Buses and the coronavirus

[duncanp]

"..double deck buses with multiple doors will have a capacity of 20 people..."

Good luck with trying to manage that, especially when more people are back at work and non essential shops are open. The problem will get even worse when the hospitality sector re-opens in July, and there is an increase in leisure travel.

There is bound to be a lot of argy bargy at bus stops, and life will become very unpleasant and stressful for bus drivers. It seems to me that that these rules are made by people who have no idea of how public transport works, and who will not have to enforce the rules.

There will no doubt be plenty of posts on social media about how people (eg. NHS workers, key workers, disabled people, parents with buggies etc...) are unable to board buses.

 

[ChrisC]

"..double deck buses with multiple doors will have a capacity of 20 people..."

Good luck with trying to manage that, especially when more people are back at work and non essential shops are open. The problem will get even worse when the hospitality sector re-opens in July, and there is an increase in leisure travel.

There is bound to be a lot of argy bargy at bus stops, and life will become very unpleasant and stressful for bus drivers. It seems to me that that these rules are made by people who have no idea of how public transport works, and who will not have to enforce the rules.

There will no doubt be plenty of posts on social media about how people (eg. NHS workers, key workers, disabled people, parents with buggies etc...) are unable to board buses.

Will bus companies like Trent Barton now begin to regret that for many years they have not operated any routes with double deckers. Even their major routes into Nottingham and Derby are all single decker only.

 

[739678]

One knock on affect of the coronavirus might well be the removal of the last bus conductors in the country. Crew operation on the Stagecoach East Scotland Tayway 73 service from Dundee to Arbroath was a hallmark of the service, but in the new normal of social distancing, the extra person on board will surely be a no no. There is no way a conductor can take fares and stay 2m away, plus it means one less passenger carried. I believe the clippies are currently on furlough, but I'm afraid that I can't see any way they can return to work, even when all service levels have returned to normal...

 

[Bletchleyite]

One knock on affect of the coronavirus might well be the removal of the last bus conductors in the country. Crew operation on the Stagecoach East Scotland Tayway 73 service from Dundee to Arbroath was a hallmark of the service, but in the new normal of social distancing, the extra person on board will surely be a no no. There is no way a conductor can take fares and stay 2m away, plus it means one less passenger carried. I believe the clippies are currently on furlough, but I'm afraid that I can't see any way they can return to work, even when all service levels have returned to normal...

I suspect they're not needed with lower volumes of passengers, but could they be redeployed, as things ramp up, to sell tickets at busy stops before boarding instead and to help manage the queues?

 

[SouthEastBuses]

Metrobus Crawley, my local bus company, will run 80% of its bus service from Monday 01/06/2020.

This means that the temporarily withdrawn routes 21, 22, 84, 273, 280, 281 and 318 are coming back into normal service.

 

[SouthEastBuses]

Whilst in Italy (my other half of my dual nationality), buses are coming back into normal service but with the following measures to allow social distancing:

- Reduced capacity
- Face masks and gloves (aka PPE equipment) compulsory when travelling onboard
- Middle door boarding like on TfL routes (except that in Italy you are still required to have a valid ticket which can't be bought onboard - whilst in London you could travel for free)
- Keep a 1m distance between you and others not in your household (in the UK it is 2m)

 

[Bletchleyite]

Masks I understand, but gloves make no sense whatsoever.

 

[Mikey C]

Whilst in Italy (my other half of my dual nationality), buses are coming back into normal service but with the following measures to allow social distancing:

- Reduced capacity
- Face masks and gloves (aka PPE equipment) compulsory when travelling onboard
- Middle door boarding like on TfL routes (except that in Italy you are still required to have a valid ticket which can't be bought onboard - whilst in London you could travel for free)
- Keep a 1m distance between you and others not in your household (in the UK it is 2m)

1m rather than 2m does make a difference. It's interesting that while the UK has been slack in other areas, 2m is very much at the extreme of distancing

 

[Deerfold]

1m rather than 2m does make a difference. It's interesting that while the UK has been slack in other areas, 2m is very much at the extreme of distancing

I wonder if that's because few people seem to know what 2m is. Not many people seem to manage 2m. If they'd said 1m, most would probably have managed about 50cm.

 

[RichT54]

I need to visit the Eye Department at the local hospital on Monday and will have to travel by bus. It will probably be a Stagecoach service. I couldn't see anything on their website, but will they be accepting seniors' bus passes?

 

[Deerfold]

I need to visit the Eye Department at the local hospital on Monday and will have to travel by bus. It will probably be a Stagecoach service. I couldn't see anything on their website, but will they be accepting seniors' bus passes?

Assuming you're in England, they'll be valid after 0930. Over the last few weeks they've been valid at any time, but normal acceptance resumes from Monday.

