BusTimes.org - general discussion

[Tony]

I would think it's generally quite accurate - however Tony did mention the equipment being transferred from one vehicle to another and if the ID isn't changed immediately might register as the wring vehicle on the tracker.

I thought it was 50/50 whether 3303, 4 and 5 shown at Pensnett at times this week were actually there or transferred equipment!!!

In terms of bus spotting, there's nothing to replace "in person" bus spotting but this new dip in and out when you feel like it stuff has an entirely new appeal all of its own!!

It is 'almost' impossible for an NXWM vehicle to show the wrong ID. They do lose contact altogether occasionally so will completely disappear. There's normally up to around 5-10 vehicles at any time like this. 6860 is an example at the moment that is not connecting. If a bus is dead for a few days the batteries will die and again it will disappear completely. 5503 is currently in this state while it is repaired at Perry Barr from the RTC on the Bristol Road a few months back.

Incidently 3302 & 3305 are currently at WA. 3301, 3303 & 3304 are currently at PN. All have live batteries at the moment so should be showing

[don]

Thanks Tony - useful to know. Not that I spend hours on the bus tracker, more like 5 mins every so often and it's very interesting - I had noticed 3301 at PN I think last weekend but they don't all seem to show there all the time.

[Tony]

Thanks Tony - useful to know. Not that I spend hours on the bus tracker, more like 5 mins every so often and it's very interesting - I had noticed 3301 at PN I think last weekend but they don't all seem to show there all the time.

Because they haven't been moved much lately the batteries never get fully charged, so while they have been under repair for a day or two they do soon disappear, one of 3301 or 3303, not sure which is having an MoT this week so will show on the move somewhere. I drove 3305 to Walsall earlier today, so that had a bit of charge as well.

[don]

Thanks, Tony

[ZF B7]

Am I the only person to think that the bus trackermap is rather spoiling the art of bus spotting.

In the past if you needed a particular bus, then you would go out and try and find it, now you can find it very easily and you don't have to leave home.

It definitely takes away that satisfactory feeling when you spot a rare finding in person. However, the tracker is really useful for tracking down old beasts that will be withdrawn soon, and I'm chuffed all buses are live now. Less time wasted hunting for a ride on individual buses furthermore.

[Tony]

As I mentioned earlier there's normally 5-10 vehicles where the tracker has stopped working, but are in service.

At the moment the list is
828, 835, 1765, 2002, 4556, 4569, 6860, 7522 & E026.

All these have been reported to the company that does our tracking equipment. any others not showing on BusTimes are currently dead for repair.

If anyone does see a bus in service other than those 9 that isn't on bustimes it is a new fault, so if it is posted I can report it

There are others that will show on the map with no details which also need reporting.
Recent transfers to WA & PN won't show route details until TfWM do their next update, but will show locations on the map.

[Jack]

4869 hasn't been tracking on the 51 today.

[JoNi]

As I mentioned earlier there's normally 5-10 vehicles where the tracker has stopped working, but are in service.

At the moment the list is
828, 835, 1765, 2002, 4556, 4569, 6860, 7522 & E026.

All these have been reported to the company that does our tracking equipment. any others not showing on BusTimes are currently dead for repair.

If anyone does see a bus in service other than those 9 that isn't on bustimes it is a new fault, so if it is posted I can report it

There are others that will show on the map with no details which also need reporting.
Recent transfers to WA & PN won't show route details until TfWM do their next update, but will show locations on the map.

Bustimes depiction of vehicle locations has proved very useful when the real time info app I use is often still showing bus due when its already gone because the algorithms haven't kept pace with reduced loadings.
Only 2165 and 4830 have let the side down in Coventry remaining in the garage on the visual tracker despite showing the correct route and journey details.
2147 has tracked strangely from day one appearing on a Training bus and seems to have gone to Wolverhampton having been stuck on the 21 for a number of days.
I've been impressed the system has only been down for an hour in the couple of weeks its been live and that was in the evening.

[the trainbasher]

Does anyone know if the NEAT Warks fleet are going to be tracking soon?

[John]

7506 is on the 7 this morning but not tracking the route number. 1751, 1831, 1891, 4475, 4500, 4743, 6121, 7508 also are doing this

4549 isn't tracking properly either, routes are showing but location has been stuck on Robin Hood Island for weeks. It's there now while on the 2

[WM_58]

Does anyone know what the number's mean to the right of the times?

[Tony]

Does anyone know what the number's mean to the right of the times?

It's the journey number

[WM_58]

Thanks Tony

[Tony]

Thanks Tony

On most routes even numbers are 'inbound' and odd numbers are 'outbound'

[DJ]

It definitely takes away that satisfactory feeling when you spot a rare finding in person. However, the tracker is really useful for tracking down old beasts that will be withdrawn soon, and I'm chuffed all buses are live now. Less time wasted hunting for a ride on individual buses furthermore.

I think it's a great tool to use, especially hunting down that one elusive vehicle, and I'm sure Tony's happy to see it all live now, resulting in less people asking for the whereabouts of a specific vehicle.

There's nothing stopping people from not using it, and just winging it like the days of old, too.