, and when transferring between services. The fare is automatically calculated based on the zones travelled and deducted from a pre-paid balance. A minimum discount of 20% compared to paper ticket price applies to each fare, and a further 50% to each fare after the tenth journey in a week. Separate cards for adult, child, senior and concessional fares are available, with the fare type determined by the card.

Traditional paper tickets are also available:

• Single – one-way travel with unlimited transfers for two hours dependent on zones purchased (passengers travelling through 11 zones or more have their final transfer time extended by 90 minutes).
• Daily – the equivalent of a return ticket, but unlimited travel within the zones described on the date of purchase, for around twice the cost of a single ticket. Depending on the number of zones purchased, the daily fare is sometimes $0.10 cheaper than the cost of two singles.
• Off-peak Daily – same as a daily, but only valid between 9am-3:30pm, then from 7pm until the last service on day of issue Monday to Friday, and all day Saturday, Sunday and public holidays. Tickets cost 1.5-times the amount of a single fare and rounded up or down to eliminate the need to handle 5 cent coins.
• Weekly – unlimited travel within the zones described for seven days. Tickets are four times the daily fare for 1-10 zones, 3.75-times for 11 zones, 3.5-times for 12 zones and 3.25-times for 13-23 zones.
• Monthly – unlimited travel within the zones described for one calendar month. Tickets are four times the weekly fare, meaning they are cheaper than daily tickets if one travels at least 13–16 days per month depending on the number of zones purchased.
• Concession fares – available for eligible students, pensioners and children, and these customers travel for half the price of regular adult passengers. Children under five years of age travel free. There are several conditions which exist in relation to concession fares, which are available at TransLink's website (see below).

[edit] Services operators

TransLink is roughly divided into 11 different operating regions. Different operators provide different services in different regions.

1. Bribie Island Coaches – Bus services in Northern Region
2. Brisbane Bus Lines – Bus services in Brisbane North
3. Brisbane Transport – Bus services in Brisbane Central, Brisbane North, Brisbane East, Brisbane South, Brisbane West and Northern Region
4. Caboolture Bus Lines – Bus services in Northern Region
5. Hornibrook Bus Lines – Bus services in Northern Region
6. Kangaroo Bus Lines – Bus services in Northern Region
7. Laidley Bus Service – Bus services in Western Region
8. Logan City Bus Service – Bus services in Southern Region
9. Metrolink Queensland – Ferry services in Brisbane Central
10. Mt Gravatt Bus Service – Bus services in Eastern Region
11. Park Ridge Transit – Bus services in Southern Region
12. QR Citytrain – Train services across South East Queensland
13. Sunbus Sunshine Coast – Bus services in Sunshine Coast
14. Surfside Buslines – Bus services in Gold Coast and Southern Region
15. Thompsons Bus Service – Bus services in Northern Region
16. Veolia Transport Brisbane – Bus services in Eastern Region
17. Westside Bus Company – Bus services in Western Region

[edit] TransLink at present

Since TransLink's introduction, patronage has grown faster than ever before. Since 2004, 151 million trips has been made per year^[4]. Prior to the system's introduction, combined patronage for all Public Transport modes was only around 90 million trips per year^[5] . This can be attributed to improved services and cheaper trips. In some cases, fares to the Brisbane CBD for passengers in areas such as Redcliffe City have decreased by as much as 60%.

The TransLink network currently consists of approximately 10 ferry routes, 10 rail lines, and 400 bus routes across the region.

[edit] TransLink in the future

In the future, ticketing equipment will be upgraded and service improvements are expected.

[edit] Ticketing improvements

In relation to ticketing improvements, the current paper-based ticketing system will be enhanced by the availability of a Cubic Transportation Systems, Inc. smartcard system to speed-up boarding times; passengers will no longer need to carry cash with them. The current range of ticketing products will still be available concurrently, at least for the foreseeable future.

Under the smartcard system, passengers are able to simply 'tag-on' and 'tag-off', and the ticket gate automatically calculates and deducts the correct fare from the smartcard. The installation of ticket gates also means that for the first time in South East Queensland, smartcards can be automatically checked and processed at any train station. At present, tickets are checked manually by inspectors at major inner-city railway stations in Brisbane, occasionally at other important stations such as Robina, and by bus drivers and roving ticket inspectors, called Transit Officers.

