Brisbane Bus Network Review

This project was commissioned by Brisbane Transport (BT) - Brisbane's largest bus operator with a fleet of 700 buses. The project was managed by Mike Veitch, and involved a comprehensive review of Brisbane Transport's existing bus route structure and service provision strategies, and resulted in recommendations as to how the current bus system could be improved either:

  • from the perspective of the level of service offered to existing and potential bus travellers, or
  • in terms of cost-effectiveness of methods of service provision.

Essentially the project involved pulling apart the entire BT bus system and then reconstructing a more rational and cost-effective network through the redeployment of existing bus resources.

VLC was responsible for all aspects of the study including:

  • quantification of the current travel market
  • identification of existing bus network deficiencies
  • estimation of cost recovery by route
  • identification of market opportunities 
  • bus system planning and design
  • fare revenue estimation
  • bus system costing
  • community consultation
  • consultation with Brisbane Transport staff and Civic Cabinet, and
  • assistance with implementation.

To conduct the study Brisbane was subdivided into seven (7) major corridors. The services in each were then rationalised and, following comprehensive community consultation, the finally recommended operating strategies were implemented.

BT ticket sales indicated that patronage increased significantly following the implementation of the recommended network of services (by approximately 10 percent in the first year of operation of the new system, and 6 percent in the second year). The new bus system mainly involved reallocation of existing bus and driver resources. However, operating costs increased slightly as the retirement of ten buses was deferred to provide sufficient fleet to operate the new services.

Part of the study involved development and establishment of a route and service costing model for Brisbane Transport. The model was used to identify the financial strengths and weaknesses of individual elements of the then network, and to provide system costing information for the business case for the new system.