Agency overview | |
---|---|
Formed | November 2012 |
Preceding agency |
|
Jurisdiction | Queensland |
Agency executive |
|
Parent department | Transport and Main Roads |
Website | translink |
Translink is the public transport agency in the State of Queensland, Australia, and is a division of the Department of Transport and Main Roads. Translink was first introduced by the Queensland Government in June 2003 to orchestrate bus, ferry, rail and light rail services. They work with Brisbane Airtrain, Transport for Brisbane, RiverCity Ferries, Queensland Rail and other operators to provide services. Translink operates an integrated ticketing system across Queensland and the go card system to allow the use of one ticket on multiple services in South East Queensland.
In July 2008, Translink devolved from being a division of the former Queensland Transport to the more autonomous Translink Transit Authority, before returning to management under the Department of Transport and Main Roads in November 2012. [2] Combining the former authority and qconnect, Translink became responsible for providing public transport services across majority of Queensland from 16 January 2023. Buses in North Stradbroke Island are not part of the Translink network. It is operated by Transit Systems and fares are decided by Transit Systems.
TransInfo was a phone inquiry and timetable service established in August 1993 by Queensland Transport. It was found to be a very successful service, and in a 1997 research study 99% of surveyed transport users were either very or fairly satisfied with the service. [3] After the success of TransInfo, in June 2003 the Queensland Government introduced Translink as an agency within Queensland Transport, replacing the former TransInfo service. With a $21.4 million budget, Translink was tasked to introduce common fares, zones and ticket types irrespective of transit mode, and from mid-2004 a smartcard system. Prior to Translink's introduction, combined patronage for public transport services was only around 112 million trips per year. [4] [5]
Translink delivered the new integrated ticketing system in July 2004. To help facilitate the change-over, Translink employed and deployed throughout South East Queensland 100 assistants. A daily ticket was introduced which allowed unlimited travel on all modes of public transport within the zones specified on the ticket, and for the first time students and aged pensioners throughout South East Queensland received a 50% discount on fares. [6] In just two months an extra 2.3 million passengers travelled on transit services, and ticket sales increased by 11%. [6] Following Translink's introduction, transit passenger numbers grew faster than ever before. In 2005, Translink saw close to a 20% increase in passenger numbers. [7] [8]
In February 2008, the go card was rolled out on bus, rail and ferry services in Brisbane only, as a precursor to its introduction throughout South East Queensland. [9] The Queensland Government devolved Translink from being a division of Queensland Transport to the more autonomous Translink Transit Authority in July 2008, increasing its profile with new branding. At the same time a 24 hours a day, seven days a week customer information and support phone number was introduced. [10] [11]
In November 2009, Translink introduced cashless tickets during peak times, only accepting only go cards and pre-purchased paper tickets in an effort to improve service efficiency. In late 2009, Translink scrapped monthly and weekly paper tickets, with plans to eliminate paper tickets by the end of 2010. [12] [13] On 4 January 2010, to encourage the use of the go card, off-peak discounts and a direct debit top-up option were introduced. At the same time, Translink increased fares and also announced fares would increase by a further 45% over the following three years. [12] On 5 August 2024, Translink decreased fares to $0.50 across all zones and modes, excluding Airtrain and dedicated school buses, as a trial for 6 months. [14]
In South-East Queensland, Translink uses 8 zones to determine fares no matter which transit mode or route a passenger uses. In South East Queensland the zones are rings centred on the Brisbane CBD. The South East Queensland zone network stretches from Gympie (170 km north of Brisbane) to Coolangatta (100 km south of Brisbane), and from Helidon (80 km west of Brisbane) in the west to Moreton Bayside suburbs of Brisbane and Redland in the east.
Originally there were 23 zones. On 19 December 2016, the number of zones was reduced to eight. At the same time, a new fare structure was introduced that included:
Translink offers a contactless fare payment card called go card . It requires passengers to touch the card on a card reader at the start and end of each journey, and when transferring between services. The fare is automatically calculated based on the difference between the highest zone number and the lowest zone number recorded for the journey. A journey can comprise any number of individual legs (each recorded by touching the card when entering or leaving a service) within a two-hour period. The fare is automatically deducted from a pre-paid balance associated with the go card used.
