Waiting Time screens

[jd]

In London I notice you have those screens in bus shelters which tell you which buses are coming and what time they are expected to arrive. Are they generally accurate, do they work at all?

I ask because they've just started installing them in Birmingham. Firstly, they were off for about 6 months after they were first installed because the software which tracked the buses wasn't compatible with the software which controlled the screens. Now, they are working, but are woefully inaccurate, and basically useless. The other day, they said the next buses were 36 mins then 48 mins. This is a route with a 3-4min frequency. I could see the next bus about 100m up the road. Another time, they said the next 3 buses were "Due" but they arrived about 10 mins later.

Basically, do they work in London (or anywhere else that has them, for that matter)?

 

[Dave A]

These screens only go by the route timetables which could be wrong if there is heavy traffic. But saying that, these work very well and are probably right 93% of the time.

I have never had a bad experience with one im my area but when you go to places that have buses arriving every minute, you only get around 85%.

They have definately improved over the years though.

David :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[jd]

Oh, yours work a bit differently then. Ours track the buses by GPS and calculate the time from the location of the bus.

 

[Guinness]

I've seen them in Manchester along the 192 Hazel Grove - Piccadilly Corridor, never used them. They always seem to be on test...

The ones in London seem to be accurate last time I checked.

 

[Tom]

We have them down here in Poole & Bournemouth, the Wilts & Dorset ones are VERY accurate. It marks DUE as soon as the bus is within, I believe, 50 metres of the stop.

 

[Dave A]

Oh, yours work a bit differently then. Ours track the buses by GPS and calculate the time from the location of the bus.

GPS

I wouldn't have thought that was possible. I can't imagine it in London. Buses come from the other side of London where I live so I wouldn't have thought its used here.

Also the "Due" seems to dissapear anyway, whether the bus has come or not. :roll:

But I'll check it out. I was told years ago they were run on the routes timetables, but times change :x :P

 

[Met Driver]

The London ones don't work according to the timetable, AFAIK. There are recievers at certain points along the route which send information from the bus to the display. I'm sure our resident bus expert, Sprinter, could provide a more detailed explanation...

 

[Dave A]

Thanks for cofirming that Seth.

 

[TAS]

Colchester has them they use timetable or GPS depending whether the bus in question is fitted with GPS. Timetable times are shown except for gps buses which count down. However they often go due-1min-due all the time. Due to traffic lights.
Thomas