GPS aid for new bus drivers

[eddy]

Having finally got an E tag and satellite navigator thing I tried them both out on the M7 of which I have never been able to until now. The number of vehicles and particularly trucks make me think what would people do without it.
Was very impressed with the sat/nav thing and perhaps what I suggest is available now but just in case here is the idea.
As a lot of new bus drivers start off as casual here there and everywhere they sometimes miss streets or run late or early so perhaps a GPS device could go on the busiest run and the turns and times could be recorded and when a new driver is on the run he just has to listen to the turns and times to do a perfect job.

[moto51]

Have had that thought myself, just have a few special GPS units that are programmed with the routes and all the driver does is enter the route number hit go and it directs them where to go. I don't think one with voice would be good but just one that flashes on the screen and gives guidance.

[eddy]

A semitrailer driver i spoke to last week said he had a small tape recorder before the GPS thing and he would put instructions on it when he studied the map then replay it as he was driving with the proper lane to be in and the significient landmarks.
Today i was in a diesel Toyota van and needed the volume and windows up because it was located in the dash but if it could be put closer to the bus drivers head he could then keep his eyes entirely on the road.
As it would only be needed by drivers who were unfamilier with the run it could be turned off by drivers who found it annoying.

[doug c]

I haven't seen a GPS unit that can ...
a. be preprogrammed with a route the way YOU want to go between 2 points
b. contain more than 1 route that can be dialled up when required

[Andrew]

Several new buses are coming with GPS units installed and viewed via the 'Thoreb' screen. However, I haven't personally com across one that has routes programmed in and selectable by the driver.

Many portable GPS units available by retail allow to establish 'way points' which could be intersections or other landmarks - so in theory a route could be programmed in. However, I think most retail units only allow about 20 way points on any particular trip, which isn't enough for most routes.


Nothing beats good training for route familiarisation. I think most places do it quite well, with a buddy system being used in many companies where a new driver is paired with an experienced driver for a period of time so they can be shown the ins and outs of each route.

[eddy]

We were just given a route sheet with timing points on it and everything including what the dest was up to us. That may have been OK if it was a regular run but not if you were a casual doing one trip per week and you may not get the same route for a couple of months. I do not think i was the only person who stuffed it up a bit.

[Stu]

I drove a metrobus from Burwood recently and it had a GPS in the Thoreb but the information / destination display for the passengers was not working. Personally I wouldn't use a gps for route work in Sydney, just give me the lefts-and-rights, a route map and then operate the service once in each direction and I'll be fine. However, when it comes to long distance work for truck drivers and coach drivers then a gps would be very helpful.

[mrobsessed]

The drama with the commercial GPS units is that they don't know how high your vehicle is. It will tell a semi trailer driver to turn under Burwood railway underpass. There is definately a market out there for a heavy vehicle GPS.

[Stu]

^ How appropriate of you to mention Burwood Rd railway underpass, last year there were two occasions when trucks became stuck under the bridge. I almost witnessed No. 3 back in December, at Volvo F16 prime mover that is already a tall truck had an additionally tall air deflector and an even taller exhaust stack, it was interesting to see the bogan passenger dangerously hanging out of the passenger side window looking up to see if the truck would fit but thankfully (minimal amount of common sense kicked in) they realised that they couldn't fit. I managed to drive around it so I didn't get to see how the truck and trailer were able to reverse down Burwood Rd, it would be impossible to reverse into a narrow side street as there is no room even if you took up all four lanes of Burwood Rd.

Well surprise surprise, it happened yet again yesterday afternoon causing congestion and diversions . That's the first for 2011, how many more times will it happen this year?

[Stoney!]

The metro buses at Tempe with the next stop voice announcements work off the GPS, Bus stops are displayed on the screen as red arrows and the route the bus is to take is highlighted on the map which would be a great help for bus driver. If you program the route at the depot it even helps you on how to get there.

I think all buses should have such things, possibly a little more detailed though.

[captainch]

how things have changed we were given a timetable told go for it, but most of us were bus conductors and knew the routes

[AEC2379]

Do they not still have the route signs attached to poles etc showing which way turn

[deepthought2006]

how things have changed we were given a timetable told go for it, but most of us were bus conductors and knew the routes

Luxury! When I was "being trained", we weren't even given a timetable (nor a list of "lefts and rights" - there seemed to be none available at that time). We had to try and find a suitable timetable map and work out the route for ourselves, often while driving along! That meant that a few unscheduled stops were needed on a route new to us, to be able to study the map to try and work out which way to go . And you try to tell that to the new drivers today and they won't believe you.

[ajw373]

The drama with the commercial GPS units is that they don't know how high your vehicle is. It will tell a semi trailer driver to turn under Burwood railway underpass. There is definately a market out there for a heavy vehicle GPS.

They have them in the UK. They tell drivers when bridges are too small or roads are unsuitable for heavy vehicles. In fact much of it really comes down to the detail in the map rather than the unit itself.

[doug c]

how things have changed we were given a timetable told go for it, but most of us were bus conductors and knew the routes

Luxury! When I was "being trained", we weren't even given a timetable (nor a list of "lefts and rights" - there seemed to be none available at that time). We had to try and find a suitable timetable map and work out the route for ourselves, often while driving along! That meant that a few unscheduled stops were needed on a route new to us, to be able to study the map to try and work out which way to go . And you try to tell that to the new drivers today and they won't believe you.

Sounds like a very unprofessional company

[doug c]

Do they not still have the route signs attached to poles etc showing which way turn

Hillsbus only started adding those everywhere about 3 years ago I think it was .......

[deepthought2006]

Sounds like a very unprofessional company

I came in at the start of a new training scheme and not all of the necessary resources were in place yet. I too think (and thought at the time) that it was rather unprofessional but I understand that the training has improved since then, thankfully.

[CompoDelgroCurryman]

Would need a system that can speak Indian , Islander , Romanian and be able to quote the Khoran to be usefull.

[JulBus]

Hey!

I don't know if people are still searching for a solution, but apparently a solution adapted to bus routes exist: https://www.mybusdrivergps.link/

Hope this helps.

[eddy]

Hey!

I don't know if people are still searching for a solution, but apparently a solution adapted to bus routes exist: https://www.mybusdrivergps.link/

Hope this helps.

I assume you can enter the vehicle dimensions in on it mate.

[Magnetic]

I’ve always wondered how often drivers look at those route direction signs that are on poles before intersections everywhere. I guess it wouldn’t be hard to remember the public bus routes, remembering the 100+ school routes that go down random back streets would be pretty hard.

[alleve]

I’ve always wondered how often drivers look at those route direction signs that are on poles before intersections everywhere. I guess it wouldn’t be hard to remember the public bus routes, remembering the 100+ school routes that go down random back streets would be pretty hard.

I'd imagine the signs being outdated would make it harder too. Randwick still has signs up for the 400, 410 and 418.

[captainch]

Remember when run sheets for drivers had left & right turns ect on their run sheets apart from bus routes !

[Merc1107]

I guess it wouldn’t be hard to remember the public bus routes, remembering the 100+ school routes that go down random back streets would be pretty hard.

In my own experience, school routes are usually variations on regularly-scheduled routes, with a few backstreet sections or loop de loops just for fun. Not any harder to run than any other service, just that some are quite rare to operate.

Remember when run sheets for drivers had left & right turns ect on their run sheets apart from bus routes !

They still do that for school trips, actually! Some companies will add the instructions for deviations on regular routes too.

[boronia]

Apps like TripView plot the route on a map and give real time locations as you travel.