APPalling ; The Only Word (3)

What Is It For?

At least one anonymous upbraided fbb fpr expecting the Stagecpach journey planner to allow you to plan journeys. The gist of his point was that, if fbb wanted a multi operator jp he should not bother with Stagecoach.

Of course fbb would know that; and on the rare occasions that he is forced to use a jp, fbb would start with Traveline. Under what circumstances would a user want a single operator jp? The vast majority of bus enquires can be more effectively answered with a timetable (e.g. when is the next 9A bus from Sidmouth to Seaton?) with the added bonus that that all information about that chosen service is on hand with no additional prodding, poking or tapping.

A locally focused timetable is what the people want, which is precisely why the GoTimetable technology was developed.

Presumably those few who are keen on the Stagecoach App already know where they want to go, already know that Stagecoach runs the bus they want and don't mind at all that they cannot access a proper timetable. If that process "floats your boat", then this App may well be ideal.

But what sort of mess will you get in if you come upon the little multi-coloured football not knowing its limitations. Very few Seaton residents have heard of Traveline but they see Stagecoach buses every day. So ...

fbb's advice to Stagecoach is to ditch the journey planner and replace it with an efficient timetable search and delivery function. At least one reviewer on the Google Play site agrees.

Back, for the moment to fbb's review. The third section on the home page is the most mystifying.

 Bus stops 

This does what it says on the tin. "Enter street, town or postcode"

Entering fbb's postcode the App supplied six different stops at 3, 4 , 6, 6, 7 and 9 minutes walk from the front door. There is only one bus route, namely the 9A, but the daft database still offers:-

Bus 9A to Seaton  2012

Bus 9A ro Exeter  2019

Further tapping gives the "timetable" (ha jolly ha!)

2012 Seaton Harbour Road

2013 Seaton Marine Place

Of Exeter there is no sign. Does the bus go there or not?

Of course it does; as shown in the right hand column courtesy of GoTimetable Seaton. But Stagecoach simply cannot tell you that.

Readers of yesterdays blog will remember that unless you were a very ill-defined "near to the bus route", you were not allowed to see any times on the table.

But yet these times are in there somewhere, deep in the bowels of the deeply flawed database.

Change your location to Sheffield and here is a planned journey from fbb's old pied à terre to the centre of Sheffield.

Times are there in the journey planner; but they are not allowed in the "timetable" because fbb mansions are not near to Fulwood in Sheffield. Note also the mysterious route F120. Don't tell Stagecoach but that is a First Bus journey! Needless to say, Stagecoach don't tell you that.

So what is it for?

Even more mysterious are the "disappearing running times". Here is a non-timetable for a service 52 (Sheffield again) with the helpful "we won't tell you the times" note at the top.

But as this flashed on the screen, fbb was certain that he saw some greenish-blue "stuff" to the left of the red line. It only appeared momentarily but by dint of videoing Mrs fbb's phone and snapping a screen shot from that, this appeared:-

fbb reckons that these are the running times from Wisewood, the outer terminus of First Bus service 52A.

So at least all the data to show timetables (whether you are near the route or not) is there in the bowels of the App.

So what is it for?

About 80% of the reviews on Google Playstore are, at least in part, negative. Here some of the more juicy.

Of course, there are positive reviews but most of them are so effusive that fbb must assume that the writers are either not using the App for real, or, maybe, only referring to an enquiry for their local, well known route.

Some five star reviews are strange ...

... very strange and many are anonymous.

Q E D

If this blog seems more than usually rambling, more woolly and ill defined; that is because the strangeness of the App had that effect on your befuddled blogger.

What is Stagecoach trying to provide with this App? Does it really give people what they want or is it yet another example of the technology tail wagging the information dog?

What is it for?

A Combpyne P S
So penned a comment writer on yesterdays blog.

The 9A timetable refers to Westhayes Caravan Site.

There is no such place. It is actually called:-

Traveline lists both.

Actually the Park is in Devon; the border with Dorset is a mile or so further east. But postally it is "in" Lyme Regis.

But nobody, except Stagecoach, thinks it is at Combpyne. As there is only one Westhayes Caravan Park listed in the "national" Traveline index ...

... and it nearly matches the postal address, the additional descriptions are simply not necessary. Westhayes Caravan Park is unique. And no memtion of Combpyne!

