NXTBUS - Real Time Passenger Information System

[Buzz Killington]

Nice quality control

[Skitube]

it says platform probably because occasionally a trip going in the opposite direction comes up on that screen, and by opposite direction, i mean stop 4530, the one outside the child care on marcus clarke street

[Busfanatic101]

NXTBUS Online only showing services 44mins+ away at the moment...

[Barry Drive]

Have heard from two app developers: the NXTBUS interface is progressing. Look out for updates in the next month or two.

[Barry Drive]

Any know if this the real time going to be available on Transit Times+?

Update to Transit Times (Android) to include real time released today. Only available on the paid version.

[vnguyen]

TransitTimes+ just been updated to show the location of the bus on the map.

[Busfanatic101]

TransitTimes+ just been updated to show the location of the bus on the map.

So wish they showed that on NXTBUS Online. I know other states do...

[King of Buses]

So wish they showed that on NXTBUS Online. I know other states do...

That's why you gotta pay for this app I'd say...

[Barry Drive]

Haven't found any dead running yet, but the app shows buses sitting in the depot (or laying over elsewhere) before or after a run.

[Barry Drive]

Next There (ios only) has just tweeted it now has real time tracking. No word on other IOS apps.

[Busnerd]

Next There for iOS has real time tracking and after some discussion from a few of us on here the developer has added in fleet numbers and should be adding 'bike rack information' in the next update.

The same developer also makes Triptastic which has real time tracking however unlike the Sydney data does not (yet) have bus fleet number & link and speed of the vehicle.

Transit Times for iOS does not yet have real time for the ACT although seeing as android has it now, it shouldn't be too far off, however this is a lot less visually appealing than the other two apps above.

[Barry Drive]

Next There will be making use of ACT Bus photos to represent the fleet. In most cases, the photos being used are Photo of the Month winners.

These photos should be appearing within the next few days (?).

[King of Buses]

Next There will be making use of ACT Bus photos to represent the fleet. In most cases, the photos being used are Photo of the Month winners.

These photos should be appearing within the next few days (?).

[Buzz Killington]

No, it wasn't.

[King of Buses]

Okay then. ..just not something I'd expect to normally occur...

[Barry Drive]

Have a look at this tweet.

@ACTbusspotter this seems like a nice improvement to begin with pic.twitter.com/jSr1PabYS8

— Rupert H (@rpy) January 2, 2015

New photo for L94s (from Sir P) has been provided.

[King of Buses]

A suggestion for them would be a search by bus fleet number option...means i could find them pesky buses that escape me (mostly looking at Belco PR3s here...). thought i believe that woukd confuse people who dont know the difference between route and fleet nos. Which is most people...

[The Love Guru]

There is no need for the public to be able to access the fleet number of the bus and search by this.
Of course it won't stop the usual no life suspects from requesting it!

[King of Buses]

Of course it won't stop the usual no life suspects from requesting it!

Well, I'll take that as a compliment. I know that riding around on buses in between going to school is meaningless compared to playing video games and that stuff between going to school which must me a whole lot better (I use that example as that's what most of the people I know do...). And I hardly think it is your decision to decide whose lives are worthless and whose arent...cause everyone is different, everyone has a different opinion of what is right and what is wrong; what is meaningful and what isn't etc.

But come on, surely most of us here who go gunzelling would find this handy?

[Barry Drive]

There is Tram Tracker in Melbourne which encourages users to query by vehicle number. (They claim it's the easiest way to follow which route you're travelling on.)

But my suggestion (if existing apps don't allow it) - is to write your own app. How hard can it be?

[Busfanatic101]

Well, I'll take that as a compliment. I know that riding around on buses in between going to school is meaningless compared to playing video games and that stuff between going to school which must me a whole lot better (I use that example as that's what most of the people I know do...). And I hardly think it is your decision to decide whose lives are worthless and whose arent...cause everyone is different, everyone has a different opinion of what is right and what is wrong; what is meaningful and what isn't etc.

But come on, surely most of us here who go gunzelling would find this handy?

I'd certainly love that. I record all fleet #s and services I board, however occasionally forget to check when I get off. Also, If I need to photograph some AOA, I would know where to find the bus

[The Love Guru]

Could have some fun with this idea, play swapsies with the fleet the numbers.
Again, there is no valid reason for ACTION to make this information public. Bus type is all that is required. Providing bus number will just lead to more complaints when a certain bus breaksdown more than average, there are plenty of ACTION haters out there that would go to these lengths.

From a drivers point of view it obviously makes absolutely no difference.

[vnguyen]

Would it be possible though to show whether if the bus is wheelchair accessible or have a bike rack?

[The Love Guru]

Yes, this information is available now.

[Busnerd]

Would it be possible though to show whether if the bus is wheelchair accessible or have a bike rack?

The bike rack information will be added shortly to NextThere. The wheelchair info is already there too.

Also lol at many of the previous "Love Guru" comments.

[Barry Drive]

Would it be possible though to show whether if the bus is wheelchair accessible or have a bike rack?

Transit Times are working on that now, along with displaying "vehicle ID" and Air Conditioning status, but no photos. An update should be released within the next week. I'll post here / tweet as soon as I'm aware of it being released.

Also, Transit Times advises vehicle ID is provided on the real time departures only, so a search by bus number might not be possible at all.

[smitho]

Have had a Stag for all my morning & afternoon bus runs over the "Days of Christmas" period...still getting punters asking why my bus doesn't have a bike rack.....may be they're new arrivals into the Canberra workforce, or alternatively, assume a Stag is a standard type of green bus.

