Thank You for Sharing Your Voice
We recently did a community survey to better understand how residents in Melbourne’s West feel about public transport, especially local bus services. Our goal was to learn more about the key factors influencing bus usage, identify barriers, and gather ideas for improving the network.
I want to say a huge thank you to those who participated in the survey. 57% of respondents use public transport most days, highlighting just how vital reliable services are to our community.
What you said:
- Fast and direct bus routes ranked as the top priority for 30.5% of respondents (with 33.1% listing it as their second priority).
- On-time bus arrivals were the top concern for 30.1% (and second for 25.9%).
- Bus stops closer to home were most important to 29.7% (with 22.6% listing it as their second priority).
- Other major concerns included affordability, environmental sustainability, safety, and cleanliness.
- Nearly all respondents rely on multiple forms of public transport, making network connectivity a critical issue.
ARE YOU HAUNTED BY GHOST BUSES?
One constituent described a frequent issue with so-called “ghost buses”:
‘Ghost’ buses. Countless times buses just don’t show up, but the PTV app doesn’t reflect that the bus service has been cancelled. I am tracking them on the app and a bus apparently arrives at the stop, but the bus doesn’t actually exist. This happens almost weekly.
This kind of unreliable service contributes to disadvantage, social isolation, and cost-of-living pressures — especially for those who depend on buses every day.
What needs to change?
We’re calling on the government to:
- Overhaul the bus network to improve frequency, reliability and coverage
- Upgrade bus infrastructure to enhance safety and accessibility
- Rapidly expand real-time bus tracking to bust ghost buses!
Share your experience
Have you experienced ghost buses or other issues with public transport in the West? Tell us your story below—your voice helps drive change.
Sign up to support Better Buses 4 the West!
Latest Comments
Love to help.
414 – I have often got to my bus stop 5+ minutes earlier then the scheduled time the bus was…
This is a big issue for Rockbank
lets do this
Ghost buses in the media:
Ghost buses leave western Melbourne stranded – Australasian Bus & Coach
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