The AT board meet today and apart from the EMU update there are a number of other things that caught my attention. First of all the things from the Business Report:
Work is still going on to finalise the new rail timetable which will come into effect on 14 October. About the only thing we know for sure is that it involves tweaks which are meant to make the timetable ‘more robust’. What that means in reality is that they tweaking the timings of services so that there less likely to be conflicts at junctions. Some of the timetables may also being slowed down a bit, part of this is to account for things like longer dwell times due to increased patronage but it is also about making the poor punctuality stats look much better. My fear is that in many ways this is just accepting mediocrity, before timetables are slowed down I would like to see work done to speed up things like dwell times as at the moment there are quite a few bits to the process that could really be improved (plus some train staff can by quite bad). We are yet to have confirmed whether it will involve any additional services but I am hearing that there won’t be.
On the issue of the continued poor train punctuality, there is quite an extensive report that looks at the reasons behind this and in particular why the Eastern line is suffering more than any other. For many of us, the report doesn’t really shed any new light with the main causes of delays being:
- Upgrade works – Bridge replacements, signalling upgrades, electrification etc. works can lead to speed restrictions or capacity restraints.
- Infrastructure faults – problems with equipment like points and signals
- Operations – Extended dwell times due to high passenger numbers (or a bad train manager)
- Train faults
- Other causes – weather events, problems with freight trains etc.
There is quite a bit more information in detail about these points in the report but you decide to read it, one thing to note is that whoever scanned in the document got a few pages mixed up so when you come across the bit that doesn’t fit, just skip ahead a few pages.
Like the trains, buses are also getting a new timetable which is meant to take into account of the current conditions. The first of these completed are the NZ Bus timetables and they also come into effect in October (providing the drivers will actually drive the buses) with other bus companies coming later. The bus tracking system has also been updated to a newer version so hopefully that will be able to provide a lot better information and end the current plague of the disappearing due bus along with the tin pot dictator punctuality stats.
When it comes to parking, we should hopefully soon hear the results of the city centre parking plan that was consulted on a few months ago. Also it appears that the pay and display machines need to be replaced as they have reached the end of their useful life. It would make a lot of sense to include functionality to accept HOP cards as part of what ever replaces them.
On the issue of HOP cards, a trial amongst AT staff has commenced today in preparation for the roll out of the system at the end of October and as many rail users will have seen, the fare gates are now installed (but not operational yet) at Britomart and Newmarket. The CEO report to the board also gives a bit more information about the introduction of the cards including that there will be a discount on the price of the cards until the end of November. Further it confirms that the current Snapper HOP card users will be able to get an AT HOP card at no cost and use both until the roll out is complete, something that was lacking from the initial communication.
Another couple of great things are AT are working with interested parties on rolling out WiFi to PT network and say a resolution is due by the end of this year while they also have a plan to trial coffee and other convenience items at various places across the rail network, something I have long thought they should encourage.
Lastly as usual the most interesting stuff is in the closed session of the meeting for which the agenda is published and a couple of things caught my eye. The first of these is the Regional Public Transport Plan which I understand will be coming out for consultation in October and contains the information about the proposed bus network along with other things like integrated fares so will be a fairly important document. The other thing was something titled AIFS Prospectus. AIFS is the integrated fares programme which includes ticketing and new the new fare structure and so if I had to guess, I would say AT are looking to raise some money from investors by using the ticketing float (the money combined amount of unused money sitting on cards).
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The coffee trial I expected to see at Papakura to start with. I’ll have to get pictures (or ask a mate who takes them regularly), but they’ve incorporated space for a coffee kiosk into the renovated heritage station building. This means that if you travel with me by train, you won’t have me scowl at you for keeping me awake, as I should have had my espresso fix by then 😉
New Urbanism is basically the intersection of high quantity and quality of three things: Coffee, WiFi, and Transit*. Good to see them coming together at last in AK.
*includes cycling and walking
NB may or may not, but generally does, occur on newly opened waterfronts
If only “New Urbanists” actually took some time to learn about the geometry of transit then we’d all be fine …
Wouldn’t want you wonks to be out of a job though….
Yes you would – then you could substitute some puppet urban designer called “Philanderous Pontificus” into our roles; he would ensure that all serious passenger transit work in this city was derailed by rapturous visual illustrations of Auckland in the year 2634 with tram tracks everywhere ;).
Happy to see they’ve finally figured out a fair HOP card transition policy. Took long enough.
With regard to wifi I do wonder if it is worth the cost and the effort. Will users notice a performance improvement through using a shared wifi connection vs using their 3G connection? On a moving bus or train I think wifi has to multiplex through a 3G connection anyway. And if the wifi doesn’t work for whatever reason, it becomes another promise that PT isn’t able to deliver.