[Busnerd]

Have had a Stag for all my morning & afternoon bus runs over the "Days of Christmas" period...still getting punters asking why my bus doesn't have a bike rack.....may be they're new arrivals into the Canberra workforce, or alternatively, assume a Stag is a standard type of green bus.

I hope you explained the complexities involved in your longer than usual bus

[743]

Transit Times are working on that now, along with displaying "vehicle ID" and Air Conditioning status, but no photos. An update should be released within the next week. I'll post here / tweet as soon as I'm aware of it being released.

Just did an update, this is available now.

[Barry Drive]

I may have misunderstood the message, because vehicle ID is showing on the vehicle positions map (once you select a bus).

You can't search by fleet number though.

[Busnerd]

Yep seems like android came out early this afternoon followed by iOS several hours later

[smitho]

I can live with that.....

[Barry Drive]

I may have misunderstood the message, because vehicle ID is showing on the vehicle positions map (once you select a bus).

Now I understand - when a bus is actively reporting its estimated time (early/on time/late), the vehicle ID will appear on the vehicle positions map. However, if the bus has gone "off route", then only the route number and destination will be shown.

[743]

I'm currently on 360. There is a sticker above the operator: "MyWay NXTBUS Interface Test Bus. Test Driver Automated LOGIN and GPS Function".

[vnguyen]

Now I understand - when a bus is actively reporting its estimated time (early/on time/late), the vehicle ID will appear on the vehicle positions map. However, if the bus has gone "off route", then only the route number and destination will be shown.

So if a bus is making a diversion on the map it will show up as it's route number but it show where it is on the map?

[King of Buses]

So if a bus is making a diversion on the map it will show up as it's route number but it show where it is on the map?

So that's why I kept finding a lot of bus 300s. ..and bus 900 out on a weekend...lucky there isn't that many of one iris though...

[Bus 400]

But it will show buses dead running, under the last route the bus ran or about to run.

[King of Buses]

Again, there is no valid reason for ACTION to make this information public. Bus type is all that is required. Providing bus number will just lead to more complaints when a certain bus breaksdown more than average, there are plenty of ACTION haters out there that would go to these lengths.

The Melbourne TramTRACKER has a function to search by tram number to work out how long the tram you are on will take to reach the destination or your stop. While this info can be found in NXTBUS via alternate methods, this function would prove useful for normal passengers and us bus nuts...
though I see your point with the ACTION haters...and would it be such a bad thing to point out bad members of the fleet here? It'd mostly show darts and irises as well as others but predominantly them.

I can dream for such a function though can't I? Even if it never comes unless I make it...by making my own app...but I can't be bothered (don't criticise that please Love Guru) as I do seem to have a life...I think...even though most of it is bus related...but not all of it...

[Snorzac]

The reason the tram tracker app has such a function is because the trams are not fitted with screens inside to display the real time information, hence we don't need it here.

[Buzz Killington]

correct me if I'm wrong, but the times to each destination on the on-bus screens are based on timetabled information, not real time. It's quite common to see, for example, twelve minutes listed as the time to a final destination when you're five minutes out.

[The Love Guru]

Correct Buzz. It is assumed the bus will wait at the next stop and will not run early. It would work better if it only assumed this at official timing points, or it could just use the running timetable and show the expected running time rather than the timetable.
Either way, times are fairly unpredictable due to traffic lights mainly.

[Barry Drive]

If running early or on time, it will use the timetable. But if running late it will basically add the late time to the timetable.

However, apps like Transit Times apply the early calculation at all stops.

[743]

Having been on a lot of AM peak Red Rapids over the past few weeks (when traffic has been quiet), it's been very common to see the operator's display showing 4.5 minutes late at Northbourne/Macarthur, but then 3.5 minutes early at the very next stop at Northbourne/McKay, due to the large running time allocated between these stops.

[smitho]

I've noticed similar timing jumps along Streeton Drive on the 705 southbound.

[Barry Drive]

Same for Northbound 300s - timetable says (up to) 9 minutes from ANU/Barry Dr to Calvary Hospital. Can be done in 5 min depending upon traffic conditions (and how quick the bus is).

[Barry Drive]

Does anyone know when NXTBUS screens are going to be installed at Barton Bus Station?

Some large holes have appeared at Barton Bus Station. So presumably the PIDs are finally going to be installed.

[Busfanatic101]

I was on 565 this morning, and noticed that the terminal stop message didn't come up when we arrived at woden. Instead, woden showed as the next stop, and the rest of the screen remained white. It was operating normally for the rest of the trip. Is this a change that ACTION has made or just a fault??

[King of Buses]

I was on 565 this morning, and noticed that the terminal stop message didn't come up when we arrived at woden. Instead, woden showed as the next stop, and the rest of the screen remained white. It was operating normally for the rest of the trip. Is this a change that ACTION has made or just a fault??

565 was fine yesterday. Probably just a fault. Cause every other bus I've been on as of late does the terminal stop thing...

[vnguyen]

The screens have finally been installed at Barton Bus Station.

[Sylvan Loves Buses]

I'm not 100% sure if this is the right place to put this, but the NXTBUS Kiosks have been active up lately.

All from what I've checked, Tuggeranong's, Woden's and the City's NXTBUS kiosks no longer have their NXTBUS working. Like thy still connect to the wifi and everything, but pressing on the NXTBUS will load to a blank screen. Does anyone know if ACTION knows about this and are trying to fix it?
Not really much point in calling them NXTBUS kiosks if their NXTBUS doesnt work