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Post by ThinLizzy on Jul 27, 2024 14:22:35 GMT
The software is not fit for purpose and is getting worse. Sometimes even if the curtailment is entered it does not show until the next trip, by then it is too late. Some drivers seem to think it is rocket science when it is basic computers of something equivalent from the 1980's. Then when that bus is on the last trip of the day, it does not allow a curtailment to be entered. This doesn't happen 'Sometimes' It seems to happen whenever the 365 is curtailed to 'Collier Row', as usually the 'Parkside Avenue' one is fine and the 365s are for some reason unable to display Collier Row on anything except the blinds, which makes zero sense as there is an ibus programme for 'Collier Row' on the 365 but oh well. I'm pretty sure I've seen 365s on Countdown displays showing Collier Row and Romford Market, and definitely seen 252s showing Romford Market or Elm Park on Countdown displays when I lived in Elm Park
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Post by mondraker275 on Jul 27, 2024 18:12:07 GMT
Three separate demos in Central London leading to the usual diversions and curtailments, but some highlights: 88 running a split service, this is much rarer than the 24 being split, Parliament Square <-> Clapham Common & PHF to Great Portland Street Station 148 also on a split service: Camberwell <-> Victoria & White City <-> Marble Arch 1 not split but diverting SB via Gray's Inn Road, Blackfriars Bridge. Two bph north of the river only, rest curtailing at Waterloo Furthest extent of curtailments thus far seems to be Warren Street/Euston/KX for the north (29, 73, 390, 91). Paddington and Harrow Road Bridge in the north west (6, 98, 7, 23), Lancaster Gate for the east (94), Baker Street/Portman Square (Baker Street corridor routes). Princes Gate (52), Queen's Gate (9), Sloane Square (22, 137), South Ken (14, 74, 414), County Hall (Westminster Bridge routes), St Paul's (8, 15, 76, 133), Old Street (55, 243), Roseberry Avenue (19, 38, 341), Lambeth Bridge (87). PS TfL, writing "Routes 6 7 8 9 12 13 14 15 19 22 23 24 26 29 36 38 55 59 68 73 74 76 87 88 91 94 98 133 137 139 148 159 172 176 188 243 341 390 414 and 453 are operating with service changes and diversions due to demonstrations. For more information, visit tfl.gov.uk/bus/status" on the bus status page yet not actually having more information for some routes on said page isn't brilliant. So I having been around central today, I experienced this. The bus black spot where there is no service is too large for too long and frankly it is a lack of care from TfL and anyone else involved i.e. Police. We cant have three protests on the same day for starters. At Shepherd's Bush, it said 94 to Piccadilly Circus on the countdown. Let's get this part right and I would have remembered the marches and taken 95. I only realised after a stop or two that all the 94s were going to Lancaster Gate. I thought no problem, why wouldn't my regular 274 not be at Lancaster Gate. It was not there. Absolutely no reason that it could not serve its normal routing. Once we terminated at Lancaster Gate, the driver said, very confidently that passengers are allowed to travel via Zone 1. I thought that made sense. Went to the station and CSA said he did not know, called it in and got no confirmation. There is no info out there and no communication between TfL services. I suspect that refunds were activated as it made too much sense. As the information you highlight was so limited, I was second guessing where the services would be and my aim was the 55 and I thought it would be at Tottenham Court Road or even Holborn. Between Tottenham Court Road and Old Street there was no march, no traffic, no nothing. It seems there is an arbitrary inflated cut-off time that does not reflect what is happening. In my time walking around, there were several 100s of people waiting at stops, so the message is not getting out there and TfL need to do more. Many stops did not have diversion signs too. While I'm ranting. Why does the 148 have driver changes at Shepherds Bush just stops away from White City? Seem non sensical.
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Post by DE20106 on Jul 28, 2024 15:18:00 GMT
I’ve been on loads of newer buses today, Volvo BZLs, Electroliners, BYD E400s, MMCs, Caetano E City Golds, Optare Metrocities, the works.
