Why is there no "real position" for Dublin Bus?

coylemj · 25-10-2017 12:20am

ED E wrote: »

I'm 10-15m from the point of entry(3 routes) so RTPI shows services that should run and then they disappear when the server notices its a few minutes past schedule and the driver hasn't checked in (probably called in sick 2hrs earlier).

The alternative is that the system shows no bus at all until it departs the terminus.

And they don't automatically disappear from RTPI just because the bus is not running.....

I was in Deansgrange once, waiting for an 84 which was scheduled to depart from Newcastle (Co. Wicklow) at 17:10. RTPI claimed that it would arrive at the stop at Grange Motors at 18:30 heading to Blackrock and I was at the stop at about 18:20. The time kept stepping down until with 2 minutes to go, it disappeared and the bus never turned up. For well over an hour it was on the system as a phantom bus.

smackyB · 25-10-2017 2:21am

DaCor wrote: »

Request the dataset through data.gov.ie

There's an option to "suggest a dataset"

The team behind it are quite pro-active in following up with dataset owners.

Failing that, FOI the internal policy that prevents them from opening it up.

Lastly, use AIE request to allow for accurate calculation and estimations of emissions data on bus routes.

That last one, EU legislation makes it difficult to refuse.

Pretty much all of the above is free of charge to a point so the only thing you need to do is spend some time

Ok suggestion made, give it a like and maybe it will get some traction but I won't be holding my breath.

smackyB · 25-10-2017 9:03pm

Very quick reply from them, fair play:

"The National Transport Authority (NTA) don’t have a feed for bus positions at the moment but currently have a tender out which includes this requirement. They estimate that are about 9-12 months away from being in a position to publish Dublin Bus real-time vehicle positions. When they do publish it, it will include Dublin Bus, Bus Eireann and Go-Ahead routes initially"

defrule · 25-10-2017 9:12pm

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

I dont believe Dublin bus on this one. The Bus Eireann buses around cork city can have their positions checked online, i used to do this alot last year when i was commuting on the bus, it would show its location on the street on a map.

May I ask how you can track BE buses online via website? I can only seem to find the realtime info but not map location of buses.

bebeman · 29-10-2017 12:07am

I imagine it will be classed as commercially sensitive information and it will not be made public.

RobbingBandit · 29-10-2017 12:18am

Should be easy enough to set up a real time gps tracking app.

Dublin bus is like the cologne in Anchor Man works 100% of the time 60% of the time.

Gerrup Outta Dat! · 29-10-2017 12:19am

HailO manage a similarly strategy. Why can’t DB?

suicide_circus · 29-10-2017 10:43am

The ghost buses are bad and the "3 min" staying on the board for 10 minutes and then turning into "4 min" are nearly worse.

Muahahaha · 30-10-2017 2:02am

smackyB wrote: »

Very quick reply from them, fair play:

"The National Transport Authority (NTA) don’t have a feed for bus positions at the moment but currently have a tender out which includes this requirement. They estimate that are about 9-12 months away from being in a position to publish Dublin Bus real-time vehicle positions. When they do publish it, it will include Dublin Bus, Bus Eireann and Go-Ahead routes initially"

Great to hear it is on the way. As others have said I find that RTP1 work 90-95% of the time. But when it does not work it is infuriating. If the taxi apps can show you where exactly a taxi is on a map then there is no reason why Dublin Bus cannot do the same.

prinzeugen · 30-10-2017 2:24am

London had realtime location stuff in 1975..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AFAy1ROfEw (long into, part 1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xT6Txpa-Eq8 (part 2)

They knew were every bus was and turned around some services to suit.

Dublin Bus make the Luxton & District look like a serious outfit sometimes.

punisher5112 · 30-10-2017 11:21am

prinzeugen wrote: »

London had realtime location stuff in 1975..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AFAy1ROfEw (long into, part 1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xT6Txpa-Eq8 (part 2)

They knew were every bus was and turned around some services to suit.

Dublin Bus make the Luxton & District look like a serious outfit sometimes.

Db had it in 80s

Dyr · 30-10-2017 1:32pm

There was a website some lad set up with a map that tracked all Dublin buses based on RTPI, it was actually more useful than RTPI

Gerrup Outta Dat! · 10-11-2017 5:59pm

If a gps, tomtom or satnav in the car can count down the distance by road, then I see no reason why this can’t be incorporated into DB.

Why can’t you track the position of the bus like you can track the position of a taxi in Uber?

