Bustimes outage Th19Dec2024

[Shaw S Hunter]

Now I have only been using the site regularly since quite recently so I don't know if this happens often. But at about 0820 bustimes stopped tracking the overwhelming majority of buses. Wales looks OK and Stagecoach outside of London appears unaffected. So too Lothian and sundry independents. But for the most part the national map has large areas completely devoid of data. Will this be related to ticket machine types? How long is such an outage likely to continue?

I have tried a couple of operators' own sites and they are still tracking normally so the problem does appear to be with bustimes itself.

 

[duncombec]

When this happens, it's usually an issue with the data feeds (either from BODS - Bus Open Data Service - as a whole or the specific type of ticket machine). Without knowing the precise types used in London or Lothian, the fact that Stagecoach is tracking normally may suggest it's an issue with Ticketer. [Based on Kent, where I believe all tracking operators use Ticketer except for Stagecoach, which uses Vix... I can't think of another operator in the wider UK I know uses another type of ticket machine!].

I don't think operator own apps are reliant on the same feeds.

In the grand scheme of things, it's fairly unusual (when you consider it's a 24/7/365 operation) for there to be an error, but like all computer-based things, it does have a selection of "funny five minutes" at times. It's also entirely reliant on input from others (through BODS) rather than generating any of the timetables/tracking by itself, so it's arguably less likely to be an issue with the site itself. I think all issues I can recall being mentioned here in the last year have been down to feed errors.

 

[52290]

Same here in Lancashire. Can't track Tyrers or Vision Bus.

 

[Mag_seven]

Please discuss this in the existing thread:

BusTimes.Org

I have noticed in last few days, that Bustimes.org, is not showing the National Express live map, And where their coaches are etc, so is this permanent? And what is the reason behind this? I found this feature interesting and useful, so be a shame if it is permanently withdrawn.

www.railforums.co.uk

thanks