20 ms·

This is possible with public transportation too. Trains run express and skip stops all the time. I think that would be too much hassle with buses but it's poss

This is possible with public transportation too. Trains run express and skip stops all the time. I think that would be too much hassle with buses but it's possible.

jpatokal 8y ago
I have seen full or near-full buses skip scheduled stops to alleviate this. Although from a waiting passenger's POV, having an already delayed bus that has space left zoom past you without stopping is pretty infuriating...!
- btbuildem 8y ago
  Perhaps the bus that caught up to the full bus should pass it, and relieve the next stop - presumably there are extra passengers waiting at that one too, since the bus is late. This way the bus that caught up will now risk slowing down (dealing with fuller stops), but the original full bus that was slow is likely to not speed up that much, having an above-average number of potentially disembarking passengers.
  - Izkata 8y ago
    This is what CTA buses in Chicago do, though the full bus doesn't slow down. They end up leapfrogging down the route.
- mjevans 8y ago
  Yeah, the correct customer service solution is to have the full bus HOLD at a stop and let the emptier bus leave first (and stay ahead).
  - adrianN 8y ago
    That delays all people who are already on the delayed bus even more.
    - jakobegger 8y ago
      Not necessarily. If the full bus stays in front, then there will be lots of people waiting at every future stop, trying to get on the full bus, taking ages to do so. If the full bus lets the empty bus pass, then all the people waiting at the next stop can get into the empty bus. When the full bus arrives at the next stop, right behind the formerly empty bus, nobody needs to get on, only people need to get off, so they don't need to stop as long at the next stop.
      - mcv 8y ago
        Or at least the bus gets a little less crowded. Being able to sit in the delayed bus is also worth something.
- sasaf5 8y ago
  Buses in my town back in the 2000's would just turn off their signs when they were doing this.
thatoneuser 8y ago
It probably be not too much of you had two way communication with the bus. One can leapfrog the one in front, alleviate the front bus, and everyone's faster. However it probably has limits ie when a passenger on the passing bus wants to stop at the same place as the slow bus next stop.

This is possible with public transportation too. Trains run express and skip stops all the time. I think that would be too much hassle with buses but it's possible.

jpatokal 8y ago

I have seen full or near-full buses skip scheduled stops to alleviate this. Although from a waiting passenger's POV, having an already delayed bus that has space left zoom past you without stopping is pretty infuriating...!

btbuildem 8y ago
Perhaps the bus that caught up to the full bus should pass it, and relieve the next stop - presumably there are extra passengers waiting at that one too, since the bus is late. This way the bus that caught up will now risk slowing down (dealing with fuller stops), but the original full bus that was slow is likely to not speed up that much, having an above-average number of potentially disembarking passengers.
- Izkata 8y ago
  This is what CTA buses in Chicago do, though the full bus doesn't slow down. They end up leapfrogging down the route.
mjevans 8y ago
Yeah, the correct customer service solution is to have the full bus HOLD at a stop and let the emptier bus leave first (and stay ahead).
- adrianN 8y ago
  That delays all people who are already on the delayed bus even more.
  - jakobegger 8y ago
    Not necessarily. If the full bus stays in front, then there will be lots of people waiting at every future stop, trying to get on the full bus, taking ages to do so. If the full bus lets the empty bus pass, then all the people waiting at the next stop can get into the empty bus. When the full bus arrives at the next stop, right behind the formerly empty bus, nobody needs to get on, only people need to get off, so they don't need to stop as long at the next stop.
    - mcv 8y ago
      Or at least the bus gets a little less crowded. Being able to sit in the delayed bus is also worth something.
sasaf5 8y ago
Buses in my town back in the 2000's would just turn off their signs when they were doing this.

thatoneuser 8y ago

It probably be not too much of you had two way communication with the bus. One can leapfrog the one in front, alleviate the front bus, and everyone's faster. However it probably has limits ie when a passenger on the passing bus wants to stop at the same place as the slow bus next stop.