Outkast_IRE · 10-11-2017 10:51pm

defrule wrote: »

May I ask how you can track BE buses online via website? I can only seem to find the realtime info but not map location of buses.

Its a bit of a workaround - so if you pick your bus stop on the website below.

http://www.buseireann.ie/inner.php?id=403

For my example i will pick "St. Patrick St (Brown Thomas

- [243491]" For the 214 bus.

It will then take you to a page with departures on it - in the drop down menu go to view arrivals . this will then show you the buses that are on the way to your stop.
If you hit view on one of these buses - it tells you what stop it is at or has just left.
Below that is a map which updates every few seconds

harringtonp · 09-04-2019 8:58pm

DaCor wrote: »

Request the dataset through data.gov.ie

There's an option to "suggest a dataset"

The team behind it are quite pro-active in following up with dataset owners.

Failing that, FOI the internal policy that prevents them from opening it up.

Lastly, use AIE request to allow for accurate calculation and estimations of emissions data on bus routes.

That last one, EU legislation makes it difficult to refuse.

Pretty much all of the above is free of charge to a point so the only thing you need to do is spend some time

It's a year and a half later but just came across this and have made a submission:

https://data.gov.ie/dataset/suggest/aa0f432b-e741-4d65-aaee-6a772efde7b6

If a few likes will give this some momentum, they would be much appreciated.

harringtonp · 10-04-2019 9:12am

Actually guys, how are the real time predictions behaving these days ? Are there still many "ghost" buses ?

I gather from some of the app review comments I've read that there have been some real time API outages of late.

ohnonotgmail · 10-04-2019 12:48pm

harringtonp wrote: »

It's a year and a half later but just came across this and have made a submission:

https://data.gov.ie/dataset/suggest/aa0f432b-e741-4d65-aaee-6a772efde7b6

If a few likes will give this some momentum, they would be much appreciated.

I clicked on the like button and added a comment but i have no idea if they actually registered. the site doesn't give any indication.

harringtonp · 10-04-2019 3:34pm

Looks like it has registered, see

https://data.gov.ie/dataset/suggest/aa0f432b-e741-4d65-aaee-6a772efde7b6

You may need to refresh the page, I did.

ohnonotgmail · 10-04-2019 3:40pm

Cool. Hopefully the new service will be better.

Technocentral · 11-04-2019 8:50am

How does Luas work, same system?

harringtonp · 11-04-2019 10:47am

Yes for example for the stop in Rialto next departures are at

https://data.smartdublin.ie/cgi-bin/rtpi/realtimebusinformation?stopid=LUAS13&format=json

And the stop details at

https://data.smartdublin.ie/cgi-bin/rtpi/busstopinformation?stopid=LUAS13&format=json

Apps take these calls and present them to you in a nice format but as far as I know all derive from the same source

The Black Oil · 11-04-2019 1:33pm

I don't get the bus as much as I used to. A few times with the 33 at Abbey St it was running late, but the sign wouldn't tell you. It would simply roll on automatically and tell you the next bus was due in 59 minutes. Useless carry on, then the scheduled 33 would turn up after a while. Seems like an inflexible system. On the other hand, I've been waiting for a 145 or 46A clearly delayed, but at least it seems to refresh and say 7 minutes, or whatever.

Technocentral · 11-04-2019 1:53pm

harringtonp wrote: »

Yes for example for the stop in Rialto next departures are at

https://data.smartdublin.ie/cgi-bin/rtpi/realtimebusinformation?stopid=LUAS13&format=json

And the stop details at

https://data.smartdublin.ie/cgi-bin/rtpi/busstopinformation?stopid=LUAS13&format=json

Apps take these calls and present them to you in a nice format but as far as I know all derive from the same source

Ok everyone seems to use it, wondering why the OP singled out DB.

harringtonp · 11-04-2019 4:34pm

harringtonp wrote: »

It's a year and a half later but just came across this and have made a submission:

https://data.gov.ie/dataset/suggest/aa0f432b-e741-4d65-aaee-6a772efde7b6

If a few likes will give this some momentum, they would be much appreciated.

Background on why this feed would be useful at

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=809794042730067&id=485305331845608

Phibsboro · 11-04-2019 4:49pm

harringtonp wrote: »

Background on why this feed would be useful at

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=809794042730067&id=485305331845608

Fascinating stuff

Why is there no "real position" for Dublin Bus?

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