The following types of go card are available:
The go seeQ card was introduced in late 2012 for visitors to South East Queensland. This card provides for travel for a period of 3 or 5 days across the Translink network. The card can also be used to receive discounts at retail locations throughout the South East Queensland region. [15]
A single-fare paper ticket is also available for infrequent travellers and visitors. [16]
In Regional Queensland, the number of zones vary between 1 zone and 11 zones, depending on the location. Typically the zones are rings centred on the town centres of each region. The regional centres where you will find the Translink brand are: Bowen, Bundaberg, Cairns, Fraser Coast, Gladstone, Gympie, Innisfail, Kilcoy, Mackay, Rockhamption/Yeppoon, Sunshine Coast Hinterland, Toowoomba, Townsville, Warwick and Whitsundays.
Originally, each regional centre had a large difference in the number of zones and fares. From 4 July 2022, Translink progressively took over the qconnect brand in Regional Queensland. By 16 January 2023, previous qconnect regions had transitioned to the new zone and fare structure along with previous Translink regional centres of Cairns, Mackay, Toowoomba and Townsville/Magnetic Island. Each regional location has individual transport zones they use different fare prices to South East Queensland. One-zone fares are $2.40 for adults and $1.20 for concession with zonal increases set at $0.60 for adults and $0.30 for concession. go cards currently cannot be used on Regional Queensland services. [18] [19]
Below are the fares per zone in South-East Queensland:
Zones Traveled | Adult | Concession | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
go card | go card off-peak | Paper | go card | go card off-peak | Paper | |
1 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 |
2 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 |
3 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 |
4 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 |
5 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 |
6 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 |
7 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 |
8 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 |
Below are the fares per zone in Regional Queensland:
Zones Traveled | Adult | Concession |
---|---|---|
1 | $0.50 | $0.50 |
2 | $0.50 | $0.50 |
3 | $0.50 | $0.50 |
4 | $0.50 | $0.50 |
5 | $0.50 | $0.50 |
6 | $0.50 | $0.50 |
7 | $0.50 | $0.50 |
8 | $0.50 | $0.50 |
9 | $0.50 | $0.50 |
10 | $0.50 | $0.50 |
11 | $0.50 | $0.50 |
Currently each transport area has zones individual to the location. Below is the amount of zones there are per location across Queensland:
Location | Zones |
---|---|
South East Queensland | 8 |
Bowen | 1 |
Bundaberg | 5 |
Cairns | 5 |
Fraser Coast | 6 |
Gladstone | 3 |
Gympie | 11 |
Innisfail | 2 |
Kilcoy | 9 |
Mackay | 7 |
Rockhampton and Yeppoon | 7 |
Sunshine Coast Hinterland | 5 |
Toowoomba | 7 |
Townsville | 4 |
Warwick | 1 |
Whitsunday | 5 |
Translink employ a team of authorised officers called Senior Network Officers. Senior Network Officers were introduced in 2010 and they utilise powers available under section 111(3) of the Transport Operations (Passenger Transport) Act 1994 and Transport Infrastructure Act 1994. As authorised officers, they enforce Translink's conditions of travel for passengers on the network. Senior Network Officers issue infringement notices for transport offences. Senior Network Officers also carry handcuffs and can exercise a power to detain for certain offences committed on public transport [22]
This section may be better presented in list format to meet Wikipedia's quality standards .(July 2020) |
The Translink South East Queensland network is divided into seven regions, each region operated by different operators contracted by Translink. The regions are based largely on local government boundaries: [23]
The Translink Regional network is divided into 16 regions, each region typically operated by different operators. The regions are based largely on local government boundaries: [23]
Translink operates various types of services under different names. Below are a few services they operate.
CityGlider is a brand name applied to a pair of high-frequency bus routes operated by Transport for Brisbane in Brisbane, Australia. Both are operated by dedicated fleets of buses vinyled in either blue or maroon liveries with a gliding possum motif. Bus stops serviced by the CityGlider services are identified with signs and painted kerb. Both operate 24 hours a day on Fridays and Saturdays.
