Buses: Route Number vs Name

[ECML180]

So I've been reading V Vuchic's Urban Transit Systems & Technology which led me on to raise the question to myself, which is better?

As a city grows it is obvious that a purely numbered system can be reasonably simple with similar routes given similar numbers, such as 5, 55, 255 and N5 for similar routes. However in practice this is often not the case and numerous route numbers are useful to identify the route, but are not grouped or otherwise meaningful.

Again in a larger city, names could work well as it introduces a brand which would be recognisable to bus and car users alike, possibly attracting people from competing forms of transport. However a purely named system would be plainly confusing, limiting it to a few (example/fictional) brands such as those listed below could help.

• Crossbus-For services not calling at a main interchange but instead forming the 'wheel' of a hub and spoke network.
• Tramlink-Feeder services for a Light Rail line.
• Shopper Shuttle-Directly serving popular retail locations.

Each of the named routes could be lettered or numbered and so a separate branded sub-network could be created.

My conclusion is that a mix is required, for an outsider to London like myself I'm overwhelmed by all the different route numbers, likewise in Nottingham the different colours and names have a similar effect!

So what do you think makes a good network (numbers or names) and why?

 

[CatfordCat]

I don't think there is a simple answer here. Each market is subtly different, and what works well in one place won't necessarily work in another.

Of the big groups, Go-Ahead have always done the local thing, Stagecoach are fairly good at it, First only just seem to have discovered it.

Trent-Barton have for some years gone down the line of micro marketing many routes as separate entities, which works in the sort of environment where the vast majority of passengers on a particular corridor will only ever use one particular route.

I have however heard that this puts people off journeys that involve a change of bus or buying a 'rover' type ticket as they don't realise that those buses that outwardly appear to be a different operator are really the same company.

In a big city, then selling a 'network' is much more important, as many journeys will involve either a choice of routes or a change of bus - if artificial obstacles (like some buses appearing to be 'different') are put in the way of passengers, it will put some people off travelling.

You can within that create mini-networks for specific purposes, e.g. the Txx routes which connect with Croydon Tramlink. Some of London's prefix routes are a bit tenuous, e.g. the P4 (Lewisham - Brixton) which does not go, and has never gone, anywhere near Peckham which is where the P comes from - and don't think the P1 / 2 introduced in the late 60s ever touched Peckham either.

Although planners can get obsessive about 'tidiness' in such networks - in the real world, it probably doesn't matter in the slightest if there's a route 1 in (for example) Stockport and another route 1 in Wigan as long as they don't overlap.

In a large town / medium size city, then the mix of clear corporate style and clear route branding can be the best option - even to the extent of having separate coloured buses for key routes. As Reading Buses do very well, and Nottingham did last time I was there.

The only thing with that is that it does limit operational flexibility, in that it becomes pointless if not counter-productive when buses end up on the wrong route. One bus company I used to know was very poor at keeping route branded / liveried buses in the right place, hence passengers expected any shape, size or colour of bus to turn up, and sometimes it was one of the competition's.

I have however never seen a Reading Buses vehicle on the wrong route (they only have just enough route liveried buses to run each route, and a pool of 'generic' buses for everything else)

 

[ECML180]

I have however never seen a Reading Buses vehicle on the wrong route (they only have just enough route liveried buses to run each route, and a pool of 'generic' buses for everything else)

Very good points. In addition to how Reading Buses deals with the individual liveries, I read recently that they are growing the 'generic' fleet more and using those as peak extras or to drop on to late running services, with a view to having more capacity in generic vehicles so as to keep liveried ones off the 'wrong route'.

Equally ISTR one company sending brand new route branded vehicles on tour across their network before the route was launched to raise the profile of the route.

 

[overthewater]

One has to wonder if this type of marketing ie; names is best left to the bargain basement brands like " Magic bus" or "Pound bus" which has to be the most successful of all the brands?

 

[transmanche]

I don't think there is a simple answer here. Each market is subtly different, and what works well in one place won't necessarily work in another.

I agree.

I have however heard that this puts people off journeys that involve a change of bus or buying a 'rover' type ticket as they don't realise that those buses that outwardly appear to be a different operator are really the same company.

I have seen this happen on Go North East services on delayed departures at Newcastle's Eldon Square. The GNE 'inspector' at the bus station has really had to persuade some people that they can use their ticket on the alternative route.

Although planners can get obsessive about 'tidiness' in such networks - in the real world, it probably doesn't matter in the slightest if there's a route 1 in (for example) Stockport and another route 1 in Wigan as long as they don't overlap.

Although sometimes routes seem to be renumbered just for the sake of it. GNE changed the 301 to 1 when it was branded 'Coaster'. You used to be able to tell that all 3xx buses went to N Tyneside. Now it shares a street (but thankfully no stops) with Stagecoach's long-standing 1 which covers a completely different route.