Yes it’s an interesting one. Personally I like it because it just accentuates the competitive advantage of PT, insofar as you can do some work while travelling.
I wold have thought the rail network in particular would benefit … but agree that it does not seem important enough to roll out across the entire network.
I agree, I’d be more interested in AT working will the cell companies to make sure there is 100% 3G coverage of the rail network including tunnels. Hows the Britomart tunnel for cell coverage these days?
It’s horrible on hand-held phones inside carriages I give you that but I suspect if there is an external antenna attached to the outside of the carriage (feeding a WiFi network inside the carriage) it should be fine. At any rate, given the increasing number of passengers (and thus mobile customers) using the rail network I’m sure the telcos will eventually click on to the fact good 3G coverage would be benefictal to their customers. All three telcos now have in-building antennas inside the Britomart underground station so it seems the telcos do realise the benefits of having good ‘underground’ coverage.
I tend to find Britomart ok but really struggle for reception at Grafton and New Lynn
I think the sort of wifi proposed would have been cool five years ago, but the market has moved on from that technology. The trend is towards the use of smart phones and tablets and they can all support integrated 3G. Laptop users who really need to work when mobile are unlikely to want to restrict themselves to working only on public transport, and will therefore have a cheap dongle and a data plan. I don’t know why any of these groups would want to share a 3G connection with a bunch of other people, and suffer the resulting performance limitations.
It’s a bit like announcing you’re going to install telephone boxes on public transport, when everyone these days has a mobile phone. Five years from now, every mobile computing device will have integrated mobile data. And I wouldn’t be surprised if that is the case two years from now.
I have no views on what the tech is called but rather its functionality. Whatever provides the best seem-less online access for the whole journey for all.
The tablets and phones these days are always connected, all the time, wherever you are. It’s a new era of technology that is obsoleting old ways of working or having fun online. I’m a bit old and crusty and tend not to be a technology leader. I used to travel with a laptop and dongle. But for the last few months I’ve been making do with my new Samsung Android tablet and it is brilliant. I think 802.11 wireless has a place in the home for connecting your gadgets without needing to drape cables everywhere. But public wireless hotspots are going to go the way of the public telephone. By the time you rolled them out on to trains and buses they will be obsolete. If people want to surf the web on a train then they’ll whip out their tablet or phone and do so, and no investment by the passenger transit operator is required.
One thing where WiFi is more useful is for tourists, when I was overseas recently I didn’t have a local sim and didn’t want to pay huge data costs so would rely on WiFi. Not saying we should target things at tourists but more just pointing out that there is a use for it.
Good point, Matt L.
Was there any more detail on the wifi? Cost, monthly plans, speed, reliability, buses or trains only?
Anyone use wifi on PT overseas. I can see it as a benefit when underground (ie have no cell reception) but wonder how it will compare to a 2 Degrees data plan.
No detail, but the way it reads “interested parties” makes me think they were approached by some company, but thats just my interpretation.
FREE WiFi is a huge Marketting win and should be budgeted as such. Stations and trains.
Tomizone or whatever it is on the buses at the moment is useless and I never use it.
The one they use on the Airport Bus in Wellington is hopeless too — not sure if Tomizone does these too? Last time I tried to use it, it was not working and from what I hear that’s a common occurance. The system they have on the Outer Link seems to be reasonably reliable though — the only problem I have with it is that it’s a pain when my phone automatically connects to it and all data stops until I open a broswer to accept the terms and conditions.
I hope not at train stations. Would find quite a few people just hanging around the stations for the free WiFi, but not waiting for a train.
And?
Like at Britomart then, eating sushi, hanging out, being human. What, can’t have that?
I was just trying to not to be racist, but to make it clear… the southern line stations will have plenty of Maori youth hanging around being a nuisance, just like they are at the local libraries.
You may have to try a little harder as you’re not succeeding there….
^ whatever that’s supposed to mean O.o
The report also mentions that they are putting out a tender for some sort of failsafe device for the DMUs which will allow them to increase the frequency of trains. Can anyone enlighten how? I thought this was some device that would activate the emergency brakes if the driver didn’t press a button every 2 seconds (or however long), but is there more to it?
A Deadman’s switch I call it. If the driver dies, the train stops automatically.
ATP is more than a Dead Man’s Handle / Switch. With only a dead man’s switch you can plough on past red signals and the system won’t stop you.
