An Aussie commuter recently made an unexpected tech discovery while travelling on her local bus route.
‘I was today years old when I finally noticed our buses have charging stations onboard!’ a Brisbane accountant excitedly shared to an online discussion forum.
She posted this caption beside a photo she’d snapped of the onboard device charger, showing two USB outlets located near a window inside the bus.
The USB ports were accompanied by a small sign displaying the Brisbane City Council logo and the words ‘Free Charging Station’. The sign also confirmed its suitability for 5V 2.5 amp use.
Other Queensland locals quickly chimed in, saying they’d spotted the charging stations on newer buses too.
‘I’ve noticed them only in a few buses,’ one said.
‘Not all of them! A few select routes, mostly city and inner suburbs,’ added another.
But some replies observed that the type of charger and its output level were hardly worth celebrating.
A Brisbane commuter spotted a little-known feature on her local bus route
The accountant spotted a ‘Free Charging Station’ comprising two USB ports alongside a window inside the bus
One person declared that the charging speed was ‘absurdly slow’ and that hardly anyone carried a USB-A charging cable these days.
‘I’ve used them once only because my battery was down to 15 per cent… by the end of my journey my battery was only up to 17 per cent,’ one recalled. ‘Stupidly slow charging.’
‘5V 2.5A couldn’t charge a modern rechargeable torch, let alone a laptop,’ one observed.
‘Not even USB-C?’ read another eye-rolling comment.
Some sarcastically noted they were simply ‘surprised it hasn’t had gum jammed into it’.
Many responses, however, admitted to feeling uneasy about using publicly available USB ports, worrying their devices might be exposed to things like viruses, malware, or scammers.
‘Maybe I’m paranoid but not keen to plug my phone into a public USB. Might use it to charge my extra battery though,’ one replied.
‘Never plug your devices into ports you do not own and cannot trust,’ advised one vigilant individual. ‘Zero trust is the way to go these days.’
The slick new Mariyung Fleet of trains has quietly rolled out on several of Sydney’s busiest train lines
A commuter from Penrith provided a photo of the USB and power charging ports onboard the Mariyung Fleet, describing the tech feature as a ‘game changer’
‘I would not plug into a random USB port in any public location, especially if you use a cheap USB cable. You can get a voltage spike upon connection which can short devices,’ agreed another.
They continued: ‘Amateur hackers who also have physical access to these things could do something nefarious (Juice Jacking) that could impact some unsuspecting low battery victim looking to top up.’
Despite these concerns, it seems a number of newer public transport modes in Australia are eagerly adopting onboard charging ports.
Brisbane City Council’s information page confirms that their new Brisbane Metro fleet includes ‘in-built USB A and C charging points’ and ‘onboard Wi-Fi’.
Meanwhile in Sydney, the state-of-the-art Mariyung Fleet of trains has also levelled up with a recharge station feature.
The new trains, which currently operate on every service between Sydney and the Central Coast/Newcastle line and select services on the Blue Mountains line, are installed with USB charging ports and regular power outlets.
A commuter from Penrith, who shared a photo of the charging ports onboard the Mariyung Fleet, told Daily Mail: ‘The improved toilets, seat trays and USB power are a game changer. It’s such a nice trip with the new trains.’
The regular rider also had a hot tip for those who wanted to ensure they always get to travel on the newer trains.
‘In the TripView app, if you tap onto one of the individual services, it shows you exactly which train it’s going to be. So I aim for the Mariyungs, always.’
