Best Bus Stop, Website and Timetable publicity

[burns20]

Which operators produce the best timetables and/or bus stop timetable publicity and have a passenger focused website?

 

[Statto]

Go Ahead group of companies have the best websites, their websites are very easy to use & navigate, First Group are not far behind either in being easy to use website, National Express West Midlands website is pretty good too, Arriva take note, Arriva website is the worst website of all the operators, & Stagecoach not far behind Arriva

Merseytravel are pretty good when it comes to loading new timetables on the website when the new timetable becomes available, & pretty quick to have new timetable displays at stops

 

[Roger1973]

Reading Buses are fairly good (I can't claim they are the best)

Apart from the period of very frequent service changes during the lockdowns etc, they are fairly good at getting timetables up at bus stops throughout their patch, and also at putting information up if a stop is going to be out of use due to roadworks and similar. During the frequent changes, they did the town centre bus stops (and possibly some other key locations) but don't think anyone managed to keep up with it all during 2020-21.

They also did route based timetable booklets before Covid, and buses have leaflet racks which usually had a supply of the timetable/s for the route for that colour / brand of bus. Having them on the 'generic' liveried buses was variable. I'm not entirely sure these have started again - for various reasons, I don't use the buses so much now and on my most recent journeys, there wasn't a supply.

 

[Surreytraveller]

Nottingham City Transport use the same website set up as Go-Ahead, so that's good.
I think TfL has to be one of the worst

 

[station_road]

Despite their current issues with cancellations TrentBarton do a good job of bus stop branding and timetables and usually have paper timetables available on buses

 

[johnnychips]

I, and the students I teach to travel, find the First app really easy to use.

 

[Flange Squeal]

I'm quite impressed with north west Surrey-based independent Falcon Buses. Their website is based on the increasingly common Rise Digital Media 'Bushub' platform so is therefore quite similar some other operators. Where I feel they excel though is that the timetable page features bold colour-coded route numbers, an upon clicking one you have the ability to download a well designed and clear timetable PDF and or a fares chart. Their maps page has a selection of area maps which feature bus stop locations and the colour coding from the routes page transferring onto those and the vehicles (even some big operators you find the colours of a route changes across different local maps). The tickets page has links to full fare charts showing all fares available on a route, rather than just a selection of mobile/period tickets and then a journey planner for single/returns that may take several goes if wanting to compare different journeys/routes. The only thing I think that lets them down is no mention of various service changes taking place from next Sunday.

• Sample area map
• Sample timetable
• Sample fares chart

Nearby independent White Bus has a similar website with attractive timetables and full fare charts available. Most of their downloadable timetable PDFs have route maps on them, however their network map could do with an update to reflect service changes and maybe some colour coding to highlight the individual routes. Surrey County Council maintain publicity at the vast majority of bus stops both operators serve so that is out of their remit, however White Bus have come to an agreement with the council to display their own in-house work at some stops (I think route 441 Staines to Englefield Green) which is to a similar style to what you see on their website.

In my opinion, they both give some much larger operators a run for their money - the 'full house' of maps, tidy timetable PDFs and fare charts seem like such obvious things to provide in my opinion but are missing from so many operators' websites. If potential customers can't find that sort of information quickly and easily then they're probably not going to rush to your services if there is an easy alternative. Both operators' youthful fleets of typically new Enviro MMCs or late E200 'Classics' operating primarily tendered services are also usually very well presented. Falcon have begun rolling out more of their colour-coded route branding on vehicles too.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I'd say Intalink (Herts CC) is the pretty good. Journey Planner, easily accessible PDF timetables, local maps, ticket info, and they are decent with roadside publicity.

TrentBarton is very good with their publicity.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Of the local authorities, I'd say Intalink (Herts CC) and WY Metro do the best publicity, including timetables, website and ticket info. WY Metro timetables even still include a description of the route taken, which is unusual these days, and bus stop information is clear and useful.

Operator-wise, I'd honestly say Transdev has the best overall package, especially Harrogate.

