3 June 2012

Deane's Cross Border Trial - Cheap fares o/peak, Pick up/Drop Off in the ACT

3 June 2012 | By Sir Pompously

The trial will run for three months and starts this Monday. It includes pick up and set down restrictions in the ACT on a weekday being lifted on the 830 only, however compared to the $4.00 ACTION fare which comes with a 90 minute transfer I cannot see many people using the DBL service over the ACTION service.

DBL’s 830 Service Cross – Border Trial

In an effort to encourage the ACT and Queanbeyan’s travelling public to hop onto buses and reduce congestion on our region’s roads, the ACT Government has lifted DBL’s pick-up/set-down restrictions in the ACT.

This trial means people can board the DBL 830 service in the ACT and get off in the ACT as well as in Queanbeyan. For example, ACT residents can board at Kingston and get off at Civic or Russell. ACT residents may board a DBL 830 at Kingston, Manuka, Barton (National Circuit) and Russell. Commencing on Monday 4 June 2012, this arrangement is currently in place for DBL’s 830 route service only.

For ACT residents who board a DBL 830 service anywhere for travel between Fyshwick and Civic (or vice versa), flat fares of $4.50 (one-way adult cash fare) and $2.50 (pensioners) apply. This is valid 7 days a week.

In a move similar to Australian domestic airlines, Deane’s has also introduced off-peak fares for NSW residents who board a DBL 830 service between 9:30am and 4:00pm on weekdays. Off-peak one-way adult cash fares will be capped at $6.00.

For example, if travelling QBN – Civic between 9:30am and 4:00pm:

People boarding at QBN will pay the normal ticket machine fare for travel to Kingston. For travel beyond Kingston, the maximum fare charged will be $6.00 between 9:30am and 4:00pm.

If travelling Civic – QBN between 9:30am and 4:00pm:

People boarding at Civic will pay the normal ticket machine fare for travel up to Fyshwick. For travel beyond Fyshwick, the maximum fare charged will be $6.00 between 9:30am and 4:00pm.

Conditions:

There will be no change to existing concession fares.

These special ACT and NSW Off-peak fares apply to adult cash fares only.

DDC discounts are not applicable to these fares.

Current weekend fares shall remain in place.

Source:

http://www.deanesbuslines.com.au/queanbeyan/news.html

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1337Hax0r8:25 am 04 Jun 12

So let me get this right. To catch an Action bus from say Civic to Manuka will cost me $4 with a transfer so that is essentially $4 return. To do that on a Deanes bus will be $4.50 one way? I can see a slight problem there.

What I can’t understand is how the ACT is allowed to place such restrictions on Deane’s given the laws on market sharing and anti-competitive agreements. Section 45 of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (CCA) prohibits contracts, arrangements or understandings containing a provision which has the purpose, effect or likely effect of substantially lessening competition. http://www.australiancompetitionlaw.org/overview.html Clearly the arrangement of stifling Deanes business and not allowing open market competition is market sharing? Action gets free reign in the ACT with access to that market while Deanes have limited and controlled access to that market. Deanes is allowed free reign in NSW while Action rarely sends a bus across the border (I have seen it done). Meanwhile pensioners in Oaks Estate. Hall and Tharwa have no bus service at all. At least when I tried to check the route maps on their web site the links were all broken. https://www.action.act.gov.au/bus_station_and_network_maps.html

I have a plan that will bring about real change. Simply enact legislation that requires all polaticians at Federal, state and local levels to be required to only use publicly available transport and eliminate the Com-car fleet. Citizen Initiated Referenda anybody?