tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post2994604404327087910..comments2024-03-29T08:14:43.839+00:00Comments on Public Transport Experience: Web Sites, Used or Confused? [1]fatbusblokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06833340546527596517noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-86699904252519654372011-09-09T11:31:51.411+01:002011-09-09T11:31:51.411+01:00As I think I have posted here before, the first th...As I think I have posted here before, the first thing I learnt when doing computer studies many years ago was GIGO - Garbage In Garbage Out. There is too much reliance on the use of systems with no facility for quality checking.Daddysgadgetshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12892897553855129226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-12854768169979848302011-09-07T22:53:24.760+01:002011-09-07T22:53:24.760+01:00Well, what do you know? I have now managed to down...Well, what do you know? I have now managed to download a timetable for the mysterious service 36 from the Southern Vectis website. If you go to http://www.islandbuses.info/, hover your mouse over 'bus times' in the menu at the left, a sub-menu will appear with 4 items, the last of which is called 'WightBus'. Click on this, and you will receive a PDF file with 41 pages. I must confess I had not realised that routes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, ... were operated by WightBus, but then we learn something new every day. If you go to page 41 of said PDF, there is service 36 in full detail, including Gatcombe Church. Unfortunately, there does not appear to be a single date on this worthy publication, so I have no idea if it is current. The confusion is thus increased rather than reduced!<br /><br />But please don't blame the computer for that. Somebody (a human being) put all this inconsistent data onto the computer. I'm afraid it starts to look as if SV themselves are responsible for this situation. Their own website also has conflicting information about the 6, with the summary of changes made 4/9/2011 saying that it runs hourly, but the timetable itself only showing the 5 journeys.RC169https://www.blogger.com/profile/03921368833118123055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-85582791957708304282011-09-07T13:37:13.997+01:002011-09-07T13:37:13.997+01:00The PDF timetable on the SV website for the 6 now ...The PDF timetable on the SV website for the 6 now (7 Sept) only shows the 5 journeys referred to in the publicity.<br /><br />Traveline still suggests an hourly frequency around 13:00 - 15:00 today. TL still mentions the 35 and 36 as serving Gatcombe Church. However, the PDF timetable for the 35 from the SV website makes no mention of Gatcombe at all, although I suppose it might be 'taken as read' that the bus passes through Gatcombe village on its way to Chillerton. However, it is not exactly clear.<br /><br />It appears that the human element has failed again by not updating the data in Traveline/TD and on the SV website punctually. The problem would appear to be with the data that Traveline et al has, rather than the system itself. The data would seem to be the responsibility of the local authorities and the bus operators.RC169https://www.blogger.com/profile/03921368833118123055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-48733310753387708052011-09-07T11:55:33.620+01:002011-09-07T11:55:33.620+01:00Gosh, this IS exciting! A further blog will be pub...Gosh, this IS exciting! A further blog will be published on Friday, sub-headed "Gatcombegate, the Final Word". Or is it?fatbusblokehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06833340546527596517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-83706368563100447012011-09-07T10:01:56.188+01:002011-09-07T10:01:56.188+01:00Just to make it absolutely clear, "I refer to...Just to make it absolutely clear, "I refer to the new 35" means the new 35 from 5th September, hence the use of the word new. When I said "the 35 has never run to Gatcombe" I meant that prior to the new 35 route that I refer to above, a route 35 has never run to Gatcombe, to my knowledge. I hope this is now crystal clear and that both statements are unambiguous.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-11528568016363063742011-09-07T08:27:35.136+01:002011-09-07T08:27:35.136+01:00Anonymous said...