 

[RichT54]

Assuming you're in England, they'll be valid after 0930. Over the last few weeks they've been valid at any time, but normal acceptance resumes from Monday.

Thank you. Now I've just got to hope there will be space on the bus!

 

[GodAtum]

Was prevented from boarding a bus to work as the driver said he can only let 10 people on because of social distancing. But there's no such restriction on the tube and as many people can cram on as possible!

 

[Bikeman78]

Was prevented from boarding a bus to work as the driver said he can only let 10 people on because of social distancing. But there's no such restriction on the tube and as many people can cram on as possible!

Barmy isn't it. As predicted by Enthusiast they will be useless unless you board at the start of the route. Anyone that can will find an alternative way to travel. They might never come back. Interesting times ahead when the government funding stops.

 

[route101]

Was prevented from boarding a bus to work as the driver said he can only let 10 people on because of social distancing. But there's no such restriction on the tube and as many people can cram on as possible!

What did you do?

I suspect most will phone a taxi

 

[Silverlinky]

There are a number of warehouses near to where I live, the likes of Amazon and Marks & Spencers. People have been working throughout the lockdown. As we are on the edge of town a large number of the employees come in by bus at various times of the day dependant on shiftwork, and for the past 8 or 9 weeks Stagecoach were running one double decker bus which was packed and was a free-for-all when boarding or alighting at either end of the journey.
I noticed that today where there was one bus there are now three, still picking up the same number of passengers but now allowing people to spread out. The warehouse company has also put stewards on duty at the bus stop to try and manage boarding and distancing.

Its a good thing don't get me wrong, but i'm amazed it took so long to take this course of action, and at a time when cases are well on the decline this really should have been happening a couple of months ago.

 

[6Gman]

Masks I understand, but gloves make no sense whatsoever.

Handrails and the like?

 

[PG]

There are a number of warehouses near to where I live, the likes of Amazon and Marks & Spencers. People have been working throughout the lockdown. As we are on the edge of town a large number of the employees come in by bus at various times of the day dependant on shiftwork, and for the past 8 or 9 weeks Stagecoach were running one double decker bus which was packed and was a free-for-all when boarding or alighting at either end of the journey.
I noticed that today where there was one bus there are now three, still picking up the same number of passengers but now allowing people to spread out. The warehouse company has also put stewards on duty at the bus stop to try and manage boarding and distancing.

Its a good thing don't get me wrong, but i'm amazed it took so long to take this course of action, and at a time when cases are well on the decline this really should have been happening a couple of months ago.

Although, on the face of it, it does sound like a case of shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted there may well be reasons why your local Stagecoach operating company is now taking this action.

It could be that they were unaware of the numbers travelling and how often, or they may have known but not have been in a position to respond with duplicate buses due to insufficient staff availability.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Handrails and the like?

Gloves only make sense if you're going to use them for one short task (e.g. people are being asked to use them for fuelling their car) or you carry a box to keep changing them. Look at how medical people use them, or how they are used in food premises like Subway where it's quite visible. If kept on for multiple tasks they are inferior to hand washing/sanitising as they can't be kept clean/uncontaminated as easily as skin.

The virus does not spread through skin.

 

[Silverlinky]

Although, on the face of it, it does sound like a case of shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted there may well be reasons why your local Stagecoach operating company is now taking this action.

It could be that they were unaware of the numbers travelling and how often, or they may have known but not have been in a position to respond with duplicate buses due to insufficient staff availability.

I'd have thought that the drivers might have raised concerns about numbers, as I said this has been going on for weeks. Stagecoach did get a bit of bad press when a video of workers waiting to board one bus went viral. I suspect that may have played a part, and the insufficient staff availability may have been because they furloughed so many in the first place. I guess they have had to bring people back to work in order to work these duplicate services.

Anyway, it seems to be working and certainly "looks" a lot safer than it did before.

 

[PG]

Anyway, it seems to be working and certainly "looks" a lot safer than it did before.

Whatever the reasons behind it, its good to hear that things are better then they were previously.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Masks I understand, but gloves make no sense whatsoever.

I don't really understand masks either, it's all just theatre. But gloves are particularly pointless. As you say, the virus doesn't pass through skin. The second you scratch your nose, the benefit of wearing gloves is gone.

they may have known but not have been in a position to respond with duplicate buses due to insufficient staff availability.

They will know, ticket machine analysis is good, but its likely to be lack of resource. Drivers, yes, but also buses- most operators SORN'd their buses early on, and it's not quick to get them back out.

I'm not sure what else bus companies can do. Two people per row, skipping rows, means a 75% capacity cut. On the one hand I think it could be less restrictive but, on the other hand, I *really* didn't like it today when someone who clearly had a hygiene problem was sat directly behind me and (because of having a buggy) there was nowhere to move to.

