About the Australian Timetable Material

[James Mancuso <nospam@newsranger.com>]

>From what I have seen of the specimens of rail and bus timetables I have 
received from Australia, these are very well done and the presence of colorful
illustrations on the covers conveys to me the impression that considerable
effort is being made to promote and market the transportation services being
offered to the travelling public. The rail timetables are especially well done
and are superior to much of the available material here in the United States.
By perusing these timetables, I get the impression that Australia has quite a
number of very well run bus and railway companies that are run even better than
many of those here in the States. As a form of advertisement, the timetables of
various Australian bus and railway companies seem to convey to the traveling
public that the issuing company does indeed want your business. It is the lack 
of such effort by so many carriers here in the States that is no wonder that a
number of them are in deep trouble, and Greyhound Lines, which has all but
stopped issuing timetables, except for their system book, is one sick dog, to
pardon the pun. Greyhound Lines, USA put out their last timetable folders in
1992, while Greyhound Canada has continued issuing their folders to this day.
I would like to see a copy of the combined Greyhound Pioneer/McCafferty's 
timetable and compare it to the pathetic examples issued by some of our bus
companies Stateside. Compared to Greyhound USA, McCafferty's is a real first
class operation and is to be congratulated. I am sure that their management and
drivers could run rings around those of Greyhound USA. The quality of timetables
produced by this and other carriers, both public and private reflect the high
quality of services offered the travelling public. That is why I want to
congratulate Australia in not making the same mistakes that we Yanks have made
in destroying what was once the finest passenger train network and set of mass
transit systems in the world. Our screwed up mess is the true legacy of the
Eisenhower years and our quality of timetables reflects it. To all who are
asssociated with Australian rail and bus carriers, I congratulate you on doing a
superior job to that done here in the states. The proof is in the timetables.

James Mancuso