 

[Ken H]

Of the local authorities, I'd say Intalink (Herts CC) and WY Metro do the best publicity, including timetables, website and ticket info. WY Metro timetables even still include a description of the route taken, which is unusual these days, and bus stop information is clear and useful.

Operator-wise, I'd honestly say Transdev has the best overall package, especially Harrogate.

WY Metro, which has bus stops with destinations on the flag that are no longer served? Hmmm.

 

[Statto]

As i said Arriva are the worst of the operators, they don't even show joint services on their own timetables, check the 685 Newcastle to Carlisle timetable, you wouldn't know looking at the Arriva timetable it's an hourly joint Arriva, Stagecoach service, & Stagecoach operate short extras Carlisle - Brampton too.


Merseytravel are pretty decent now, you can do a timetable search or scroll down to find the route you want, & they have some timetables up from the Halton area

Merseytravel Timetables | Journey Planner & Maps

Find all the Merseytravel timetables for the different modes of transport; including bus timetables, train timetables and ferry timetables.

www.merseytravel.gov.uk

 

[SSmith2009]

For the Leicester area it would have to be Centrebus right now - most (if not all) bus stops have timetables and their website is easy to use with timetables, faretable and route tracking all on the service page

All upcoming service changes and disruptions along with a twitter feed are listed on the website too.

E.g: route 54a: https://www.centrebus.info/bus-services/leicester-city/54a/

 

[Megafuss]

Most of the Go South Coast brands are brilliant at the full package. Excellent roadside departure lists. Comprehensive timetable guides/ leaflets and easy to use websites and app. My trip last week to the Isle of Wight was an absolute doddle thanks to the clear information at Bus Stations, in the timetable book and the app!

I'd also echo what others say about Intalink. If there is an exemplar of how to do public transport information at local authority level, then Hertfordshire is it.

 

[Andyh82]

The thing about the Isle of Wight is that as Southern Vectis are pretty much the only operator, they have free reign (presumably agreed with the council) to be in full control of the whole package which is pretty rare

Most places even if you have a good website and paper timetables, the council may do the timetable sheets at stops, and if the operator does that, the council would still be in charge of the bus stop flags

Or you have multiple operators doing their own thing, sticking stickers to bus stop flags, displaying different paper sheets in timetable cases, all in different styles etc

 

[Falcon1200]

I would certainly agree re Go Ahead, the website for their subsidiary the Oxford Bus Co is extremely easy to use, and includes other operators (eg Stagecoach).And, much to my surprise, my local operator in the West of Scotland, McGills, now uses the same on-line format for its timetables.

Where I do find bus information very poor however is displays at bus stations: At both Braehead and Silverburn (retail centres outside Glasgow) there are bus stations with multiple services, stances and operators, yet no single place to find what bus goes where, when and from which stance, individual stops having to be checked to find that detail.

 

[markymark2000]

I think we are all learning here that Passenger produces the best websites. Most of the companies listed are using Passenger sites.

 

[Statto]

Of the Counties & non PTE areas, agree Hertfordshire's Intalink is one of the best, along with Derbyshire. Derbyshire have good timetable books too, although I don't know if Derbyshire still publish them. Warwickshire is pretty good too, as are County Durham & Essex if you know where to find them.

 

[Tetchytyke]

WY Metro, which has bus stops with destinations on the flag that are no longer served? Hmmm.

Given how often First West Yorkshire change their routes, that's not a surprise that bus stop flags get outdated. The timetable information is very clear, though, and tends to be accurate.

 

[Deerfold]

Of the local authorities, I'd say Intalink (Herts CC) and WY Metro do the best publicity, including timetables, website and ticket info. WY Metro timetables even still include a description of the route taken, which is unusual these days, and bus stop information is clear and useful.

Operator-wise, I'd honestly say Transdev has the best overall package, especially Harrogate.

West Yorkshire stop-specific timetables are dreadful. There's a list of places served at the top, and routes will be listed in it if even one bus a day serves that place. Past my house there's 5 buses an hour that serve Airedale Hospital. The other 2 buses an hour don't, but there's one evening trip on that route that does. At the top of the list of timetables next to Airedale Hospital it says "All services". It also gives no indication of how long services take. I've advised people to let a bus pass as it takes twice as long as the one 5 minutes behind it.