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

First Bus announces app update to live-track bus capacity - https://www.firstgroup.com/about-us/news/first-bus-announces-app-update-live-track-bus-capacity

This week we will be launching an update to our mobile app that will enable customers across the UK to live track not only the location of their next bus but also its available capacity, as we continue to develop ways to help customers social distance on board our fleet.

First Bus will be the first major bus operator to roll out live capacity tracking. This reduces uncertainty for customers and allows them to make informed decisions about their essential journeys. Going live this week, the app update will show customers a bus icon on a map depicting the live location and available capacity of each vehicle in the vicinity. This new functionality will provide customers with the information they need as the bus approaches.



The innovation has been made possible by First Bus’s new passenger counting functionality, announced at the end of May. Data from this system feeds directly to the First Bus app in real time. This app update coincides with First Bus doubling the number of buses operating across England from Monday 1 June, with support from UK Government. First Bus expects to be able to increase service levels across its networks in Scotland and Wales in coming weeks.

With social distancing guidance being observed at the same time as lockdown restrictions are being relaxed, this additional capacity will allow customers to travel in comfort and safety. To further support social distancing, and in addition to passenger counting, seats on each bus are now clearly marked indicating where customers should sit.

First Bus continues to encourage cashless payments, and use of the First Bus App to purchase mTickets, to reduce the need for contact between customers and drivers.

Giles Fearnley, Managing Director of First Bus said “We are really proud to have been able to fast-track this technology to ensure safe, informed travel during these difficult times. Our buses provide an essential service for our customers and we are doing all we can to support them.”

This latest update from First Bus forms part of its ongoing work to improve the customer experience.


Apple store travel app link Android store travel app link

.
N.B:

The app update will be available from Apple and Android app stores during the first week of June 2020
Dependent on individual phone user settings, the app may automatically update or require the phone user to manually select to update to the latest version 4.7
The app update is available to all First Bus app users in the UK and any customers downloading the app for the first time after the update will automatically have the live tracking functionality
First Bus is one of the UK’s largest bus operators. Making journeys easier for our cus

 

[PG]

First Bus will be the first major bus operator to roll out live capacity tracking. This reduces uncertainty for customers and allows them to make informed decisions about their essential journeys. Going live this week, the app update will show customers a bus icon on a map depicting the live location and available capacity of each vehicle in the vicinity. This new functionality will provide customers with the information they need as the bus approaches.

While this is handy, it doesn't address the real issue of intending passengers not being (potentially) allowed to board. Yes they can see (via this new functionality) that the bus they wish to get is getting near to/has reached capacity. They may also be able to watch subsequent services do the same. Just means they know a few minutes earlier that they won't be able to get on.

Only thing that springs to my mind is to travel in the opposite direction (to that which they intend) to a point where the app shows that buses still have capacity in the direction in which they actually want to travel, though (if enough employed this strategy) all it would do is move the issue further back along the route...

 

[Dai Corner]

While this is handy, it doesn't address the real issue of intending passengers not being (potentially) allowed to board. Yes they can see (via this new functionality) that the bus they wish to get is getting near to/has reached capacity. They may also be able to watch subsequent services do the same. Just means they know a few minutes earlier that they won't be able to get on.

Only thing that springs to my mind is to travel in the opposite direction (to that which they intend) to a point where the app shows that buses still have capacity in the direction in which they actually want to travel, though (if enough employed this strategy) all it would do is move the issue further back along the route...

And with most travelling on zonal tickets or concessionary passes there is no additional charge for doing that, of course. Perhaps First will start running short workings for the short distance Passengers?

 

[Bantamzen]

First Bus announces app update to live-track bus capacity - https://www.firstgroup.com/about-us/news/first-bus-announces-app-update-live-track-bus-capacity

Its an interesting idea with one major flaw. It won't take into account waiting passengers between the bus and the stop the user will be waiting at.

 

[Enthusiast]

There is no effective way to manage buses running at 20% capacity - at least at peak times - other than to run four times as many buses.

 

[squizzler]

Here is the seating for Jersey's LibertyBus: half seats are in use or forbidden, depending on your mindset. Of course out here we have a single figure number of active cases. Windows must be kept open and passengers are encouraged to wear face coverings.

 

[Enthusiast]

By my (admittedly very rough) estimate, most passengers on that bus are little more than a metre from their neighbour. And that's cut the capacity of the bus in half. Social Distancing and travelling on public transport are mutually exclusive activities.

 

[PG]

Social Distancing and travelling on public transport are mutually exclusive activities.

Yes I agree, and what follows may be viewed as Controversial but...

I hope some respected figures in the public transport industry stand up and say this - yes maybe it is a case of biting the hand that feeds you but I feel unless this happens we might as well plan now to close the doors on a sizeable proportion of our public transport.

I believe that without removal of social distancing free home-to-school transport won't be able to function and local authorities may as well inform parents that they won't be providing it and that parents are responsible for themselves getting their children to-and-from school.