But I‘ve also been on two 2011 Volvo/Gemini 2’s today (WVL428 and VDW41004), and quite frankly these blow all of those newer buses out of the water. The air cooling on them was ice cold, every window opens, they’re smooth, well built, excellent visibility and don’t rattle. 2011 G2’s really are peak Wrightbus imo, and it’s crazy how much the standard has dropped with newer buses.
Very few buses can even hold a candle to these G2s, not even the BZL even though I think they’re extremely good. Gonna be a massive shame to see these go
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Post by TB123 on Jul 28, 2024 15:40:05 GMT
I’ve been on loads of newer buses today, Volvo BZLs, Electroliners, BYD E400s, MMCs, Caetano E City Golds, Optare Metrocities, the works. But I‘ve also been on two 2011 Volvo/Gemini 2’s today (WVL428 and VDW41004), and quite frankly these blow all of those newer buses out of the water. The air cooling on them was ice cold, every window opens, they’re smooth, well built, excellent visibility and don’t rattle. 2011 G2’s really are peak Wrightbus imo, and it’s crazy how much the standard has dropped with newer buses. Very few buses can even hold a candle to these G2s, not even the BZL even though I think they’re extremely good. Gonna be a massive shame to see these go Couldn’t agree more!
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Post by vjaska on Jul 28, 2024 16:36:59 GMT
I’ve been on loads of newer buses today, Volvo BZLs, Electroliners, BYD E400s, MMCs, Caetano E City Golds, Optare Metrocities, the works. But I‘ve also been on two 2011 Volvo/Gemini 2’s today (WVL428 and VDW41004), and quite frankly these blow all of those newer buses out of the water. The air cooling on them was ice cold, every window opens, they’re smooth, well built, excellent visibility and don’t rattle. 2011 G2’s really are peak Wrightbus imo, and it’s crazy how much the standard has dropped with newer buses. Very few buses can even hold a candle to these G2s, not even the BZL even though I think they’re extremely good. Gonna be a massive shame to see these go Second that - whilst I’ve mostly been an ADL fan, the B9TL & DB300 both ended up being my favourites of that generation
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Post by matthieu1221 on Jul 29, 2024 17:22:21 GMT
Three separate demos in Central London leading to the usual diversions and curtailments, but some highlights: 88 running a split service, this is much rarer than the 24 being split, Parliament Square <-> Clapham Common & PHF to Great Portland Street Station 148 also on a split service: Camberwell <-> Victoria & White City <-> Marble Arch 1 not split but diverting SB via Gray's Inn Road, Blackfriars Bridge. Two bph north of the river only, rest curtailing at Waterloo Furthest extent of curtailments thus far seems to be Warren Street/Euston/KX for the north (29, 73, 390, 91). Paddington and Harrow Road Bridge in the north west (6, 98, 7, 23), Lancaster Gate for the east (94), Baker Street/Portman Square (Baker Street corridor routes). Princes Gate (52), Queen's Gate (9), Sloane Square (22, 137), South Ken (14, 74, 414), County Hall (Westminster Bridge routes), St Paul's (8, 15, 76, 133), Old Street (55, 243), Roseberry Avenue (19, 38, 341), Lambeth Bridge (87). PS TfL, writing "Routes 6 7 8 9 12 13 14 15 19 22 23 24 26 29 36 38 55 59 68 73 74 76 87 88 91 94 98 133 137 139 148 159 172 176 188 243 341 390 414 and 453 are operating with service changes and diversions due to demonstrations. For more information, visit tfl.gov.uk/bus/status" on the bus status page yet not actually having more information for some routes on said page isn't brilliant. So I having been around central today, I experienced this. The bus black spot where there is no service is too large for too long and frankly it is a lack of care from TfL and anyone else involved i.e. Police. We cant have three protests on the same day for starters. At Shepherd's Bush, it said 94 to Piccadilly Circus on the countdown. Let's get this part right and I would have remembered the marches and taken 95. I only realised after a stop or two that all the 94s were going to Lancaster Gate. I thought no problem, why wouldn't my regular 274 not be at Lancaster Gate. It was not there. Absolutely no reason that it could not serve its normal routing. Once we terminated at Lancaster Gate, the driver said, very confidently that passengers are allowed to travel via Zone 1. I thought that made sense. Went to the station and CSA said he did not know, called it in and got no confirmation. There is no info out there and no communication between TfL services. I suspect that refunds were