Which is another good reason for being profoundly disappointed with the new(ish) Stagecoach App.

 Next varieties blog : Saturday 8th October 

APPalling ; The Only Word (2)

The New Stagecoach Bus App Explored ...

... after a fashion; and with apologies for poor quality illustrations. If you were "with us" yesterday, you will know that Stagecoach makes it very difficult to use the App and "blocks" screen shots, possibly to prevent forgery of M-tickets which the App doesn't sell!

To avoid this nonsense, First Bus has a separate M-ticket App. How very sensible. Ditto Arriva.

And you don't need to log in, have a password or sign a declaration of undying and self-sacrificial loyalty to Mr Fearnley to use their "normal" bus App.  How very sensible. Ditto Arriva.

Despite Stagecoach's desire to keep its bus services a closely guarded secret, fbb had persevered and went off so see what the App had to offer. But first, of course, he had to enter his incorrect e-mail address and very silly password.

The "home" screen looks a bit like this.

 Journeys 

This is the standard Stagecoach journey planner which only allows journeys by Stagecoach services; a particularly daft and unhelpful idea. So for fbb, innocently looking for a journey between Seaton and Axminster, he is offered circuitous routes; a typical daftie being shown here.

Bus 9A to Sidford, bus 9 to Honiton and bus 4 to Axminster. The direct, and sensible, bus would be Axe Valley's 885 ...

... taking just over 30 minutes; a slight improvement over two hours 40 minutes with Stagecoach, (Times shown above on the GoTimetable Seaton App).

Even the detailed instructions from Stagecoach are laughable.

Thanks to the helpful advice that the bus number changes from 4 to 4 at Axminster station and that you can remain on a through bus for the two stops hop into the town. And please don't tell fbb about split registrations and Department for Roads "advice".

It is daft. It is confusing for the passenger. It is utterly unnecessary.

As is the Stagecoach Journey Planner.

 Buses 

Here you are invited to type in a bus route number and up comes a list. But a list with a twist.

It will only come up with a list of services in your "registered" home area.

A few problems here:-

 Problem 1  The route 9 does not go the Seaton; so the first two in the list are misleading.

 Problem 2  There is only ONE route 9 in Barnstaple, not three.

 Problem 3  The Barnstaple 9s don't go anywhere near Seaton, fbb's "enforced" location

 Problem 4  The 9A runs from Exeter to Lyme Regis

 Problem 5  Pedantically (perhaps) where is the X9?

Apart from these Stagecoach defined trivialities (!) the list is really helpful.

But, we may have found some buses from Seaton, so let's tap on "Exeter - Seaton or Honiton."

In case our reader cannot read the note at the top, or, having read it, does not really believe it is there, fbb will print it out in large red letters.

You need to be close

to the bus route

to see the times

The 9A (Exeter to Seaton and Lyme Regis) is fbb's local route; indeed it passes the chubby one's front door. It is hard to be closer than that.

But Stagecoach will not tell fbb the times.

Utterly unbelievable.

As is the whole of this Stagecoach App.

But, there is a slight hope. When fbb seeks the 9A, which, as we all know, is absolutely NOTHING to do with the 9A (or, inaccurately, the 9) between Exeter and Seaton; he is, oh joy of all joys, allowed to know the times.

A few problems here.

 Problem 1  Boshill Cross is not, by any stretch of anybody's imagination, a sensible stop for folk wanting to get to Colyford. Colyford is seen pictured below, according to Stagecoach.

Here are the bus stops according to Google Maps.

And here are those stops on the ground, as it were.

Or aren't!

 Problem 2  Westhayes Caravan Site is not, by any stretch of anybody's imagination, at Combpyne.

Westhayes is at the top of the hill; Combpyne is well hidden down in a deep valley. Omit "Combpyne" for common sense.

Combpyne used to have a railway station on the branch line between Axminster and Lyme Regis.

IT wasn't at Combpyne either!

 Problem 3  There is no garage at Rousdon.

There was one, once. It closed about three years ago (?). No rush to keep up, Stagecoach. How about "Rousdon Bakery" ...

... which occupies part of the former garage premises.

It would be better if the App relied less on some remote database and gave information which was (a) useful and (b) accurate.

More on the App tomorrow.

