Real Time Public Transport Information - By Phone....WOW

[SteelPan]

Recent Experience (Yes, I arrived at the bus stop a good 7mins early): Late at night, bus now 9mins late, 12mins late, 15mins late GGGRRRRRR Bl*&%y Stupid &%#$!!!#$%% thing, where are you, I KNOW, mere male brain wave kicks in, I'll call the TRANSLATE 13...... number pre-programed into my mobile "Sorry sir all we can give you is timetable information, I can't actually tell you which alien force has beamed up your bus"........(ok, they didn't say the aliens bit, but you get the picture)...I remember, being told the SAME THING about an eternity ago...ie, say 3 years ago  GGGRRRRRRRRR Bl^&$%^y STUPID ^%##%&* Thing...CAN WE PLEASE JOIN, THE SAY LATE 20TH CENTURY (if not the current one)...and have a 13 number that uses mod-ern tec-na-ol-agy and gives REAL TIME answers, to such deep and meaningful questions as, what the hell's happened to the bus that was meant to be here 20mins ago - PLEASE - should I stand here like a dill any longer (afterall, I can stand like that anywhere)...should I walk....call a friend (if I had one)...hail a cab or use a pen torch and try to attract the aliens who might beam me up and get me off this at times 3rd world rock.....(sorry sir we can only beam people up without jeans on...GGGRRRR)...

[ButFli]

I think it's unreasonable to expect to know the reason why a bus is late. It would be nice to have a number to call to find out how late a bus is or whether it has been cancelled, though. The information is obviously available because it is displayed at major bus stops on the signs.

They have a system in Melbourne with trams (and maybe buses, I'm not sure) where each stop has a code that you can SMS to a number and it SMS's you back with the next 5 trams at that stop and how late they are.

[SteelPan]

ButFli, thanks for your feedback to my post. 

Not really with you re the "unreasonableness" of wanting know why a scheduled bus service is either not going to turn up ie, cancelled or is simply running late and is still going to show - as a customer of Translink, I really DO WANT TO KNOW - am I wasting my time standing here at the stop any longer etc?.  Such knowledge would also be of greater help to the elderly and young ladies - both groups I suspect would not want to be standing around at bus stops for longer than they have to - particularly at night.

As to your comments re displaying information on electronic ("active") bus stops - I have seen such technology, yes limited use in Brisbane - more use in Adelaide I recon - but I reckon 98% of Brisbane bus stops are still a pole in the ground with a sign on top.