The CityGlider service is pre-paid only, meaning passengers are required to use a go card to touch on/off when boarding and exiting the service. To assist with keeping the service running on-time, both front and rear boarding is possible, the CityGlider is the only service which allows this.
Bus upgrade zones, commonly abbreviated to BUZ, are a feature of Brisbane's public transport system. The name is given to high-frequency bus routes operated by Transport for Brisbane, the Brisbane City Council agency that operates the city's public bus services for Translink. All BUZ services run at least every fifteen minutes from around 6:00am to 11:30pm seven days a week and at least every ten minutes during peak hours from Monday to Friday.
Nearly all BUZ routes are express services which provide quick and frequent access to places along major trunk roads, with the exception of routes 196 and 199, which are the only all-stops BUZ service with bus stops within short walking distances of each other between the inner suburbs of Fairfield, West End, New Farm and Teneriffe. Most BUZ routes are radial, and commence in or near the Brisbane CBD. However, routes 196 and 199 are again an exception, in that they are cross-town routes that passes through the CBD.
NightLink is the name given to the all-night Translink services that leave Fortitude Valley, Brisbane City and Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast late Friday and Saturday nights.
The Great Circle Line is a loop operated by Transport for Brisbane serving various shopping centres and other attractions around Brisbane.
The Spring Hill Loop is a free loop service operated by Transport for Brisbane servicing stops popular locations such as Post Office Square, Old Windmill Observatory, St Andrew's War Memorial Hospital, Brisbane Private Hospital and Central Station.
The City Loop is a free loop service operated by Transport for Brisbane servicing stops popular locations such as QUT, Alice Street, Botanic Gardens, Queen Street Mall, City Hall, Central Station, Riverside and Eagle Street Pier.
The South Brisbane Loop is a free loop service operated by Transport for Brisbane servicing stops popular locations such as Cineplex at South Brisbane, Gallery of Modern Art, South Brisbane Station / Cultural Centre, Davies Park and South Bank Busway.
TransLink, formally the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority and previously the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority, is the statutory authority responsible for the regional transportation network of Metro Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada, including public transport, major roads and bridges. Its main operating facilities are located in the city of New Westminster.
Airtrain is the privately owned commuter railway line that extends 13.0 km (8.1 mi) northeast from Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, to Brisbane Airport at both its separate International and Domestic terminals. It was opened in 2001.
Domestic Airport railway station is the terminus station of the Airport line in Queensland, Australia. It serves the Domestic Terminal at Brisbane Airport, opening on 5 May 2001 at the same time as the line.
International Airport railway station is located on the Airport line in Queensland, Australia. It serves the International Terminal at Brisbane Airport, opening on 5 May 2001 at the same time as the line.
Surfside Buslines was an Australian bus operator on the Gold Coast in Queensland. It operated 56 services under contract to the Government of Queensland under the Translink banner. It also operated nine services in the adjoining Tweed Valley of northern New South Wales under contract to the Government of New South Wales. As of 2022, Surfside Buslines permanently changed its name as part of a business re-brand by the parent company, Kinetic. Surfside Buslines was dissolved into the Kinetic brand with its fleet of buses reflecting this change. Former Surfside buses are still recognisable through their classic Yellow livery, often simply missing the Surfside logo, with no Kinetic logo either. Kinetic uses these buses more often on services with less passengers and for School bus routes. Kinetic buses are determinable from which state division they are by checking the back of the buses, with a 40 KMPH sign with flashable amber lights indicating NSW, and Queensland indicated by a Children Crossing sign, with flashable amber lights.
SmartRider is the contactless electronic ticketing system of the Public Transport Authority of Western Australia. The system uses RFID smartcard technology to process public transport fares across public bus, train, and ferry services.
Transport for Brisbane, previously called Brisbane Transport, is an organisational division of the Brisbane City Council, responsible through its related Council Committee for providing policy and advice to Brisbane City Council, and for delivering various public transport services across the City of Brisbane. The division does this as part of an agreement with Translink, an agency of the Department of Transport and Main Roads that operates public transport across South East Queensland.
