QConnect

qconnect
Formation 20 December 2007
Type Departmental Agency
Headquarters Brisbane, Australia
Membership
Private operators
Minister
Scott Emerson
Budget
A$100+ million
Website www.qconnect.qld.gov.au

qconnect is a network of integrated public passenger transport services that cover subsidised and/or regulated bus, coach and aviation networks in Regional Queensland, Australia. It was introduced by the Queensland Government in December 2007, and is an agency operated by the Department of Transport & Main Road (TMR) with an annual budget of more than A$300 million.

qconnect is a Queensland Government initiative providing improved public transport services and greater connectivity and accessibility of services throughout regional, rural and remote Queensland by working with transport operators such as Marlin Coast Sunbus, Sunbus Townsville, Mackay Transit, Capricorn Sunbus and more than 10 other public transport operators in regional and rural Queensland. The system allows a ticket purchased on any of these public transport services to be used for travel on any of the other ones, within the same network, provided that it covers the appropriate zones.

In November 2012, the Passenger Transport Division of TMR - who were responsible for the qconnect network - merged with the former TransLink Transit Authority to create TransLink Division who are responsible for the leading and shaping passenger transport in Queensland.[1]

Zones

QConnect major bus stop
QConnect standard bus stop

Zones vary by region. Some are radial, while others are more closely related to sectors. There are a total of 12 zones for Cairns and 11 zones for Townsville. While these zones indicate qconnect's coverage, services may not actually be in operation in certain parts of these zones.

Fares are calculated by counting the number of adjoining zones from trip origin to destination, regardless of how many zones are actually travelled through. Unlike in South East Queensland, qconnect does not offer district fares.

Ticket types and fares

Tickets available include:

Concession fares – qconnect provides standard concession fares for the following:

Service operators

qconnect urban bus services operate in the following places:

  1. Bowen Transit - Bowen town
  2. Buslink Gladstone - Gladstone City
  3. Bus Queensland Toowoomba - Toowoomba Region
  4. Capricorn Sunbus - Rockhampton City
  5. Christensen Bus & Coach - Kilcoy to Caboolture
  6. Duffy's Buses - Bundaberg City
  7. Glasshouse Country Coaches - Beerwah to Maleny
  8. Haidley's - Warwick
  9. Mackay Transit Coaches - Mackay City
  10. Marlin Coast Sunbus - Cairns and Surrounding Areas
  11. North Stradbroke Island Bus Service - North Stradbroke Island
  12. Polley's Coaches - Gympie Region
  13. Stewart's & Sons - Bundaberg Region
  14. Sunbus Townsville - Townsville Region including Magnetic Island
  15. Trans North Bus & Coach - Innisfail Region
  16. Whitsunday Transit - Shute Harbour, Airlie Beach, Proserpine
  17. Wide Bay Transit - Maryborough and Hervey Bay
  18. Young's Bus Service - Rockhampton Region.[3]

A journey planner using Google Maps was launched in 2011 and is accessible from the qconnect website.

See also

References

  1. About TransLink, webpage, retrieved 19 December 2013
  2. Fares and Ticket Types, page 8, retrieved 27 March 2008
  3. qconnect urban bus services, retrieved 27 March 2008