🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <4mv1jm$1ue@orb.direct.ca>, chanp@direct.ca (Patrick Chan) wrote:

> >As for the drivers, if you were to add being a traffic reporter to their
> >duties, how much more would you be willing to pay?  Added responsibilities
> >cost money to employers.  You cannot just add one here and another there
> >before somebody says "whoa!".


> So, you're saying a bus driver isn't capable of calling in when he's
> late?   Or if he looks ahead and sees a jam?   Give them a little
> credit. 

Give "them" a little credit?  <g>  I'm one of "them". :-)

> As you well know, many are very experienced and have a good
> feel for traffic.   If they're late, they know it.   The system
> doesn't have to be 100% accurate (not down to the last minute), but so
> long as it informs riders about delays.    Heck, I'd be happy if
> drivers would stick their head out the door at stops and shout "Bus
> #403 is delayed" or something to that effect.  It just gives the rider
> the info needed to make decisions.  

When there are problems on the Oak Street Bridge, you'll often find the
351 or 601 bus drivers bringing Richmond passengers up to Broadway where
the late inbound Richmond bus can "short turn".  This happens once in a
while.  Also happens at the ferry terminal, where the Swartz Bay may be on
time and the Gulf Islands ferry might be late.  A 404 might take off to
Ladner and the 640 might stay and wait.

> Anyways, wouldn't this
> information help BC Transit in their planning?  

There's planning and there's trying to anticipate acts of God.  Planning
says that at an "average" speed, a bus can do it's route in xx minutes. 
That is the planning aspect.  Planning does not involve keeping extra
busses waiting here and there "just in case".  When an accident closes
part of the tunnel, one bridge lane, a roadway in any particular
direction, or some moron in a dump truck takes out a trolley wire
someplace... all of these cannot be anticipated or "planned" for.  Similar
when there are equipment shortages or manpower shortages.  You can plan
contingencies for just about anything, but you can't plan for the
unexpected.  That's why the system is not perfect and never will be.

As for relaying information to people on the route, maybe that's an
opportunity for some entrepreneur.  Provide a cheap and easy relay system
to keep everything up to date.  BC Transit has a program called "Trapeze"
that has modlues that will do some of these things as they come on line
over the next few years, but as Martin pointed out... it all costs big
bucks!


> If certain buses at
> certain times are consistently late, then perhaps scheduling could be
> adjusted accordingly...     Doesn't BCT already collect this info (in
> some fashion)?   Is it that tough to pass it on to the riders?
> 
> Patrick

=====================================================================
George Johansen - johansen@portal.ca

The opinions expressed here are not necessarily the official 
platform or policy of any political party or company.
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