activated as it made too much sense. As the information you highlight was so limited, I was second guessing where the services would be and my aim was the 55 and I thought it would be at Tottenham Court Road or even Holborn. Between Tottenham Court Road and Old Street there was no march, no traffic, no nothing. It seems there is an arbitrary inflated cut-off time that does not reflect what is happening. In my time walking around, there were several 100s of people waiting at stops, so the message is not getting out there and TfL need to do more. Many stops did not have diversion signs too. While I'm ranting. Why does the 148 have driver changes at Shepherds Bush just stops away from White City? Seem non sensical. NMCC clearly stated that there was Z1 ticket acceptance. Not too sure how it can’t have gotten down to station level? It’s a Saturday after all so chances are high that something would be in place! Not too sure you’ll get a refund! The free ticket acceptance is only for those with bus and tram passes (a rarity these days), not regular Oyster or Contactless PAYG users. Honestly, TfL should do what HK does. All buses should just have an A4 waiting to be deployed stating diverted or curtailed… much better than 0 info given the usual no info at stops (tough enough for roadworks, forget it for a protest) and nothing on buses neither until you get to the diversion point and iBus maybe kicks in (with the lovely ‘please listen for further announcements’ which you rarely get from the driver!) iBus 2 might solve these things? Apparently there’ll be real time diversion info. Not that none of this could already be done by using NMCC data better and putting it out for the public.
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Post by mondraker275 on Jul 29, 2024 17:31:44 GMT
So I having been around central today, I experienced this. The bus black spot where there is no service is too large for too long and frankly it is a lack of care from TfL and anyone else involved i.e. Police. We cant have three protests on the same day for starters. At Shepherd's Bush, it said 94 to Piccadilly Circus on the countdown. Let's get this part right and I would have remembered the marches and taken 95. I only realised after a stop or two that all the 94s were going to Lancaster Gate. I thought no problem, why wouldn't my regular 274 not be at Lancaster Gate. It was not there. Absolutely no reason that it could not serve its normal routing. Once we terminated at Lancaster Gate, the driver said, very confidently that passengers are allowed to travel via Zone 1. I thought that made sense. Went to the station and CSA said he did not know, called it in and got no confirmation. There is no info out there and no communication between TfL services. I suspect that refunds were activated as it made too much sense. As the information you highlight was so limited, I was second guessing where the services would be and my aim was the 55 and I thought it would be at Tottenham Court Road or even Holborn. Between Tottenham Court Road and Old Street there was no march, no traffic, no nothing. It seems there is an arbitrary inflated cut-off time that does not reflect what is happening. In my time walking around, there were several 100s of people waiting at stops, so the message is not getting out there and TfL need to do more. Many stops did not have diversion signs too. While I'm ranting. Why does the 148 have driver changes at Shepherds Bush just stops away from White City? Seem non sensical. NMCC clearly stated that there was Z1 ticket acceptance. Not too sure how it can’t have gotten down to station level? It’s a Saturday after all so chances are high that something would be in place! Not too sure you’ll get a refund! The free ticket acceptance is only for those with bus and tram passes (a rarity these days), not regular Oyster or Contactless PAYG users. Honestly, TfL should do what HK does. All buses should just have an A4 waiting to be deployed stating diverted or curtailed… much better than 0 info given the usual no info at stops (tough enough for roadworks, forget it for a protest) and nothing on buses neither until you get to the diversion point and iBus maybe kicks in (with the lovely ‘please listen for further announcements’ which you rarely get from the driver!) iBus 2 might solve these things? Apparently there’ll be real time diversion info. Not that none of this could already be done by using NMCC data better and putting it out for the public. They are probably able to apply the auto-refund on a pay as you go. I am sure I got a refund recently using Jubilee line to complete my 108 journeys during Blackwall Tunnel closure.