"I refer to the new 35...Anonymous said...<br /><br /> "I refer to the new 35 running via Gatcombe Church.."<br /><br />Anon, you need to re-read your first post again (6 Sept at 17:16). In the first paragraph you refer to service 35, saying that it runs via Gatcombe, Church, and will continue to do so. Then in your second paragraph, you refer to service 35 again, saying that it has never run to Gatcombe, Church! Without overdoing the point, both paragraphs cannot be right!<br /><br />The dreaded human element known as a 'typo' strikes again, and confuses all of us!RC169https://www.blogger.com/profile/03921368833118123055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-69174042620443459272011-09-07T00:13:32.449+01:002011-09-07T00:13:32.449+01:00I refer to the new 35 running via Gatcombe Church,...I refer to the new 35 running via Gatcombe Church, which Traveline correctly shows on their map. What makes you so convinced that it does not? I think it is your awareness that needs updating, or are you just trying to be misleading, confusing and just plain wrong.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-89388311731745466922011-09-06T20:36:13.433+01:002011-09-06T20:36:13.433+01:00FBB, I posted another comment earlier this evening...FBB, I posted another comment earlier this evening which now seems to have disappeared into cyberspace. I suspect it will have been diverted to the "spam" area because it contained a link to another website. This occasionally happens with comments on the Omnibuses blog as well - maybe you can 'set it free'? The link is quite harmless!<br /><br />The gist of my point was that it seems that the data on Traveline and TD is supplied by operators and/or local authorities. It appears that they have to choose their own software to upload their data to Traveline and TD (the site I found suggests there is one database used by both). I doubt very much that a satisfactory automated update system could be developed due to the nature of the data, so it will depend on a human being to submit updated data to Traveline. Failure to do that at the appropriate time will result in Traveline/TD presenting incorrect data to the enquirers.RC169https://www.blogger.com/profile/03921368833118123055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-22124653965172585242011-09-06T18:54:05.662+01:002011-09-06T18:54:05.662+01:00I think "anonymous" refers to the 36 in ...I think "anonymous" refers to the 36 in his first paragraph. Possibly. But the usually unreliable Traveline undoubtedy shows the current 6, the mysterious 36 and the current 35 as running via Gatcombe. Indeed the map with the service 35 shows it as running via Gatcombe Church!<br />So, your awareness, anonymous, needs updating! Perhaps!<br />The point is made yet again - the technology is hopeless, misleading, confusing and often just plain wrong.<br />Do the people who create Traveline ever check what they are doing?<br />NO. If they did, they would realise how bad it was.fatbusblokehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06833340546527596517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-18684549892446392582011-09-06T17:16:46.669+01:002011-09-06T17:16:46.669+01:00I can state categorically that the registration fo...I can state categorically that the registration for route 35 (which was produced by the Isle of Wight Council for Southern Vectis when it was agreed to run it at very short notice) does run via Gatcombe and that it will do so.<br /><br />I am not aware that the 35 has ever run anywhere near Gatcombe at any time, on request or otherwise.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-24922044774112511942011-09-06T14:37:12.306+01:002011-09-06T14:37:12.306+01:00"inconclusive search" was indeed Septemb..."inconclusive search" was indeed September, month now corrected. Piut it dowqn to old age, AGAIN! The 35 did, at one stage in its recent history, serve Gatcombe on request but currently does not, despite what Traveline and Transport Defunct may suggest. Thanks RC169.fatbusblokehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06833340546527596517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-29934088866804425172011-09-06T13:24:10.389+01:002011-09-06T13:24:10.389+01:00According to Traveline, the 35 also goes to Gatcom...According to Traveline, the 35 also goes to Gatcombe Church. Both Traveline and Transport Direct are still showing the 35 and 36 operated by SV today (6 Sept). <br /><br />Presumably the date of your 'inconclusive search' was in September?<br /><br />I cannot of course offer any explanation for the inaccuracy of the information. Perhaps the service was registered, and subsequently cancelled, but the cancellation has not been properly recorded?<br /><br />Of course, printed material can also be wrong, or out of date... Yesterday evening, I walked to a village near to Freiburg, where a glass case on the wall of the 'Rathaus' displayed a map of the public transport services in the area of the local 'Verkehrsverbund' (Tariff-Union). The map is dated 1986! Needless to say, there have been a few changes since then!RC169https://www.blogger.com/profile/03921368833118123055noreply@blogger.com