tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post8132155988022186373..comments2024-03-29T08:14:43.839+00:00Comments on Public Transport Experience: That's The Way To Do It! (1)fatbusblokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06833340546527596517noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-40979455068063454202017-04-11T06:37:53.239+01:002017-04-11T06:37:53.239+01:00"Passengers seek confirmation at every step o..."Passengers seek confirmation at every step of the way" . . . . how true!<br />I was in Shrewsbury on Saturday, needing to catch the 1620 on Route 511 to Whitchurch. The timetable near the stop confirmed 1620; the more general list of departures at the other end of the bus station showed 1605. The 1620 timetable showed June 2016 as the valid date; the 1605 timetable showed January 2017. I don't possess a smartiephone, so was unable to seek confirmation elsewhere, and there were no leaflets in the (otherwise) well supplied Bus Station office.<br />The result? I hung around the stop from 1600 onwards just in case. The bus turned up at 1620 . . . a very pleasant ride out in spite of Shrewsbury being grid-locked with queuing traffic {apparently the Park and Ride buses are being chopped soon . . . not enough passengers!}<br /> The worst bit? Both timetables were maintained by Shropshire CC!!greenline727https://www.blogger.com/profile/03033268278026535109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-11445579778710771492017-04-10T17:52:50.126+01:002017-04-10T17:52:50.126+01:00Thank you greenline727 for pointing out that elect...Thank you greenline727 for pointing out that electronic platforms complement print and vv. Bus stop displays reinforce the information. Maps should be compulsory so an intending passenger knows a bus actually runs to their chosen destination. Passengers seek confirmation at every step of the way.Bobnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-41333813709118738242017-04-10T17:02:01.987+01:002017-04-10T17:02:01.987+01:00A bit of a general comment, but nonetheless german...A bit of a general comment, but nonetheless germane . . . . . the bus stop timetable is useful to confirm previous researches; the interwebnet is useful for researching from a distance; the timetable booklet is useful if (1) access to the interwebnet is faulty or not available (not everyone has a smartiephone); (2) useful if a selection of journeys is being undertaken.<br /><br />My company (two commercial routes plus a contract for the local County) produces a timetable booklet for all timetable changes. 28 pages; full colour; includes maps and timetables and some fares information. The cost? For 10000 copies, including design and compilation . . . . just south of £2000, or 20p per copy. OK, the maps are extra, but only around £250 for initial cartography and similar for subsequent amendment as required.<br /><br />Was it not the great Barry Doe who opined "better to have 99 contracted routes and publicise them than 100 contracted routes and tell no-one about them!" <br /><br />What does Joe Public want from a timetable book? Bus Timetables! Maps would be good as well. Frankly, that's it, and if you keep it simple then the cost need not be great.<br /><br />If only . . . . . greenline727https://www.blogger.com/profile/03033268278026535109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-2696925675491480682017-04-10T10:49:36.454+01:002017-04-10T10:49:36.454+01:00A little bit of unintentional "market researc...A little bit of unintentional "market research" for you to ponder.<br />Our major group subsidiary recently changed it's timetable for the frequent service through our town, which led to two contrasting conversations. <br />At church a retired but not quite old enough for a Concessionary Pass person asked me "has the bus timetable changed? I see they've changed the board". (The roadside displays changed from a full timetable in corporate blue to a departure list in route branded green, so it was obviously different without the need to study it). I confirmed that there was indeed a new timetable, but still at the same frequency. "I better check the board then, I've got to go to the hospital next week".<br />Whilst out a hike I mentioned the imminent timetable change to a 16 year old Sixth Form student who uses the service every day. "yeah, I've seen the posters on the bus, but I haven't checked the changes yet" and which point he whipped out his phone, went to the operator's website, saved in his favourites list, found the new timetable, checked his regular journeys and announced "not much different".<br />The retired and the teenager, both important segments of the market for bus services, and neither mentioned a paper timetable. The operator concerned does produce publicity, and you'll usually find a supply of timetables and other relevant leaflets on board (an advantage of route specific/branded buses), but they don't seem to be important to actual users.<br />OK, my sample is perhaps too small to be meaningful, but I'd suggest it has a degree of validity as they are real life examples, discovered just in the course of life without seeking to get an opinion.CBOnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-33835791333215762792017-04-10T09:30:53.917+01:002017-04-10T09:30:53.917+01:00The front cover design you mention is actually a C...The front cover design you mention is actually a Centrebus design that was borrowed by D&G after first being used on the joint Macclesfield booklet. Not sure whether this cover will see much more use, Centrebus are starting to move to more personalised designs with recognisable local landmarks and in some cases more realistic cartoon buses that are recognisable as members of the fleet. It has been suggested that D&G may move back to using actual photos for the front cover art of their future books.dwarfer1979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-88034894960960685292017-04-10T09:25:24.098+01:002017-04-10T09:25:24.098+01:00High Peak is NOT a joint venture between Trent &am...High Peak is NOT a joint venture between Trent & D&G but between Centrebus & Wellglade (owners of Trent but if you look at how Trent don't really acknowledge the existence of the sibling companies it seems an important distinction to them). Centrebus is now majority owned by Julian Peddle (Julian bought out the last two founding shareholders two years ago to gain control before that he was a large but minority shareholder), whereas D&G, Midland Classic & Select Bus still have control in the hands of their original founders (or some of them) with Julian Peddle having a minority stake which allows the companies to access his experience and connections to help develop the businesses.dwarfer1979noreply@blogger.com