Old trucks

Melbourne trams have enclosed cabs for drivers already.
AFAIK buses don't have them yet. With myki, there is no fare-collection duty, but apparently top-up for cash is still offered. Chrome railings provide some protection against an unexpected attack.
Brisbane bus drivers have been campaigned for screens: installation may be in progress already.
All recent Sydney bus routes have been prepay, via Opal.
Taxis have had screens for years.

Newspapers now predict a glowing future for driverless buses (and also aerial taxis, with artwork showing just one in a near-empty sky).

Re gutless buses, that was one of the reasons for failure of double-deck buses in Melbourne: slow away from stops, and struggling up Ruckers Hill (Northcote).
The two cable-tram routes which had lingered to 1940 or 41 were replaced with these. Then in 1955, the two were rebuilt as electric tram lines.
The bridge under the railway at Clifton Hill had to have the road lowered to hold the buses.
There are stories (urban myths?) of the buses diverted under the low bridges in the Collingwood area (or sent to take on football traffic): a precursor of Montague St and Napier St today.

Roderick

I came very close to buying a late-40s/early-50s AEC (ex Melbourne?) that had been converted to a full front, albeit with the half bonnet still in place and with a ticket dispenser screwed on top towards the back. Nice bus to drive, but it was too good to convert into a mobile home despite a very good price. One that got away? We all have one or two of those no doubt . . .

I typed the following yesterday morning but just as I went to click "Submit" it all disappeared. so I will try again.

In the early years of the HCVCA, the club was offered for a token price, or maybe it was free, I do not remember, an AEC Regal Mc111 with half-cab. It had been converted to a large ambulance with, I think 16 seats and space for six or 10 stretchers, for the Counter Disaster Task Force. The back had been made into two hinged doors for stretcher access. Many members wanted to accept it, replace the missing seats and use it as aa club bus for runs.
One outspoken member, now dead, insisted that the Mark 3's were unreliable, terrible vehicles so the Committee decided not to take it. At subsequent meetings when the outspoken one was not there, many members who had experience with them said they were fine.

When Melbourne Metropolitan Transport Board sold off the last of their MK 111's, the Gas and Fuel Corporation took on several that they converted into "Crew (or office) Buses" and some into mobile workshops for the conversion of all gas appliances, domestic, commercial and Industrial, from "Town" gas (made from coal at a gasworks) to natural gas. I worked for a few years from 1969 in one of the domestic crews, reporting to "Bus 10" and then we were put on to commercial work, where I got into a huge range of buildings I had never entered before. We were fingerprinted by the Federal Police as we were chosen to convert appliances at Pentridge Gaol but I was very relieved that another crew got the job while we were working in the La Trobe valley.

I don't know how much maintenance trickery was required. They had a preselector gearbox. I haven't seen many AEC Regal Mk III buses as mobile homes. They are slow on highway traffic.
The prolific Bedford SB was the main feedstock for mobile homes.
120506Su-P1050748-LakeGoldsmith-NewcastleClub-1952AEC_Regal.MkIII-Pist'on'Broke-RSmith. This was towing a tandem trailer with an exhibit aboard (a military truck?).
690118Sa-15-Esperance-caravanexWAGR_AECRegalMkIII_A21-RSmith. The fact that it was WAGR and not MTT may hint higher gearing.

Roderick

The AECs had an air change preselect ,the Daimlers had the notorious "shin kickers" ,mechanical change preselects to the original Wislon design,the same box virtually used in scout cars and armoured cars made by BSA -Daimler......Later Daimlers had the Daimler diesel and a "Daimatic" self changing gear......The Albions were a lot more popular,price wise with Gardner 6LWs or the big Albion 9l Diesel and a 4 sp crash box,with gears 3"wide in it....Council here used the Albions as mobile libraries for a long time,and sold them in the 70s.

Roderick

Stonnington street watch: Toorak vintage ute stolen
Stonnington Leader January 18, 2020
A vintage ute has been stolen from Toorak and police need help to solve the crime.
The green truck has white writing on both doors and the registration plates 1JP 2EM.
The ute was stolen from St Georges Rd, sometime over the weekend before Christmas — between 7pm on Friday, December 20 and 11.30pm on Sunday, December 22.
A distinctive vintage green ute was stolen from the roadside in Toorak.
Anyone who has information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
< www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/inner-east/s...20959474e0d4b695222a >

200118Sa-Melbourne'HeraldSun '-stolen.vintage.truck.jpg

The truck seems to be in Sydney Bus Museum. I suspect the former site (Tempe Depot), not the current one.

