bus shelter count downs..........

[StraferJack]

Anyone who wants simple:

1) go to bus stop

2) wait for bus

That's it. Anything else is bonus good stuff. The fact that you can find out how long to wait, for any bus stop, even with a 1997 Nokia is science fiction ace ville

Anyone with an ios or android device who isn't using citymapper app is a fool to themselves. Not just for buses but london wide transport. If you are worried about using in public, check before leaving house.

But expanding and maintaining a board at every bus stop is financial and logistical ruin

[Bic Basher]

scotslass Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Also you can't use the number at bus stops to

> check if you are on a monthly bundle as the number

> is blocked

It's a premium service. 12p to receive the call plus your standard network rate. If you have a data bundle, use the mobile countdown site instead.

[James Barber]

TfL are revamping Countdown. In the process they're removing Countdown displays from some bus stps and placing them at others. It is an exceptionally expensive system that only covers a small minority of bus stops.

I'm tempted to have a play and produce a cheap COuntdown terminal for bus stops.

[JohnL]

Most phones are nominally worth 300+ but..

I buy a phone to use it - not hide it in my pocket - although I'm more likely to

check in the pub/coffee bar than the bus stop - citymapper (thats what I use)

takes 10 secs to check :).

Sue Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> sedm Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > This may be no use to you, but if you have a

> > iphone there is a very good app called Live Bus

> > Times which you can use at any bus stop.

> > I agree it would be better to keep the count

> down

> > screens up

>

> xxxxx

>

> Also for Android phones, showing on my phone as

> "LT free" so I presume that's what you'd have to

> search for.

>

> You can click on any bus stop in the area (on a

> map, not on the actual bus stop, obviously, duh)

> and it will show you times of arrival of all the

> next buses.

>

> ETA: I agree no use if you don't have a smart

> phone, but hey, not so long ago we all just had to

> stamp our feet and moan if no bus appeared, now at

> least many of us know when it's likely to arrive

> .....

>

> And the person above who has a ?500 phone - well,

> lucky lucky you, I hope it's ?500 worth better

> than the perfectly adequate smart phone I got

> "free" with my ?10-ish a month contract :))

[jane1]

omg what have they done to the neros bus shelter today, they were taking it down when i walked pass it.......

[lane lover]

I tend to use the app before I leave home - so not an issue to have it out at the bus stop. No use worrying about when the bus is coming if you are already at the bus stop right?

The app is for all bus stops - so the expense to tfl for having the boards on a limited number of stops does not make sense when the majority of people get the information for free. I prefer the money be used to improve services, including new buses, more regular buses and cleaner buses.

For those that cant afford a smart phone, there are other ways to manage travel. You can check on the internet before you leave home for instance. These days, you can get smart phones very cheaply; it doesnt need to be the iPhone 5s.

[alice]

some people live in a parallel world

[Penguin68]

For those that cant afford a smart phone, there are other ways to manage travel. You can check on the internet before you leave home for instance

To re-state a point (sorry) but there are many, particularly more elderly, who have difficulties using smart phones (sight/ dexterity) and may not be internet savvy - of have sufficient disposable income to own a computer or pay for interent connections.

These are also people most likely to be dependent on public transport and not be comfortable on e.g. bikes.

Live bus times at stops can be a godsend to some people - maybe Tfl should be researching the demographics of particular stops and siting their displays where there may be most need? Is there any evidence that they are already doing this?

[StraferJack]

"Live bus times at stops can be a godsend to some people - maybe Tfl should be researching the demographics of particular stops and siting their displays where there may be most need? Is there any evidence that they are already doing this?"

They are a relatively recent introduction - anyone in that demographic is far more used to NOT having a countdown - that doesn't mean they don't count but it stil ldoesn't warrant spending cash on installing and maintaining these boards

And how much effort would ittake to measure demographics of each bus stop? sheesh...

[Otta]

What SJ said. Most elderly people KNOW when the bus is due, and get the bus stop accordingly. And lets be honest, you never have to wait THAT long, even if you miss a bus.

I totally agree with lane lover that the money it would cost to puyt these at every stop, not to mention maintaining them, could be better spent on many other things.

