This is from last weekend. Convinced my family to take a Vajra to go across town from Whitefield to Mahalakshmi Layout. I told them don't worry, there are buses (333Z, 335EP, 335T) that go in that direction. We decided we will leave around 10 AM.
Come 9.30, I went to BMTC website to find bus timings. BMTC or BTIS, no information. Then I tried the BMTC helpdesk numbers (special BSNL # as well as regular number), numbers busy. Tried till about 10.15 AM. And then gave up. Without info on timings, family was not willing to take a connecting Big10 till Kundalahalli and then just wait (next to a wineshop) for a 333Z/335EP/335T to show up. End of Story.
Bottomline - without a solid (let us say simple) route information website or helpdesk, or multiple information kiosks setup in major office areas before the Bus Day, I am not sure how we will excite people about trying Buses on that day. I provide Vajra example here as we decided we will target large Tech Park areas, and many in this target audience will look for Vajra information.
PS: After we started driving, somewhere after Marathahalli, we did overtake a 333Z. Felt bad that we could have, but we didn't do, what? take the bus!
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SB, You are absolutely correct!
SB,
I am sure there are numerous such experiences from good citizens who are willing to change over to PT, but each time BMTC fails them.
I am at loss to find why BMTC mgmt doesn't understand this such a high priority and important requirement.
From our recent engagements with both KSRTC and BMTC,I can say that govt departments and corporations like BMTC and KSRTC do not understand the value addition from IT systems in their operations.
The Long distance volvoes are
The Long distance volvoes are quite infrequent unlike the voloes which stop at majestic. Only the 500K volvo is an exception to this. BMTC must atleast display the timings of these buses properly so that people preferring to go long distances can wait.
At shantinagar I have seen a display board which shopws the arrival times of volvo buses and their destinations. The same must be extended to all plaes for public benefit.
Buses don't go to depot very early...
I have mentioned many times that all the buses after 7 PM or so will go different depot names such as silkboard depot, agara depot and take rest until next day morning.
BMTC operates well during morning hours, but not so in the evening. This lives lots of people to wait hours together in the bus stand during nights and the people flock. To overcome these kind of uncertainities, people take private vehicles.
This evening rush hour should be served effectively atleast upto 10PM when most of the offices close and start normal buses night services with probably increased fares or so. This is not served by BMTC.
What I have seen is a single set of driver conductor do duty on Volvos from morning 7 to evening 7 by earning some OT. This should be made 2 shifts.
This is where organizations like ABIDe should look fill in and give better services in their 'BIG' series.
This is the problem faced by
This is the problem faced by many thanks to the general shift operated between 7:30AM and 7:30PM and the drivers go to teh depot. the morning peak hour is well connected but not the evening. If the timings are advanced by an hour that itself will suffice for catering to the passengers.
More than the peak hour now I notice that buses get more crowded after 8:45PM> BMTC must run more buses on these times to cater well to the commuters. Autos are unreliable after 8PM and they start charging 1.5 times after 9PM itself. It is he BMTC that must do something.
Google Maps
Being able to find the bus routes through Google Maps is a great help.Please request them to share information with Google.
In my experience, many American cities have a bus service which is far worse(much less regular than BMTC).However, trip planning is easier with Google maps.
Airport Volvo Time-table Brochure
In a nice co-incidence, read Silkboard's post yesterday about Volvo timetables and discovered today that BMTC has printed timetables in the form of brochures for the Airport Volvos.
I have uploaded the scanned images at http://trinitycircle.blog... if anyone is interested.
I also noticed the new LED displays at bus stops - they seemed to be only for Volvos. In the brief period I was there, the two routes that showed on the display turned up soon after, so atleast the system works correctly.
Nice start from BMTC, hopefully more will follow.
Timings are essential to plan
I agree with SB's comments on bus timings required. I think that will make a big differnce to usage of buses. In the absence of timings, it is hard to plan, and hard to take the bus instead of th car.
The old BMTC website did have timings of the Volvo buses, but the new website is not yet updated with this information - as a result, what was there, has got lost.
Hope BMTC does something quickly about this - it is a simple task, that will help improve things.