ATP can be as simple as a vigilance device such as the UK’s AWS, where the driver must acknowledge a warning that the aproaching signal is other than green, and failure to do so will mean emergency braking will be applied; through TPWS which has an overspeed sensor on the approach to key signals to determine whether the train will stop in time with normal braking and another at the signal both of which apply full emergency brake if they determine that the train will not stop in time; to full in-cab train management where the train computer knows the state of the signals ahead and the train’s location and advises the driver what speed to drive at in order to stay on the braking curve for the next stop signal and applies the brakes if the driver doesn’t.
The key thing about ATP systems is that in the main they only come into play when the driver fails to drive the train safely. Unless a sophisticated system of some form is intended, or there is some specific issue needing addressed I remain skeptical about whether the addition of ATP can improve frequencies in a meaningful way..
The thing is, after all of this time it is a bit odd to be spending millions to install it on our trains that are going to be scrapped in just a couple of years time as within 4 years none will be running on the network (all things going well).
Most likely because NZTA are demanding it, and as the Rail Regulator, they can do that.
But Wellington doesn’t have do they? or are they requiring that Wellington install ATP too?
Wellington has Trip Cock equipment, which is fitted to all of the major signals at Junctions. Auckland doesn’t currently have anything at all.
Wellington too will most likely be fitted with ERTMS (not ATP – although that is a function the system performs, it is not actually “just” ATP) in time, however Auckland is the key focus, a) because the newly installed signalling system was installed with ERTMS from new, and b) because there have been several incidents in the past in Auckland that have warrented it.
Wellington would need a bit more work (such as resignalling the Hutt Valley Line – Petone and Taita boxes are to close) before it is ready to follow suit.
I use one in Kuala Lumpur, on the express train to/from the airport. I have the 3G plan through my Blackberry, but use wi-fi for the iPad. The service generally works well, though I do recall it dropping out once or twice. The trip is 28mins from airport to the central station (and much of that is through palm plantations – not exactly breathtaking after the third time….) so its a good way to while away the time.
Not sure if wifi is available on other PT here because I haven’t used it. Diesel instead of electric rail aside, Auckland’s PT is positively 22nd century compared to here. Though that is changing.
what does ” …registration of new card supply and continued functionality of Snapper/HOP ” mean?
Bloody good question joust. Why is it so difficult for AT to speak English and not bureaucratese?
My guess would be that you have to register the card so that you can’t “swap it” multiple times.
Great news that they’re doing it this way and letting us have both.
I would also like to add support for wi-fi, especially if free. Some of us on work data plans aren’t supposed to use it for browsing transport blogs…
And in general, provision of wifi for tourists in NZ (and I am really talking hotels here) is absolutely shocking.
Was back in the country recently touring around and trying to get a room with wifi included – you know, the standard pretty much anywhere else in the world – was as rare as rocking horse sh!t. Some of these places promoted themselves as business hotels, and then insisted on an exhorbitant surcharge for daring to want wifi access.
Did not paint NZ in a very good light when at a bog standard IBIS in Europe, free wifi is included in the room.
Agree, free unlimited WiFi is the running water of the 21st century. I’ve had better in Noumea, and other places that NZ probably feels more developed than.
Wimax is the way to go:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WiMAX
Aussie provider Big Air have excellent coverage in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. UrbanWiMax cover the key train and bus routes in London and UQ WiMax is ‘big in Japan’ as the saying goes. UQ is interesting. Its principal shareholders are Intel, JR East, Kyocera and Mitsubishi UFJ Bank. This ad and its tagline ARE YOU IN? put UQ on the map back in 2009:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe4bD5mMYCo
The ad was particularly successful on the JR East in-train TV displays (from which no sound emanates by the way) Three years later and its still playing on JR trains – a testament to the quality of the ad and its continuing awareness generating power.
Thanks Rob, looks good to this non-specialist… any tech-sperts out there with other suggestions?
Wimax has not really taken off here in NZ in the mobile space and a new network would need building. I suspect the best way is to tie into one or more of the Cell operators for back haul from the trains. The blackspots that have mentioned are prob the easiest win´s for coverage. I know all the cell co´s do testing along State highways and the like for coverage regularly, so what would be good is getting AT talking to them, to improve their coverage along the train corridors. If Kiwirail put in GSM-R for it´s fleet, the cell co´s I´m sure could come up with some crafty way to share either tower space or the infrastructure of the base stations too.
Crossing over to another post, the making public transport cool post, some great advertising would be a fully wrapped EMU sponsored by a cell co zipping pass the queues on the southern in the morning, blazoned with advertising about wifi on board.