 Next Brian and Bob blog : Friday 7th October 

APPalling ; The Only Word (1)

Stagecoach's New Bus App
So

He only wanted a bus timetable!

So fbb took a butchers at the latest offering from the Stagecoach technical wizards.

Simple to install via the Google Playstore and simple to start. Firstly, up comes a pretty blue screen. As the technical team from GoTimetable know only too well, this is to keep the user interested until the gubbins is properly wurgled; with profuse apologies from the technobabble!

Then this:-

He only wanted a bus timetable!

First you need an email address. Easy?

Not easy. fbb's real live (after a fashion) persona uses CAPITAL initial letters in his address. But Stagecoach rejects ANY entry with a capital letter. "You have entered an invalid email address."

Invalid? Bur it is CORRECT according to fbb.

But the password must have at least eight characters of which at least one must be a capital and at least one must be a number.

He only wanted a bus timetable!

At this point, your elderly blogger got in a right fankle. Such a bonny stramash that he cannot actually remember in what order the disaster appeared.

It seemed he had typed something incorrectly.

Names etc have been redacted to protect the guilty.

He only wanted a bus timetable!

Hey ho! It's "forgot my password" - AGAIN

But fbb has to use his registered email address which he hasn't registered yet.

He only wanted a bus timetable!

By some prestidigitation, fbb eventually got one of these:-

More redaction!

But a new password is created and entered AND IT STILL WON'T WORK!

He only wanted a bus timetable!

The problem appeared to be that fbb ...

... had not VERIFIED his email.

He only wanted a bus timetable!

By now the old man had assumed the foetal position in the cupboard under the stairs and was snivelling gently. "Pull yourself together, fbb. You have an agile brain (snigger snigger), a University degree (poor grade); you can do this."

And he did. By downloading a second copy of the App and creating a completely fake persona, email and password.

He only wanted a bus timetable!

But it gets worse. Remember fbb's problem with screen shots. After spending HOURS wrestling with technology, fbb decided to try using Mrs fbb's phone to snap pictures of the App in (in)action. "Blow me down with rotting haddock!", said fbb, descending into unaccustomed but vehement asperity, "Mrs fbb's phone is full as well."

At this stage the chubby one did not smell a rat; a rat called Stagecoach.

So number 3 son set about some complex and clever investigations by logging in to fbb's confuser remotely. It is very disconcerting watching your own mouse pointer zooming about the screen without your touching it. Rather spooky.

He checked the memory.

And there was, indeed, no storage problem

No 3 son tried two other screenshot programs. Any attempt to get a picture of this screen ...

... produced the same non result.

Ditto Mrs fbb's phone.

Weird is NOT the word!

He only wanted
to blog about
a bus timetable!

Eventually No 3 son sorted out the problem.

There was NOTHING wrong with fbb's phone.

There was NOTHING wrong with Mrs fbb's phone.

The Stagecoach App 

WAS PROGRAMED WITH A LOCK

TO PREVENT

THE TAKING OF SCREENSHOTS

Unbelievable!

He only wanted a bus timetable!

But fbb, after he recovered his sang froid, was made of sterner stuff. If he cannot take screenshots he will have to photograph the screen with Mrs fbb's phone.

So he did.

 Next Brian and Ben blog : Thursday 6th October 

First Custard News

Getting Upset Over Trifles? (Groan)

Today's intended post is post-poned! "Brian and Bob" is delayed because fbb's phone is having an unco-operative turn. The post needs lots of smart phone screenshots and the mini-monster suddenly stopped shooting its screen. "No storage", said the evil electronic elf. So fbb obtained a large shovel and a black plastic bag and dug out the gunge from its memory leaving 12 gigabytes (or, to use a technical term - "a lot")

But the silly phone still thinks it's full and won't capture anything, let alone a screen. [but see P.S. below]

So planned blogs have to be unplanned. So here goes with a bit of fill in.

Yeovil is Moving.

Once upon a time, Yeovil had a spiffing bus station served by lots of bus routes operated by Southern National. Then came privatisation, management buy out, sale to First Bus and ...

not a lot!

Three Yeovil local routes (1 every 15 minutes, 2 & 3 every 30 minutes); 57 every hour and 58/58A every hour. And that's it.

There is a depot which is far too big for the tattered remnants of the once great network.

