New four digit school bus route numbers

[Fleet Lists]

That is only part of the problem. They have a lot of software which also can not handle the four digits.

[boronia]

All the school buses out Penrith way have run with 4 digit numbers for a few years. There seems to be a variety of display units in use, and all seem to display correctly.

I can understand memory/storage problems in the older STA units, but would there be enough spare space for depot specific runs? After all, they will simply be changing existing numbers. If the software only allows three digits for a route number, the leading digit could be made part of the main display.

[Fleet Lists]

The software I was referring to does not necessarily just relate to the displays - it also covers their timetable administration. But it should be possible to change that.

[Fleet Lists]

Red Bus

As from Monday 21st November 2016

*Some School Routes and Times will change*

**All School Bus Numbers will change to a unique number commencing with the letter “S” followed by 3 numbers**.

AM – School Buses will be S700 – S799 or S900 – S999
PM – School Buses will be S600 – S699 or S800 –S899

It is advisable to check your New School Bus Numbers and Routes on our School bus timetable page from MONDAY 7th NOVEMBER 2016 or phone the Red Bus Office 4332 8655

[Punchbowl Tiger Cub]

All Metro contracted operators are changing over to the S*** set up for school runs.Saw a PBC machine yesterday displaying S*** number.

[ScaniaGrenda]

Nothing too big but it appears Hunter Valley buses Thornton & Rover Motors Cessnock have switched their School bus route numbers.

Hunter valley buses now has 4 Digits instead of 3 in School bus services now.

For example 233's School bus is now 2333. The Destination signs on the bus were programmed till this afternoon to flip back and fourth between the old 3 Digit route numbers and their new 4 Digit route numbers. Now they just stay on the 4 digit route numbers instead of going back and fourth unless the drivers managed the freeze the destination board but I doubt it.

Rover has moved to 3 Digit numbers now. I only happened to spot this because I had to venture out into Cessnock this afternoon. They now have 800 - 900 School bus routes instead of old routes being displayed on the board like School Bus K3 for example.

The routes (As in destination of the bus) haven't changed I believe, it's just the number system used for it.

[Fleet Lists]

This has all been a requirement to fit in with the new PDF school route timetables which are now on the new Transport Info website.

[Fleet Lists]

All Metro contracted operators are changing over to the S*** set up for school runs.Saw a PBC machine yesterday displaying S*** number.

Some still do not use the S eg CDC. For example see http://www.cdcbus.com.au/images/files/s ... ove_PS.pdf

[Fleet Lists]

All school bus numbers across all Sydney contracts are required to move to 4 digit numbers by TfNSW for the 2016 school year. I believe it's something to do with the ticketing system.

C

Even STA ones?

STA in Sydney have retained their three digit numbers but with alpha suffix n for north, w for west and s for south.

Premier Illawarra seem to have retained their two digit numbers but with two character alpha prefix which seems to reflect the two starting characters of starting point and destination - I am not sure of this last bit.

So it seems that the original statement that a move was required to four digits was not strictly correct but it appears that it must be four characters in length which may be alpha or numeric.

[Fleet Lists]

Rover has moved to 3 Digit numbers now. I only happened to spot this because I had to venture out into Cessnock this afternoon. They now have 800 - 900 School bus routes instead of old routes being displayed on the board like School Bus K3 for example.

Rover have gone to three digits but use the S prefix - see example below- The first number would be the old route number, using both old and new number on their website.

[Fleet Lists]

STA in Sydney have retained their three digit numbers but with alpha suffix n for north, w for west and s for south.

Premier Illawarra seem to have retained their two digit numbers but with two character alpha prefix which seems to reflect the two starting characters of starting point and destination - I am not sure of this last bit.

So it seems that the original statement that a move was required to four digits was not strictly correct but it appears that it must be four characters in length which may be alpha or numeric.

Correction - State Transit Sydney also have a suffix e for East.

Newcastle Busses and Ferries still have three digit route numbers for their school services, It will be interesting to see if that changes in July when the new operator takes over.