Where’s The Bus Stop Code?
In Is Transport for London’s Management Dysfunctional?, I said this.
Perhaps six years ago, I e-mailed TfL to ask, if the five-digit number displayed on the bus-stop, to get details of how long you will wait for the next bus, could be repeated under the shelter, so that if you are waiting in bad weather you can find out the next bus time without venturing outside.
I got a reply saying they’d look into it.
About a year ago, they changed the instructions on the bus stops and the new posters have a space for the installers to put in the stop number.But have I seen one of these spaces with the number in it? Of course not!
Sounds like one department made a worthwhile change and then didn’t inform those, who would carry it out.
TfL is a dysfunctional operation, that needs a thorough overhaul of management. Starting at the top!
I finally got a picture I can use, which shows the empty space in the poster for the number of the bus-stop.
Whilst, I’m about it, how about some other features.
Get Me To A Post Code
If the bus stop number was nnnnn, you might type something like “nnnnn SW1P 3PA” and you would be texted back with something like “Take 141 bus to Northchurch Road”.
Summon The Police
If the bus stop number was nnnnn, you might type something like “nnnnn Police” and they would come to your bus stop.
I Want To Get To The Nearest Station
If the bus stop number was nnnnn, you might type something like “nnnnn Station” and you would be texted back with something like “Take 141 bus to Old Street Station”
I Want To Get To The Nearest Hospital
If the bus stop number was nnnnn, you might type something like “nnnnn Hospital” and you would be texted back with something like “Take 25 bus to Whitechapel Station”
The Anonymous Widower 
Here in Manchester we have TfGM instead of TfL, however the buses are run by Stagecoach and they have an app’ that tells when the bus is coming, shows you where they are, can journey plan and hold your tickets etc.
OTOH TfGM’s “getmethere” app introduce ten years ago is still little short of a disaster.
Comment by R. Mark Clayton | May 5, 2023 |
London’s system uses a five-digit code to map every bus stop. It just uses text.
Comment by AnonW | May 5, 2023 |
And how much do the texts cost?
TfGM used to have something like that (and may still do), but it was 25p a pop.
They also changed their number to 0871, but didn’t state a charge warning.
Comment by R. Mark Clayton | May 5, 2023
London is 12p
Comment by AnonW | May 5, 2023 |