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Are Bus Stop Numbers Useful ?

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  • 10-10-2020 1:50pm
    #1
    harringtonp
    Registered Users Posts: 2,563 ✭✭✭


    In the TFI app there are bus stop numbers shown against departure listings and in trip diagrams.

    Do people use them to identity they are at the right stop or for other purposes ? And if so which purposes?


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    harringtonp
    Registered Users Posts: 2,563 ✭✭✭harringtonp


    Example screenshot


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    #3
    GT89
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,770 ✭✭✭GT89


    Yes they are useful. If I'm waiting at a stop in an area I'm not familar with I will look up the stop number for RTPI as it saves searching for it.


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    #4
    Ben D Bus
    Registered Users Posts: 2,110 ✭✭✭Ben D Bus


    When I'm giving people directions to my location I often tell them which stop number to get off the bus.

    When I'm travelling in an unknown area, I can find the stop I'm getting off using the number and check it against my location using GPS.

    When I arrive at an unfamiliar stop with no RTPI I can quickly check and enter the stop number in the app to see when the next bus is due.

    Yes, it's incredibly useful!

    Or at least it was before I migrated from bus to bike due to youknowhat!


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    #5
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 48,291 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    kinda wondering how the only definitive way of telling one bus stop from another could *not* be useful.


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    #6
    harringtonp
    Registered Users Posts: 2,563 ✭✭✭harringtonp


    magicbastarder wrote: »
    kinda wondering how the only definitive way of telling one bus stop from another could *not* be useful.

    I'll have to open my eyes next time but where on the stop or shelter is the number actually written ? And is it big enough to be seen from inside the bus for someone looking to get off ?


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    #7
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 48,291 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    not really visible for someone looking to get off, by the time you would cop it it'd be pretty much too late to hit the button. they're more for the people at the stop really.

    you can see it on the blue circle above the bus stop here:

    https://www.google.com/maps/@53.3868709,-6.2564348,3a,39.3y,261.46h,89.08t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s9kDzoUBO4LLIDgShGZGVfQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192


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    #8
    harringtonp
    Registered Users Posts: 2,563 ✭✭✭harringtonp


    Thanks for that, I was wondering how it was displayed. I'm surprised actually (I'm looking at this from a data perspective) how the stop codes vary from single digit to 6 digits.

    Its an unusual format, I'd expect them all to be the same length


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    #9
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 48,291 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    probably historical. you can see a lot of the single digit ones on parnell square on the side across from the rotunda entrance, IIRC.


  • Options
    #10
    BowWow
    Registered Users Posts: 1,760 ✭✭✭BowWow


    harringtonp wrote: »
    Thanks for that, I was wondering how it was displayed. I'm surprised actually (I'm looking at this from a data perspective) how the stop codes vary from single digit to 6 digits.

    Its an unusual format, I'd expect them all to be the same length

    When TFI roll out standard nationwide stops that will probably be addressed.


    https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=104459971&postcount=99


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    #11
    p_haugh
    Registered Users Posts: 1,117 ✭✭✭p_haugh


    From looking at it, I think stops served by Dublin bus and Go ahead have their own range of digits which they are allocated (in the 0 to ~10000 range), whereas it looks like all Bus Eireann stops are giving 6 digits for the stop numbers.

    A uniform nationwide numbering system would be a lot better imo


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  • Options
    #12
    harringtonp
    Registered Users Posts: 2,563 ✭✭✭harringtonp


    A practical example of this is shown in the image below where the search algorithm doesn't kick in until 3 characters are typed. So while you can find stop 603 this way, you won't get 60.

    And its not practical really to start matching on a single character when you have thousands of stops


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    #13
    salonfire
    Registered Users Posts: 3,078 ✭✭✭salonfire


    harringtonp wrote: »
    A practical example of this is shown in the image below where the search algorithm doesn't kick in until 3 characters are typed. So while you can find stop 603 this way, you won't get 60.

    And its not practical really to start matching on a single character when you have thousands of stops

    Is searching by 60* any good? It might give you 60.


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    #14
    Wishbone Ash
    Registered Users Posts: 24,952 ✭✭✭✭Wishbone Ash


    magicbastarder wrote: »
    probably historical. you can see a lot of the single digit ones on parnell square on the side across from the rotunda entrance, IIRC.
    Are the numbers that are/used to be on the bus shelters different from the bus stop numbers?

    (When I was a regular bus users in the 1980's/early 1990's, the northbound shelter opposite the Church of the Holy Child in Whitehall was number 0001.)


  • Options
    #15
    GT89
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,770 ✭✭✭GT89


    Wishbone Ash wrote: »
    Are the numbers that are/used to be on the bus shelters different from the bus stop numbers?

    (When I was a regular bus users in the 1980's/early 1990's, the northbound shelter opposite the Church of the Holy Child in Whitehall was number 0001.)

    Yes I think one of them is used by the advertising company to indetify the stops. Sort of confusing for passengers. The actual bus stop number can be found on the timetable or the DB or TFI roundel.


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    #16
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,241 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    GT89 wrote: »
    Yes I think one of them is used by the advertising company to indetify the stops. Sort of confusing for passengers. The actual bus stop number can be found on the timetable or the DB or TFI roundel.

    Yes. It's an 'asset tag' for the shelter. Note however that there are two series of shelter numbers. If we take stop 2819 Dundrum Road, Bird Avenue, the shelter number used to be 1595, the new one is 14-506, with the "14" representing the postal district.

    https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/1567791379#map=18/53.30546/-6.24573

    Old shelter old number https://www.google.com/maps/@53.3055455,-6.2457807,3a,15y,93.34h,86.48t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sV1nUwFnNZapoMKQXLFhdvg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

    New shelter old number https://www.google.com/maps/@53.3055882,-6.2458632,3a,15y,120.32h,89.62t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sglrptvtQ_50bmB7udC7tfA!2e0!5s20140701T000000!7i13312!8i6656

    New shelter new number https://www.google.com/maps/@53.3055104,-6.2458301,3a,30y,90.84h,85.79t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s1NJDdDhIIcrBlGQzLQIO9Q!2e0!7i16384!8i8192


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