I find the reason of longer dwell times caused by increased passenger numbers a bit hard to accept. I think most people get on and off the trains quite quickly and efficiently. Most of the time is spent waiting for the TM to do his/her thing. Or for a western line driver to change ends of the train at the station when it changes direction, which is perfectly appropriate!
I agree, don’t settle for mediocrity, rise to the challenge of the timetable. Will be interesting to see if there are improvements to the timetable from the customers point of view. Yes, customers!
I suspect the delay may have more to do with the time between the train arriving and the doors being opened, rather than just the time it takes for passengers to leave or board the train. The greater passenger numbers on board may mean that the TM has more tickets to collect and there is a greater likelihood that he is away from the door collecting fares on arrival at the station, and then has to move through a crowded carriage to get to the doors to open them.
I have seen some pretty slow passengers, i.e. they wait till the doors are even open before getting out of their seat exiting the train just as the doors are closing (which usually results in the TM opening them again). There are also ones who casually decided to stroll down the platform looking at which carriage they want to sit in. The TM issue should hopefully be solved by off train ticketing.
Off train ticketing may well help the issue Matt. So why don’t AT (gosh, who runs the trains, Veolia, AT?) wait to see the impacts of the fare system changes before they go and slow down the timetable?
And then there are the problems of where the train stops on the platform and the number of closed carriages. Both issues mean that waiting passengers have to traverse the platform in order to enter a carriage. Of course, both issues can be easily resolved (as has been done on most rail networks around the world) but I think AT much prefers being able to blame passengers for train delays. It used to be one of Sharon Hunter’s favourite excuses for a deficient service when she was the mouthpiece of TranzMetro.
Before letting Veolia get away with slowing the timetable, AT should ask for data on dwell times, which can then be compared with the international literature as benchmarks. If dwell times are high relative to the international models, then it should be up to Veolia to fix. A Google search revealed these publications:
http://www.ivt.ethz.ch/people/buchmste/PDB_HZM_e_071017_lowres.pdf
http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/tcrp/tcrp100/part%205.pdf
The dwell time standard for suburban rail stations in Japan is a 15 seconds during peak time and an 10-12 seconds off-peak. This is achieved to a large degree, by lining up the train doors with markings on the platforms and having platform markings denote where people should wait on either side of doors to ensure passengers getting off, can do so quickly and efficiently. On the lines in Tokyo I use most often – the Tokyu Ikegami ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tōkyū_Ikegami_Line ) and Oimachi ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tōkyū_Ōimachi_Line ) lines, the Ikegami Line uses only 3 car set EMUs and the Oimachi Line 5-6 car EMUs. The number of passengers outside the 7:30-8:15am segment of the morning 7-9am peak, the 6:20-7:00pm segment of the 6-8pm afternoon/evening peak and the daily last train departure, is similar to the collective daily passengers numbers and rail usage across the entire AKL rail network. Dwell times on the Ikegami and Oimachi lines are a daily average of 11-13 seconds, with the time going up to 15 seconds during the key peak time segments.
In Auckland, once all the EMUs are operational and DMUs moved to a Papakura-Pukekohe / Huapai-Swanson feeder service, with door markings on the platform for 3 and 6-car EMU sets, Auckland can definitely achieve a 10-15 second average dwell time per station. A maximum 15 second dwell time is what Auckland should be aiming for from 2016 onwards. Until the EMUs are operational and a replacement for Veolia found, this longer than 30 second dwell time issue in Auckland will continue to remain an ongoing problem.
Theres a generic loss of 3 mins when running trains in the down direction between Britomart to Otahuhu via Glen Innes. Apparently when Slyvia park platform was put in no one thought to add the extra time it will take to slow / stop/ start at this platform. Thats being addressed in October. Other changes are indeed to try to stop trains sitting up each others arses to/ from junctions. Some increase in frequency is supposed to be implimented. Remember for real increases in frequency you need more rolling stock!
Dwell time for Auckland train is supposed to be ’30’ seconds. That means 30 seconds from the time the train stops to the train starts moving…. With increase in passangers during peak periods you cant always keep to this. This can be partly improved off peak by Train Managers being more ruthless with timings on platforms and Public education that train doors will only remain open for a short time. (Excptions should exist, i.e disabled people etc)
As to the different carriages being open and trains stopping in different places; perhaps the traveling public should voice this to AT and perhaps get ALL trains to stop at the end of platforms…. shelters moved to help show this.
As from October 14th all carriages could be open at all times since TM’s no longer issues tickets! With them and the Maori wardens on the train im sure safety should not be a concern for having ‘all open’ in the evenings. Also Viola are putting in place staion staff (well, at certain places anyway) and if this is extended to all locations there should be no concern at all at having ‘all open’ all the time!
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