All buses that have a code next to them have them along the entire route, even after the information is useful, often making it wrong.

At Airedale Hospital where the 903 calls in both directions, there's just a list of times with no indication which services go to Keighley and which go to Silsden. There are 8 codes about variations to the route, but as some of them are for before they reach the hospital they don't help work out which direction the bus is going in.

I've pointed these out to Metro many times.

The printed timetable booklets were amongst the best I've ever seen but I've not seen any since the start of Covid.

Given how often First West Yorkshire change their routes, that's not a surprise that bus stop flags get outdated. The timetable information is very clear, though, and tends to be accurate.

There's stops I've pointed out to them with places on them that haven't been served in more than 10 years. The stops were not served by First. My experience of their stop timetable information differs. If you're on a nice simple route where all the buses do the same thing, then yes, they are.

 

[Ken H]

West Yorkshire stop-specific timetables are dreadful. There's a list of places served at the top, and routes will be listed in it if even one bus a day serves that place. Past my house there's 5 buses an hour that serve Airedale Hospital. The other 2 buses an hour don't, but there's one evening trip on that route that does. At the top of the list of timetables next to Airedale Hospital it says "All services". It also gives no indication of how long services take. I've advised people to let a bus pass as it takes twice as long as the one 5 minutes behind it.

All buses that have a code next to them have them along the entire route, even after the information is useful, often making it wrong.

At Airedale Hospital where the 903 calls in both directions, there's just a list of times with no indication which services go to Keighley and which go to Silsden. There are 8 codes about variations to the route, but as some of them are for before they reach the hospital they don't help work out which direction the bus is going in.

I've pointed these out to Metro many times.

The printed timetable booklets were amongst the best I've ever seen but I've not seen any since the start of Covid.



There's stops I've pointed out to them with places on them that haven't been served in more than 10 years. The stops were not served by First. My experience of their stop timetable information differs. If you're on a nice simple route where all the buses do the same thing, then yes, they are.

I noticed the ones round Ilkley. Stops between Burley and Ilkley still show Skipton and west of Ilkley they still show Leeds. The X84 stopped going beyond Ilkley some years ago but they are replacing stops. Do the new ones show route numbers?

 

[Statto]

Greater Manchester or [TfGM] are good at bus stop publicity, most of the stops have the route number displayed on the flag too, even if it's the only route using that road, GMPTE network bus maps are good too

 

[Deerfold]

I noticed the ones round Ilkley. Stops between Burley and Ilkley still show Skipton and west of Ilkley they still show Leeds. The X84 stopped going beyond Ilkley some years ago but they are replacing stops. Do the new ones show route numbers?

Until the week after next, there's still one 64 a day to Skipton (going North) from most of those stops and one going South to Otley (not Leeds).

The 784 (now 64) was split from the X84 in July 2020.

New stops in the Leeds area have route numbers and have been sorted into "lines", such as the "White Rose line" which indicates the route might serve the White Rose Centre (the 2 doesn't, the others do).

https://www.firstbus.co.uk/sites/default/files/public/maps/Castleford%20Corridor%20Map.pdf

 

[Tetchytyke]

The printed timetable booklets were amongst the best I've ever seen but I've not seen any since the start of Covid.

The PDFs still include all the same information, which is useful.

My experience of their stop timetable information differs. If you're on a nice simple route where all the buses do the same thing, then yes, they are.

I was in Leeds for the first time in a long time, I thought the new colour-coded routes were easy to understand, although I was only travelling on a main corridor- out to Headingley and out to White Rose. I can imagine that the lesser used stops get forgotten about.

 

[Goldfish62]

Thames Valley, part of Reading Buses, produces very good timetable books and uses the Passenger-format website.

Bus stops are a bit of a let down, with a basic list of stop specific departure times in an often scruffy case, with the flag advertising long gone operators and services.