A trial of the smartcard technology began in 2006 on bus services in Redcliffe. This customer trial was extended to bus services on the Sunshine Coast in 2007.^[6] New smartcard equipment including ticket vending machines, onboard smartcard readers and fare gates have now been deployed across most of the TransLink network. The ticket machines issue paper tickets as well as adding value to smartcards and a large number of them are already in operation. Details of a frequent user discount have been released, with a proposed 50% discount after six trips have been completed in a week.^[7]. However, due to the general consumer attitude towards this, Translink replaced complemented the system (which was changed to after 10 trips) with an upfront discount of at least 20% for the use of a smartcard. This makes the price equivalent to that of the old ten-trip saver before the price increase(the ten-trip saver was discontinued before price rises).

It is envisaged that in the future TransLink smartcards will also be able to be used to purchase small items such as drinks and snacks from station vending machines and convenience stores.

[edit] Service improvements

[edit] Draft TransLink Network Plan

TransLink completed a draft of its network plan^[8] – a long-term vision for public transport in South-East Queensland. It details the new bus routes, train services and ferry service improvements which will be introduced gradually between 2005 and 2014. It also details the new bus route numbering system which is starting to be rolled out.

A major impact of the network plan is the introduction of minimum service standards for all services. These standards state the minimum frequencies for each type of service, and hours of operation.

While most rail and ferry services already met or exceeded standards prior to TransLink's introduction, the services that did not were mainly those run by the private operators. The standards dictate that all bus routes should run to a minimum hourly frequency and run between 6am-9pm Monday to Saturday, and 7am-6pm Sunday.^[9]

[edit] Bus services

A new logical bus numbering system was recently extended to Gold Coast Highway services, and is expected to come to the rest of Gold Coast in near future. Increased service frequencies and weekend services are being provided on many bus routes, with the addition of new routes, servicing more areas in the system.

[edit] Ferry services

The CityCat network's timetable was completely revamped on 10 April 2006, with more peakhour services and extra padding in the running times to improve reliability. Additional CityCats were constructed to provide these new services.

[edit] Heavy rail services

On the Citytrain network, new tracks are being constructed and stations are being upgraded in the southern suburbs of Brisbane to provide a more frequent service on the Beenleigh / Gold Coast Line ^[10]. New tracks are also being provided between Corinda and Darra ^[11], Mitchelton and Keperra ^[12] and between Caboolture and Landsborough ^[13].

QR has ordered 16 new inter-urban trains for service on the Gold Coast and Nambour and Gympie North lines to address the shortage of interurban rollingstock and to prevent the use of older suburban trains with no toilets or other facilities for long range trips. Eight new suburban trains have also been ordered to cope with increased suburban demand.^[14]

The extension of the Gold Coast Line to new stations at Varsity Lakes, Andrews, Elanora, Tugun and the Gold Coast Airport is anticipated. Proposals are also under way to provide rail services to Springfield via Darra Station, to Browns Plains down the current standard gauge alignment, and the Maroochydore Line branching from Beerwah Station.

The Redcliffe peninsula is not likely to receive a much-promised rail service between Petrie and Kippa-Ring for many years, if ever.

[edit] Gold Coast Rapid Transit System

TransLink is investigating options for the Gold Coast Rapid Transit System. The Gold Coast is one of the fastest growing cities in Australia with travel demands exceeding population growth. In order to tackle congestion effectively, there is a need to squeeze much more capacity from existing corridors. The system is expected to encourage visitors and residents to use public transport to reduce major traffic congestion and pollution problems.

[edit] NightLink

In December 2005, TransLink began a trial of late night bus and train services on Friday and Saturday nights under the name "NightLink". There are now 20 NightLink bus routes and three NightLink trains in operation. The NightLink brand also includes special "FlatFare" taxi services operating on Friday and Saturday nights. In its first year of operation, close to 200,000 passenger trips were made on NightLink services^[15].

NightLink bus routes run every hour from 1am to 5am and are prefixed by the letter "N". Most NightLink routes mirror the equivalent 'normal' service, although slight variations apply on some routes to maximise coverage.^[16]

NightLink trains run on the Beenleigh, Caboolture and Ipswich lines with a single service around 4am. Services used to run on all lines in greater Brisbane; those with low patronage were discontinued in mid-2006, although many of these areas are now serviced by buses.

The NightLink FlatFare taxis operate from designated taxi ranks and pick up multiple passengers travelling in the same general direction. The taxis can travel as far as zone 5 of the TransLink system, and passengers are charged based on the number of TransLink zones included in their journey.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Translink

• TransLink
• TransLink Network Plan
• NightLink