North East Buses

(12 Oct 2015, 5:22 am)Dan wrote [ -> ]That bus was only 30 seconds early on Malvern Road, turning onto Cambrian Way just before 06:11am. Granted, this will be of no consolation if you missed the bus, but being 30 seconds early is within the '1 minute early to 5 minutes late' on-time guidelines.

Round the corner, over in Ayton, the bus was two minutes early on Fulmar Drive, though the driver was on-time again by the time he got to the end of Ayton Road.

My clock on my phone must running a minute or 2 fast then.

X12 changes appear to be working well. I've 73 examples of lateness (6 minutes or more), since last Monday...and that's only the ones I've had time to notice!

(13 Oct 2015, 3:02 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]X12 changes appear to be working well. I've 73 examples of lateness  (6 minutes or more), since last Monday...and that's only the ones I've had time to notice!

Ouch, that cannot be good

(13 Oct 2015, 3:03 pm)NK53 TKT wrote [ -> ]Ouch, that cannot be good

Andy Townsend would be proud of you, coming out with statements like that.

(13 Oct 2015, 3:02 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]X12 changes appear to be working well. I've 73 examples of lateness  (6 minutes or more), since last Monday...and that's only the ones I've had time to notice!

Please tell me you live or work on the route, rather than you've spent a week stalking a bus service

(13 Oct 2015, 3:32 pm)BusLoverMum wrote [ -> ]Please tell me you live or work on the route, rather than you've spent a week stalking a bus service

Both work and live on route. I've actually done it without seeing all but a sample of buses. The live journey info they provide comes in handy!

1416 was on the X75/X76 today and was running around 30 minutes late.

(13 Oct 2015, 3:37 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]Both work and live on route. I've actually done it without seeing all but a sample of buses. The live journey info they provide comes in handy!

I've found that the live info tends to fall on its face with the 22 - any more than about 10 minute late and the bus is suddenly "not being tracked".

(13 Oct 2015, 3:40 pm)BusLoverMum wrote [ -> ]I've found that the live info tends to fall on its face with the 22 - any more than about 10 minute late and the bus is suddenly "not being tracked".

It'll do that if it loses data connection. Going into the particular journey should state bus last tracked x minutes ago. On the most part though, the app is spot on to a few hundred yards.

(13 Oct 2015, 3:42 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]It'll do that if it loses data connection. Going into the particular journey should state bus last tracked x minutes ago. On the most part though, the app is spot on to a few hundred yards.

Agree here, the map is always absolutely dead on everytime I use it in the morning/evening, except for when the vehicle has broken down.

I'm unsure how the data on my phone is fine, yet so many people complain about it? Could it be down to device/operating system?

(13 Oct 2015, 6:42 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]Agree here, the map is always absolutely dead on everytime I use it in the morning/evening, except for when the vehicle has broken down.

I'm unsure how the data on my phone is fine, yet so many people complain about it? Could it be down to device/operating system?

It's not the data connection of your phone. The vehicles have to be able to transmit their position, which they can't do if they lose their data connection. The X12 can often do this between Sedgefield and Coxhoe, for example.

(13 Oct 2015, 6:49 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]It's not the data connection of your phone. The vehicles have to be able to transmit their position, which they can't do if they lose their data connection. The X12 can often do this between Sedgefield and Coxhoe, for example.

Ah I meant more as in what my app was receiving, I was with someone today, who had a completely different looking map to me, mine was more accurate, based on the fact mine showed the bus in the location it actually was, 

They had an iPhone, compared to my Xperia, so is there differences in the app data?

(13 Oct 2015, 6:42 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]Agree here, the map is always absolutely dead on everytime I use it in the morning/evening, except for when the vehicle has broken down.

I'm unsure how the data on my phone is fine, yet so many people complain about it? Could it be down to device/operating system?

