Mackay bus timetables to return to full service

Bus services in the Mackay region have been criticised as ‘useless’ and failing to show up but TransLink says it is now in a ‘stronger position’ to provide a full timetable.

Bus timetables should soon return to normal across the Mackay region.

Bus services across Mackay should return to a full timetable by mid-December after months of reduced services.

Head of TransLink Sally Stannard said the reduced timetable had provided greater certainty for customers amid the pandemic, seasonal illness and staff shortages.

“We worked closely with the operators to minimise the impacts of the reduced services but we were also cautious of returning services and then needing to take them away again,” Ms Stannard said.

“We are confident our delivery partners are now in a stronger position to return to our full timetable, and we will continue working with them and offering any support they require to help boost driver numbers.”

The full service will resume on December 12.

The decision comes after residents shared their frustrations over the bus service on Facebook.

The Mackay Regional Council posted in September that bus fares and zones would change to make “public transport simpler and fairer”.

“You mean buses might actually show up?” Tabitha Sunshine Ray commented on the post.

Helen Allwood also criticised the service; he said the 301 service was “useless”.

The current bus stop at the rear of Caneland Central shopping centre.

Bus users also expressed their anger over the $5.4m being spent on shifting a bus stop from the back of Caneland Central to the front along Mangrove Rd.

Many lamented the new location was dangerous for seniors and vulnerable members of the community.

“(Mangrove) Rd is horrendous on any given day without buses stopping/starting thrown into the mix,” Ange Nixon posted to Facebook.

For the latest information on TransLink services, head to the website and journey planner or phone Translink’s 24/7 customer call centre on 13 12 30.