[El Pibe]

Plus time goes faster for crumblies, so even a ten minute wait isn't much ;)

[Countrlass22]

nero bus stop has been replaced new shelter all seen be in process being replaced new ones no countdown and yes we dont all ahve smart phones..........

no istigated people get them out at stops to be stolen...........the countdowns were a good guide seen alot older people use them.

and no isnt always 10 minute wait.............

checking online before leave home is fine if stop near home for us it isnt........

maybe we could mail tfl ask about countdown screens.....still have them in Peckham

regards

countrlass

[StraferJack]

That bus stop is one of a selectionof busstops that TFL say they are temporarily removing

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/corporate/temporary-countdown-sign-removals.pdf

So looks like they will be back

But is everyone who hasn't got a smartphone saying that can't or won't use the text option on an old nokia? Or willing to ask someone else at a bus stop?

[Penguin68]

And lets be honest, you never have to wait THAT long, even if you miss a bus.

When the buses are running to timetable, that's correct. However, I have waited well over 40 minutes for a 176 in town (and then given up and sought an alternative route (tube, train, bus). An accurate notification of the hold-up would have allowed me to make that decision far earlier. It is when things aren't running to plan that you need to know about it.

As regards demographics - it is reasonable to assume that most people will chose a bus stop within (say) a 10 minute walk of where they live - demographics on such catchment areas are readily available from census information - which will include information about age and occupation - looking for clusters of elderly poor (for instance) is relatively simple, and cheap. Any transport company which isn't keeping track of its customers and usage deserves to (and will) go bust quite readily.

And as for the suggestion that the old and poor and disabled are used to being treated like sh*t (-anyone in that demographic is far more used to NOT having a countdown - that doesn't mean they don't count but it still doesn't warrant spending cash on installing and maintaining these boards) so shouldn't be catered for - well!...

[aquarius moon]

El Pibe Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Plus time goes faster for crumblies, so even a ten

> minute wait isn't much ;)

Speak for yourself EP!

Ten minutes at a bus stop feels like a lifetime.

[StraferJack]

way to paraphrase penguin, way to paraphrase

firstly I didn't say " old and poor and disabled" - you said that

i did refer to that demographic as "elderly" - and those people will be far more used to not having a display than having it. I'm not advocating removing it from them (see my update from TFL above) - I'm just saying they might be more hardy than you give them credit for.

[StraferJack]

Re 10 minute waits: The rules are:

1) 10 minute wait at a tube station ? ?you are f****** kidding me!!!!?

2) 10 minute wait at a bus stop ?grrrr ? but could be worse?

3) National rail ? ?sweet! Enough time to buy a mag and some coffee?

[Penguin68]

firstly I didn't say " old and poor and disabled" - you said that

But I had, in a previous post, pertinent to my initial request for a demographic analysis, referred to people, and I quote particularly more elderly, who have difficulties using smart phones (sight/ dexterity) and may not be internet savvy - ... have sufficient disposable income to own a computer or pay for interent connections. - which I think covers 'old, poor and disabled' as a group. Your response to my request for a demographic study thus implicity covers the same cohort.

[StraferJack]

"which I think covers 'old, poor and disabled' as a group."

well that's an opinion, and it's yours

" Your response to my request for a demographic study thus implicity covers the same cohort."

if you say so. I disagree

Back in the real world - TFL not permanently removing sign updates. List of affected bus stops published above.

[Otta]

Penguin you were inconvenienced one time and waited 40 minutes. Unfortunate, but worth investing in countdowns for every stop for?

I think not.

[Penguin68]

It was not the first, and I am sure won't be the last time that London buses do not run to timetable. I have smart phones and the internet (but, for once, my smartphone was out of battery). I quoted this as a rebuttal of 'you don't have to wait long' - as if it was a univeral truth.

There are many people who are not so tech enfranchised as you, and me. I did not suggest investing in countdowns for 'every stop' indeed I specifically suggested careful targeting using demographic information.

Do not invest me with hyperbole I didn't use - I am quite capable of hyperbole - but in this case I was careful to suggest a far more limited roll-out than you imply.

[Otta]

My bad, was confusing your posts with others.

I still don't think they're a particularly good use if resources though. And whilst buses are rarely running to timetable, it is rare in my experience (pretty vast considering my job involves travel training kids to use public transport) that you'll be waiting mire than 10 minutes.

[lane lover]

There are far too many Daily Mail readers on this forum.

[Zebedee Tring]

You clearly haven't had to wait for a bus outside London, in particular in country areas where the info on bus shelters is almost non-existent (and this includes parts of Surrey just outside London). The info that TfL provide at bus stops is excellent by comparison, even when there isn't a countdown.

[StraferJack]

Lane lover. Not sure what that means in context of this debate?