As Adrian said, there do appear to be some dead points where buses lose GPS contact or data transmission. The whole area around Sedgefield seems to be a blackspot for this and mobile data. When the 22 does its wind around Wheatley Hill, it often loses its place in the NSAs and disappears off the map at the same time - or suddenly loses 4 minutes on the timeline, but still comes past when it was due.

I suspect that some of the problem with very late buses disappearing completely is whatever means of error correction is built into the software. it's gone the other way from the very early days of the app when there would be phantom buses, that it would claim to be tracking, but in reality had probably supplied the estimates for a bus that hadn't even run (god that was a cold wait for nothing on the weekend of the Durham Christmas Festival - we'll not be doing that again!)

Yarm Fair - say no more...

[attachment=7303]

He eventually arrived 17 minutes late, with the leading driver doing the 1946 trip.

(17 Oct 2015, 7:01 pm)Kuyoyo wrote [ -> ]Yarm Fair - say no more...







He eventually arrived 17 minutes late, with the leading driver doing the 1946 trip.

I was on 1105 into Yarm and in the end the driver said we should get off as it would be ages more pike so he could snog his lass 1305 was not far behind and at one point on the X66 we were behind 1105 again then passed 1303 then 3 Solo's. The 17 was no better I boarded the Shuttle not knowing it was a Shuttle got to Spitfields and chucked off so he could go back and had to wait for 1920 to come back and when it did had to wait 30 minutes for the Solo which was empty! So the driver went straight off and the rest will be in the outing thread.

Was on the X66 to Middlesbrough this afternoon, when we got to Great Burdon another X66 pulled in behind us and the passengers from the bus behind got transferred onto the X66 I was on with the bus behind going straight onto Middlesbrough. Wasn't amused about this because I was sat in the quadrant seats and ended up with three passengers crowding round me and left me with little leg room which caused the pain in my knees to act up.

Just had a quick peep on the Arriva Live Map to see how bad the roadworks in Darlington are affecting the services and spotted a 5A to Bishop Auckland running 41 minutes late and it hasn't even got to the roadworks yet!

Safe to say arriva have not made any plans to cover for the gilesgate tailbacks, this weekend.

22 arrived at Durham 20 minutes late. Never seen such a quick driver change and turnaround. Only departed 16 minutes late.

Many of the 5/5A journeys I have observed within the last week have been running in the region of 15 minutes late. Getting beyond a joke now! The only thing I can see that may delay the service is temporary lights on the road to Midridge but that should only slow it down for at most two minutes.

I am also told on Wednesday that the 5/5A were running in tandem as the ticket machine broke on one of the two buses so emergency hand written tickets had to be issued.

(04 Dec 2015, 1:05 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]Many of the 5/5A journeys I have observed within the last week have been running in the region of 15 minutes late. Getting beyond a joke now! The only thing I can see that may delay the service is temporary lights on the road to Midridge but that should only slow it down for at most two minutes.

I am also told on Wednesday that the 5/5A were running in tandem as the ticket machine broke on one of the two buses so emergency hand written tickets had to be issued.

Probably needed a good thump like the one on 1598 often gets!

Sometimes the X30/X31s don't turn up Stanley bound at weekdays, without any prior notifacation. I had to wait for the X70 which was also incredably late, resulting in what would normally be a 3 minute journey door to door, being just under 55 minutes. It's incredably rare, once before the 25/10 changes, and one similar event that I can only assume is thanks to the joys of Bensham Bank, where the X70/X31/97A all turned up at the bus stop within 10 seconds of each other.