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Post by matthieu1221 on Jul 29, 2024 22:41:02 GMT
NMCC clearly stated that there was Z1 ticket acceptance. Not too sure how it can’t have gotten down to station level? It’s a Saturday after all so chances are high that something would be in place! Not too sure you’ll get a refund! The free ticket acceptance is only for those with bus and tram passes (a rarity these days), not regular Oyster or Contactless PAYG users. Honestly, TfL should do what HK does. All buses should just have an A4 waiting to be deployed stating diverted or curtailed… much better than 0 info given the usual no info at stops (tough enough for roadworks, forget it for a protest) and nothing on buses neither until you get to the diversion point and iBus maybe kicks in (with the lovely ‘please listen for further announcements’ which you rarely get from the driver!) iBus 2 might solve these things? Apparently there’ll be real time diversion info. Not that none of this could already be done by using NMCC data better and putting it out for the public. They are probably able to apply the auto-refund on a pay as you go. I am sure I got a refund recently using Jubilee line to complete my 108 journeys during Blackwall Tunnel closure. The Blackwall closures seems to be an exception to the rule.
The ticket acceptance iirc is only for those with bus and tram passes. If you use PAYG, in TfL's eyes you're just using the tube as a separate journey rather than a continuation of a curtailed bus journey (which would not be that big of an issue if there were intermodal hopper!)
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Post by SILENCED on Jul 30, 2024 16:11:24 GMT
Have any buses been refurbished in relation to 3 year contracts? If not, is there a requirement to refurbish buses for 3 years?
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Post by mrhk on Jul 30, 2024 23:42:23 GMT
Have any buses been refurbished in relation to 3 year contracts? If not, is there a requirement to refurbish buses for 3 years? I dont think its a requirement for 3 year contracts as most of those routes will recieve buses that wouldve already had a refurbishment
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Post by surab21 on Aug 1, 2024 21:49:14 GMT
A new style Countdown sign has appeared at Waterloo Station/Waterloo Road, it seems to be some sort of trial as there was a staff member there filling out surveys with customers. Looks pretty smart and modern imo!
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Post by capitalomnibus on Aug 2, 2024 13:23:17 GMT
The software is not fit for purpose and is getting worse. Sometimes even if the curtailment is entered it does not show until the next trip, by then it is too late. Some drivers seem to think it is rocket science when it is basic computers of something equivalent from the 1980's. Then when that bus is on the last trip of the day, it does not allow a curtailment to be entered. This doesn't happen 'Sometimes' It seems to happen whenever the 365 is curtailed to 'Collier Row', as usually the 'Parkside Avenue' one is fine and the 365s are for some reason unable to display Collier Row on anything except the blinds, which makes zero sense as there is an ibus programme for 'Collier Row' on the 365 but oh well. Maybe down to the time it is being entered into the ibus. There has been a problem over the past year network wide after a software update. This prevented some curtailments being entered on the current trip. If the driver did enter it, it would then end up showing on the next round that they are doing towards Havering Park.
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Post by WH241 on Aug 2, 2024 15:24:02 GMT
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Post by mrhk on Aug 2, 2024 19:38:09 GMT
How do night buses/ 24hr buses come about?
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18ARustee
Conductor
Security Supervisor
Posts: 73
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Post by 18ARustee on Aug 3, 2024 17:04:06 GMT
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