Roderick

Ampol’s returning, but will Golden Fleece make an Aussie comeback?
Herald Sun January 24, 2020
A surge of nostalgia accompanied Caltex Australia’s plans to resurrect Ampol in an upcoming rebrand. But what about Golden Fleece, a trademark it also owns?
Popular among memorabilia collectors, Golden Fleece’s distinct logo and merino will not be making a comeback. File image: Jay Town
Its distinct “golden merino” logo once dominated the nation’s roadways.
And while selling petrol was its core business, for a time the innovative fuel supplier also ran the nation’s largest chain of restaurants.
But while Ampol will return to the nation’s roads, there are no plans to resurrect another much-loved Aussie petrol brand, Golden Fleece.
Caltex Australia – which owns both the Ampol and Golden Fleece trademarks – announced late last year that it was heading back to the future by rebranding its network of more than 800 petrol stations to Ampol.
The rebrand, to be carried out over the next three years, follows US oil giant Chevron terminating its license agreement with the fuel retailer that allows it to use the Caltex name.
Ampol will soon make a comeback to Victorian roads.
It will see the Ampol brand resurrected some three decades after it disappeared from view.
The return of Ampol has stirred memories of the Golden Fleece brand, whose distinct golden merino sheep logo – modelled on a prize-winning ram dubbed David of Dalkeith – has long been popular with petrol memorabilia collectors.
Golden Fleece, founded in Melbourne in 1893 by shipowner and merchant Harold Crofton Sleigh, was at the forefront of developing the Australian petroleum industry.
The company dramatically shook up how the nation purchased petrol, pioneering the roll out of single-branded service stations.
Prior to this, service station had sold a variety of petrol brands.
It also pioneered roadhouse dining, with a menu from the early 1970s offering entrees of beef croquettes and tomato and vegetable soup and main courses including chicken kiev, T-bone steaks, and ham and pineapple salad.
Golden Fleece was once at the forefront of developing the Australian petroleum industry. Picture: Geoff Ward
Caltex Australia took over the company in the early 1980s.
While it phased out its unique livery from petrol stations across the nation, government records show it has continued to register the trademark.
Despite keeping the trademark alive, Caltex said it did not intend to bring the brand back to the nation’s roads.
“We have no current plans to revive Golden Fleece and are focused on relaunching the iconic Ampol brand to the Australian market in 2020,” the company said in a statement.
“These plans are well progressed. However, Golden Fleece’s reputation for customer service and high-quality fuel and food on the road is something that will be front and centre in our customer offer through the Ampol brand.”
video: Caltex Australia to be rebranded as Ampol. Australian drivers can expect to see a gradual phase-out of petrol stations branded under the 'Caltex' name as the stations are set to be rebranded as 'Ampol'. Image: News Cor...
In 2018, Caltex acquired a 468-piece collection of Golden Fleece memorabilia from Paul Lukes and Clare Gordon, avid Golden Fleece collectors in Sydney.
The collection includes a 1948 Fargo truck that delivered petrol in New South Wales until the 1960s.
Chevron’s move to terminate its licencing agreement with Caltex Australia over that brand follows the US oil giant returning to the Australian petrol station market by buying Puma Energy.
Chevron is expected to rebrand Puma to Caltex.
< www.heraldsun.com.au/business/ampols-ret...a331016f357c9755e57a >

200124F-Melbourne'HeraldSun'-Ampol
200124F-Melbourne'HeraldSun'-GoldenFleece (two)

Do I read this correctly . . . ?
Caltex will rebrand its petrol stations as Ampol
AND
Chevron will change Puma Energy petrol stations to Caltex :dry: :blink: :oops:

Perhaps I'm confused, but . . . :S

As my Daughter said when she was about 12, it is confusterating. (a combination of confusing and frustrating)

Back in the 1960's I picked up lots of parcels from H C Sleigh in South (or Port) Melbourne for delivery. They had lots of Golden Fleece memorabilia around their office.

PDU wrote: Do I read this correctly . . . ?
Caltex will rebrand its petrol stations as Ampol
AND
Chevron will change Puma Energy petrol stations to Caltex :dry: :blink: :oops:

Perhaps I'm confused, but . . . :S

That's How I read It Too, PDU.....