I has a bus that didn't even turn up. Waited an hour and a half for the x81 from Alston to Hexham and it didn't come. I had to get a taxi which cost me £45

Managed 38 mins late on a 17 today
Everything around Middlesbrough was off the map for most of the day

(21 Dec 2015, 9:27 pm)tyresmoke wrote [ -> ]Managed 38 mins late on a 17 today
Everything around Middlesbrough was off the map for most of the day

Still not as bad as the guy who was 43 minutes late on 17s last Friday 

7s were just as bad thanks to Yarm. 15s seemed to be the only thing more-or-less on time. Anything up Durham Road about half 5 tonight will have been knackered by the queue for Tesco being back to North Tees (and Hardwick Shops)

Stagecoach were likewise - at various points, the 13s were running in pairs (on a half hourly service!). At half 2, 4 of the 5 vehicles working the 10/11 cycle were in the Bus Station (3 of them on 11s!). The 12 due into Middlesbrough at 1444 was at the Parkway Centre at 1434 - the driver had to come light only to find the relieving driver was still out on another 12.

(21 Dec 2015, 9:27 pm)tyresmoke wrote [ -> ]Managed 38 mins late on a 17 today
Everything around Middlesbrough was off the map for most of the day

Been a nightmare on many services that run to the Metrocentre and/or Newcastle, one particular bad sight was two service 6's arriving at the Metrocentre both heading to Newcastle at the same time. Probably going to be standard for the next few days.

(21 Dec 2015, 9:32 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]Been a nightmare on many services that run to the Metrocentre and/or Newcastle, one particular bad sight was two service 6's arriving at the Metrocentre both heading to Newcastle at the same time. Probably going to be standard for the next few days.

Yes will be like this til Wednesday then we can all relax for a month!

(21 Dec 2015, 9:27 pm)tyresmoke wrote [ -> ]Managed 38 mins late on a 17 today
Everything around Middlesbrough was off the map for most of the day

Durham 22 was actually no worse than usual. Yesterday was more unusual, with the buses getting back from Sunderland about 10 mins late. You can usually set your clock by it on a sunday

The traffic this week, seems to be playing chaos.
Yesterdays trip out with Mrs C didn't go to plan. Waiting 25mins+ for a 4, wasn't the best start - considering I had to justify the case in getting the bus out, rather than hunt around for a parking spot.

We somehow caught the bus in front up, despite out wait - so can only assume some dropping in and out had been taking place.

A long wait at the Galleries involved Mrs C asking me why buses were running in 2's and 3's and following each other - despite them being half full or in some cases empty.
She also asked why they didn't just stick everyone on one bus and send the other late one empty, so it could 'catch up a bit'.
Both the queue and Mrs C cheered a little when the X1's arrived, having been teased moments earlier at the sight of two Easington Lane bound services.

I noted an X12 heading south out of Gateshead NIS.
Hopefully there wasn't one far in front (or behind).

At just after 1600 this afternoon, I witnessed two X25's heading along Portobello Road towards Chester. One a Solar and one an ex-London President.
They were both late, but not sure which one was a few minutes late and which one was approx 30mins late.

(22 Dec 2015, 7:21 pm)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]The traffic this week, seems to be playing chaos.
Yesterdays trip out with Mrs C didn't go to plan. Waiting 25mins+ for a 4, wasn't the best start - considering I had to justify the case in getting the bus out, rather than hunt around for a parking spot.

We somehow caught the bus in front up, despite out wait - so can only assume some dropping in and out had been taking place.

A long wait at the Galleries involved Mrs C asking me why buses were running in 2's and 3's and following each other - despite them being half full or in some cases empty.
She also asked why they didn't just stick everyone on one bus and send the other late one empty, so it could 'catch up a bit'.
Both the queue and Mrs C cheered a little when the X1's arrived, having been teased moments earlier at the sight of two Easington Lane bound services.

I noted an X12 heading south out of Gateshead NIS.
Hopefully there wasn't one far in front (or behind).

At just after 1600 this afternoon, I witnessed two X25's heading along Portobello Road towards Chester. One a Solar and one an ex-London President.
They were both late, but not sure which one was a few minutes late and which one was approx 30mins late.

Yep it's been absolute chaos everywhere by the sounds of things. I managed to overtake the 2 buses in front of me today despite being 15+ late myself :s

Just seen a 8 heading towards Spennymoor, running around 25 minutes late.