One final things that can cause (temporary) confusion is when the operator decides to change the livery used on the route-branding. GNE seem to do this when new buses are acquired. Their 21 'Angel' when from a bright pink livery to a two-tone green livery when hybrids were introduced. The' City-Link' branded 58 has recently gone from gold-with-a-splash-of-red (as used on the ex-London bendys) to orange-with-a-splash-of-yellow (on much shorter buses).

 

[Deerfold]

One has to wonder if this type of marketing ie; names is best left to the bargain basement brands like " Magic bus" or "Pound bus" which has to be the most successful of all the brands?

Trentbarton seems to have made a sucess of having named buses - and they're definitely not bargain basement.

As far as I know Magic bus uses normal route numbers rather than names and doesn't brand buses for particular routes.

I'm afraid I've not come across "Pound bus". Are they really that successful?

 

[telstarbox]

Route names or branding should be used with rather than instead of numbers (eg in Lancashire/Manchester the Witch Way is the X43, the Trafford Centre shuttle is the ML1).

At a busy town stop served by multiple routes, passengers generally know to look for an illuminated number on the front of an approaching bus but would not necessarily be able to pick out the colour or "name" of a route, especially in poor visibility conditions.

Numbers are easier to show on maps and stops than names, where space can be at a premium (see the TfGM map of Oxford Road for an example!)

 

[ECML180]

As far as I know Magic bus uses normal route numbers rather than names and doesn't brand buses for particular routes.

Magic Bus and Bargain Bus are similar in the fact that they do use route numbers and the brand is instead related to the operator(even though ISTR Bargain Bus was just a brand of another operator-possibly also in Trent Barton land?).

At a busy town stop served by multiple routes, passengers generally know to look for an illuminated number on the front of an approaching bus but would not necessarily be able to pick out the colour or "name" of a route, especially in poor visibility conditions.

I agree that names and numbers do not have to be a direct replacement of the other, but it's definatley possible to have a name displayed on a destination blind, especially if it's a single word or a noticable logo. For example see Kinchbus' Sprint which cycles between the name and destination:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattburley0/9666949174/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattburley0/9733938340/

It also works when they escape!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattburley0/9322691028/

 

[Deerfold]

Magic Bus and Bargain Bus are similar in the fact that they do use route numbers and the brand is instead related to the operator(even though ISTR Bargain Bus was just a brand of another operator-possibly also in Trent Barton land?).

Bargain bus was TrentBarton but not using the name so as not to devalue the main brand.

 

[overthewater]

Pound bus was a Scottish company.

Mind you travel on any mini bus operator in the Monklands area these days and the fare would only be a pound.

 

[ECML180]

Bargain bus was TrentBarton but not using the name so as not to devalue the main brand.

Gosh I'm impressed with my memory!

 

[harry42]

Gosh I'm impressed with my memory!

Bargain bus was a subsidiary of trent barton: Trent Barton are owned by the wellglade group which owned, at the time,
Trent barton, kinchbus, notts and derby, tm travel AND bargain bus.

Technichally, bargain bus was operated under midland general reign.


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Trentbarton seems to have made a sucess of having named buses - and they're definitely not bargain basement.
QUOTE]

I quite like trent using names, although I think some were way too far: "the two" and "Route 18". IMO, though.

 

[johnnychips]

In, Barcelona, which is largely laid out in a grid pattern, they are slowly recasting the bus routes to run horizontally, vertically and one or two diagonals. Not surprisingly, these will be prefixed by 'H', 'V' and 'D' (the words are almost identical in Catalan).

http://www.tmb.cat/en/nova-xarxa-de-bus

 

[BurtonM]

Stagecoach Manchester have recently discovered route branding, but they're only applying it to buses they've received since the Olympics. I like the idea, but buses do get used on the wrong routes, like 76 branding on the 74 is not uncommon.

At the moment there are a few Optare Spectras doing Magic Bus services in normal Stagecoach livery, and I have to wonder if they're going to end up in Magic Bus livery. They're much better quality-wise than the actual Magic Buses so I'd hope not, and I don't think it'd suit them that well.

 

[freetoview33]

First used to have route branding in Bristol but buses were always used on the wrong routes and in the ended it died a slow death, it only works if buses are used on the correct routes which is very hard to do

 

[Welshman]

First used to have route branding in Bristol but buses were always used on the wrong routes and in the ended it died a slow death, it only works if buses are used on the correct routes which is very hard to do

This is the same with Arriva Wales.

Recently, new double-deckers with leather seats and wifi were introduced on the service 11 from Rhyl to Holywell and on to Chester, and branded as such, and as these are based at Rhyl depot, they are occasionally seen on a weekday and often on a Sunday going in the opposite direction from Rhyl to Colwyn Bay and Llandudno on route 12!

No great problem on a world scale, I agree, and some residents of Abergele may appreciate the leather seats, but confusing, perhaps to visitors, and this part of the coast receives plenty of those!