It was the Minister at fbb's church who broke the news. Yeovil is moving to Somerset.

The map shows that, in fact, Yeovil is definitely in Somerset. But not buswise.

Oddly, there are three First Bus depots in the county of cider apples. Yeovil's business is controlled by Southampton; Taunton (Buses of Somerset) is controlled by First Kernow at Camborne and Wells is a sub depot of Bristol and/or Bath.

The Yeovil business is transferring to Taunton and the Yeovil buses operating in Somerset will become Buses of Somerset. It is not long ago that several Wells routes joined the Taunton network. Apparently the Yeovil depot is to be sold and alternative premises are being sought.

First's Bargain Fares
News from First Bus in South Yorkshire about a competitive fares offer.

Sounds a good deal for passengers - BUT:-

Is it?

We need to look at the company's web site, rather than relying on the headlines in the local rag.

Speaking about the Price Promise, Allan Riggall, our Head of Commercial, said: “This is the first time we have ever trialled something like this anywhere in South Yorkshire. We want our customers to know that when they travel with us, that not only will they receive a high quality service, but they will also receive the best value journey.

"Our Price Promise is really simple. We’ve reviewed hundreds of our Sheffield bus fares as part of our promise, and from Sunday 2 October, we reduced dozens of prices for customers, so that they receive the best fares available."

“In the event that customers find a cheaper fare available for the same journey, we will provide a refund, and bring our fare down."

“We’re excited to bring this new initiative to Sheffield, and we believe that the Price Promise builds on the recent success of the Sheffield Bus Partnership and the great value, multi-operator, Travel Master tickets.”

We will monitor market prices every Friday to ensure we offer value.

Well, is it?

The web site then goers on to list changes to "season" tickets, reduced in response to those of competitors.

Fair enough : but how does it work with ordinary single tickets?

The terms and conditions are lengthy.

Sheffield Price Promise Terms & Conditions
End date is 31 December 2016

Excludes concessionary fares such as ENCTS and child fares

Only includes services within Sheffield boundary

Promise applies to Stagecoach bus and TM Travel services only

Offer excludes tickets already on promotion

Comparable single fares must be able to be made without a connecting journey

Origins and destinations of comparable single fares must be identical and journey time and routing must be similar

Price Promise only applies to published fares

Do Stagecioach and T M Travel publish their fares? In an obvious easily accesible place? Where can the passenger find First's fares. On-line? In leaflets? If the latter, can the leaflets be obtained?

If a fare is found to be cheaper elsewhere, please contact us here or on twitter @FirstSouthYorks clearly stating the service you travelled on, where you travelled to, where you travelled from, the fare you paid and the operator you travelled on.

We will ensure any fares identified as being cheaper elsewhere are matched within 7 days of notification.

Refund policy.

Refunds will be issued in form of a travel voucher of a value no less than the difference in price charged and the cost of a second class stamp.

Original proof of purchase must be supplied by post to:
Price Promise, First South Yorkshire, Midland Road, Rotherham, S61 1TF

Are people really going to take the trouble to send their ticket by post?

Tickets included in Sheffield Price Promise are;

Adult Single
Adult First Day
Adult First Week
Adult First 4 Week
Adult First Annual
Student Single
Student First Week
Student First 4 Week

Terms and conditions are subject to change.

So if too many apply, we can change the rules? Cynical, moi?

If the company really wants a winter "promotion" why not emulate the Furniture Warehouse companies and offer a sale price of (e.g.) 30% off all fares until 31st December. It might actually be cheaper that the office costs and heated arguments provoked by the complex deal above.

Ten out of ten for wanting to do something; but less out of ten for an over proscriptive idea.

And a Stagecoach App P.S.
Thanks to some really hard work by number 3 son, operating remotely from Watford Herts where he was working, the problem with the malfunctioning phone was eventually (after 90 minutes of fretful slog in the lad's lunch hour and after the end of duty) resolved.

But the solution has meant that fbb has been forced to change the emphasis of his projected post. Instead of a light-hearted article inventing a supoosed conversation between Brian (Souter) megaboss of megabus and all things Stagecoach, and his bus boss Bob Montgomery, the blog has assumed a more serious tone.

As we shall see tomorrow and Thursday.

 Next Brian and Bob blog : Wednesday 5th October