History
In 1991, River Connections took over the operation of Brisbane City Council's fleet of Cityferries. CityCat services began in 1996 with 6 vessels, each capable of carrying 149 passengers, with two further vessels added to the fleet in 1998. In 2003, Brisbane City Council contracted Metrolink Queensland (a joint venture between Transdev and Transfield Services) to operate and maintain CityCat and Cityferry services for at least seven years.
In 2004, when Translink was established, the first "second generation" CityCat (Beenung-urrung) was introduced and passenger numbers increased by 26%. Late 2004 saw the restructuring of the Cityferry network which included more late night services. In response to the 31% increase in demand for CityCat services in 2005, another "second generation" CityCat (Tunamun) was introduced. November 2006 marked the 10th anniversary of the commencement of CityCat services.
In 2008, Transfield Services and Transdev re-branded Metrolink Queensland to TransdevTSL Brisbane Ferries. Also in 2008, three new CityCats (Meeandah, Wilwinpa and Ya-wa-gara) were launched and the Apollo Road terminal was reopened. In 2009 and 2010, three new CityCats (Mahreel, Kuluwin and Gootcha) were added to the fleet. Early 2010 saw the introduction of three express services during morning peak times. The second and third generation vessels have a capacity of 162 passengers.
All services were suspended on 10 January 2011 due to severe weather prior to the 2011 Brisbane floods. While the CityCat and ferry fleet escaped damage by mooring downstream at the Rivergate Marina or Manly harbour, much of the infrastructure was damaged or destroyed by the floods, causing services to be cancelled indefinitely. Partial CityCat and CityFerry services recommenced on 14 February 2011, using fifteen repaired wharves. Six of the remaining wharves opened using rescued and repaired pontoons on 18 April 2011.
Read more about this topic: Transdev TSL Brisbane Ferries
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“When we of the so-called better classes are scared as men were never scared in history at material ugliness and hardship; when we put off marriage until our house can be artistic, and quake at the thought of having a child without a bank-account and doomed to manual labor, it is time for thinking men to protest against so unmanly and irreligious a state of opinion.”
—William James (1842–1910)
“The principle that human nature, in its psychological aspects, is nothing more than a product of history and given social relations removes all barriers to coercion and manipulation by the powerful.”
—Noam Chomsky (b. 1928)
“All history attests that man has subjected woman to his will, used her as a means to promote his selfish gratification, to minister to his sensual pleasures, to be instrumental in promoting his comfort; but never has he desired to elevate her to that rank she was created to fill. He has done all he could to debase and enslave her mind; and now he looks triumphantly on the ruin he has wrought, and say, the being he has thus deeply injured is his inferior.”
—Sarah M. Grimke (1792–1873)