Beenleigh railway station is located on the Beenleigh line in Queensland, Australia. It is one of two stations serving the suburb of Beenleigh in City of Logan, the other being Holmview.
Rail operators are government-assisted profit-based corporations, fares and ticketing on Singapore's Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system are aimed to break-even or exceed operating expenses. Rail operators collect fares based on account-based (ABT) and card-based ticketing options, the prices of which are calculated based on the distances travelled between the origin and destination. These prices increase in stages for standard non-concessionary travel, according to the distances travelled. In account-based ticketing, the fare is automatically calculated in the back-end and charged to the passenger post journey. On the other hand, card-based ticketing is proprietary to the transport network and the fare is computed by the system based on the store values recorded in the cards. The public transit system is harmonising towards full ABT.
Sunbus Sunshine Coast was an Australian operator of bus services on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. It operated 25 services under contract to the Government of Queensland under the Translink banner. It was one of Sunbus' operations. As of 2022, Sunbus changed its name as part of a business re-brand by the parent company, Kinetic. Sunbus was dissolved into the Kinetic brand with its fleet of buses reflecting this change.
Transport in Brisbane, the capital and largest city of Queensland, Australia, is provided by road, rail, river and bay ferries, footpaths, bike paths, sea and air.
The Gold Coast is the largest non-capital city and fastest growing city in Australia. As a result, the Gold Coast has a wide range of public and private transport options from cars and bikes to buses, heavy rail and light rail. The car is the dominant mode of transport in the city with an extensive arterial road network that connects the standard residential streets with major suburbs and motorways.
Railways in South East Queensland consist of a large passenger and freight rail network centred on Brisbane, the capital city of the Australian state of Queensland. Suburban and interurban passenger rail services are operated by Queensland Rail, which also operates long-distance services connecting Brisbane to the rest of the state. Aurizon and Pacific National are private companies which operate freight services. The passenger rail network in South East Queensland is known as the Citytrain network.
Transperth is the public transport system for Perth and surrounding areas in Western Australia. It is managed by the Public Transport Authority (PTA), a state government organisation, and consists of train, bus and ferry services. Bus operations are contracted out to Swan Transit, Path Transit and Transdev. Ferry operations are contracted out to Captain Cook Cruises. Train operations are done by the PTA through their Transperth Train Operations division.
A transit pass or travel card, often referred to as a bus pass or train pass etc., is a ticket that allows a passenger of the service to take either a certain number of pre-purchased trips or unlimited trips within a fixed period of time.
qconnect was a network of integrated public passenger transport services that covered subsidised and/or regulated bus, coach and aviation networks in Regional Queensland, Australia. It was introduced by the Queensland Government in December 2007, and was an agency operated by the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR). qconnect provided public transport services and greater connectivity and accessibility of services throughout regional, rural and remote Queensland by working with contracted transport operators.
The go card is an electronic smartcard ticketing system developed by Cubic Corporation, which is currently used on the Translink public transport network in South East Queensland, Australia. To use the go card, users hold the card less than 10 cm away from the reader to "touch on" before starting a journey, and must do the same to "touch off" the service at the end of the journey. The cost of each journey is deducted from the go card balance.
In Queensland, Australia, public bus services are coordinated by the Queensland Government's Department of Transport and Main Roads and provided by over 1000 operators. The coordination of public bus transport generally falls under three schemes: Translink services, QConnect services and the remaining rural/regional school services. Some operators also provide entirely private bus services in Queensland which are not subject to the same route and ticketing regulation as the public route providers, or segments thereof, are.
NightLink is the name given to the all-night Translink services that leave Fortitude Valley, Brisbane City and Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast late Friday and Saturday nights.
Since the mid-1990s, a 27 kilometre bus rapid transit network has been developed in Brisbane, Australia. It comprises grade-separated bus-only corridors, complementing the Queensland Rail Citytrain network. Management of the busway network is the responsibility of Translink as coordinator of South East Queensland's integrated public transport system.
Media related to TransLink (South East Queensland) at Wikimedia Commons