Late services? Sue!

[#Metro]

A very tongue in cheek article.
This guy put up with late services and got sick of it. So he sued the operator and got them to pay for his taxi fares.

Next time you're waiting in the cold for a late bus, think of Jeremy Cooperstock.

The McGill engineering professor has managed to get the Société de transport de Montréal to reimburse him for several taxi fares after the 24 bus was late.

Tardy buses and buses that just don't show up are a constant source of frustration for commuters. Most just grumble or switch to driving. Few go as far as Cooperstock.

In one case, he took his beef to small claims court.

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Making+tardiness/2487457/story.html#ixzz0qyVqpnAV

http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Making+tardiness/2487457/story.html

[SteelPan]

I have on more than one occasion waited in vain for a suburban bus (the last of the night) and it never showed!    Translink are USELESS (and I believe delibrately so) and can and will do NOTHING to assit you in such circumstances - I often feel like saying to them "well, if I call a cab now, you'll reimburse me the fare???"  I may well do that next time.  The Translink response based on previous experience will likely be "well, uuhhmmm, I can't uuhhmmm...."  USELESS! 

[STB]

Most of the time it's operational issues and not planning issues. Operational issues are outside of TransLink's control.  There's been a few occassions where drivers have failed to show up, drivers failing to do the route properly or at all (mostly abated now by GPS tracking) among 100 other things. 

TransLink is simply the planning and finances entity, they don't micro manage and control every single thing that an operator does.  Known within the industry as Day Of Operations (DOO).

The only time that TransLink could intervene would be if they fail to pull the operator in based on audits and customer complaints for a slap on the backside, as has happened with Westside in the past.

Suing TransLink for late services would simply be flogging the wrong horse.

[somebody]

In other juridictions there is someone you can contact to find out what is happenning with a late bus.  Translink are the single point of contact in QLD.  They do not do anything.  Do they pass on the operator's contact details?  NO!!  They refuse (I presume).  This is something which could be sorted, but Translink do not have any interest in doing so whatsoever.

[STB]

No, they don't refuse to pass on the operator's contact details.  Most of the operator's contact details can be found on the TransLink site through external links to those operators!

When I've rung the call centre in the past they have given me the contact details without any problems.

[somebody]

No, they don't refuse to pass on the operator's contact details.  Most of the operator's contact details can be found on the TransLink site through external links to those operators!

When I've rung the call centre in the past they have given me the contact details without any problems.

Ok, so you can contact the operator who will then tell you what is happenning with your late bus?  If that's so, then why are so many people complaining that they say: "There is nothing I can do for you?"

[STB]

Most of the time there isn't much the operator can do. 

Buses can fail to show for a whole range of reasons outside of TransLink's control, just some include, traffic problems (heavy traffic, accidents), operational problems (eg: getting a bus and driver to replace a broken down bus), driver failing to turn up for the roster and thre operator being forced to find another driver or cancelling a service completely at the last minute if that fails (and there isn't usually enough time to get that information out to every bus stop along that route), a driver misreads his roster and runs to the incorrect time (this has happened in the past, drivers are only human!), or an operator running late due to any number of reasons on his previous run which causes the next run to run late, and that's just a few reasons.

All operations (the rail version would be Mayne Control), can do on the day is to try and minimize the inconvenience, just listen to the two way one day, especially during peak, or as I have done in the past, worked alongside the operations team for a morning peak and seen just how chaotic and stressing it can be to get the simple thing of a bus onto the road and you gain a new appreciation of getting those services to you to get you where you need to go.  Mayne Control will NOT talk to anyone else during peak hour in order to focus on the vast number of train movements.

One vital thing everyone must remember, TransLink DO NOT do rosters or day of operations.  They simply do the timetables (in liasion and sign off with the operator) and finances.

The only real time TransLink can intervene is if the issue is constant to which it then becomes either a planning issue (timetable or route needs to be updated/upgraded to fix the problem) or a contractual issue, as has occured with Westside in the past.  But it's all on a case by case basis.

The unfortunate thing is the passengers don't see what happens behind the scenes, if they did they might change their tune and be a little more open to late services.

Don't get me wrong, late services are never a good thing but there is usually good reason why they are late.  They are not running late on purpose.

[somebody]

Yes, but shouldn't there be a procedure for finding out if the bus is still coming or if it is cancelled?  If the procedure is to ring the operator, why do TL say "there is nothing we can do" rather than giving you the number to ring the operator?

[#Metro]

Yes, but shouldn't there be a procedure for finding out if the bus is still coming or if it is cancelled?  If the procedure is to ring the operator, why do TL say "there is nothing we can do" rather than giving you the number to ring the operator?

I can see both sides. Many times I was left at the bus stop thinking "so is it coming or has it gone?"
Sometimes it didn't turn up.
Other times I left, only to see in the distance the bus arrive really late.

Something like Melbourne's tramtracker would work. It might not make the bus come on time but at least other people can plan. In the age of iphones, mass SMS communication, instant communication, GPS, detector loops at almost every traffic light intersection and transponders, I think it would be possible.

Just text the stop number to a phone number, get a text back with the next 5 buses to arrive at that stop. The same could be done for trains and ferries. And if they were smart about it, they could charge a small surcharge on the premium SMS and make a little bit of money out of that.

Of course it won't be done. Its just too sensible.

Oh, look, it already exists: 

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/track-your-next-bus-by-mobile-phone/story-e6freo8c-1225701475888
http://www.tuboston.com/article-3672-nextbus-and-the-mbta-offer-new-real-time-bus-arrival-predictions.html
http://www.ctabustracker.com/bustime/home.jsp

[stephenk]

On London Underground, if you are delayed more than 15mins through the fault of London Underground (pretty much everything apart from people on tracks and security alerts), you can claim back the fare (and you get the full fare even if you use the cheaper Oyster Card!).

However, London Underground has excellent frequencies in the first place - core peak frequencies of 2-3mins, and core off-peak at 3-4mins.

[#Metro]

TransLink is simply the planning and finances entity, they don't micro manage and control every single thing that an operator does.  Known within the industry as Day Of Operations (DOO).

The only time that TransLink could intervene would be if they fail to pull the operator in based on audits and customer complaints for a slap on the backside, as has happened with Westside in the past.

But if TransLink was operating the bus, by taking over BT...

[STB]

BT is a contractor of TransLink, just like any other operator.  What has been said in the past threads is for the planning powers to be transferred over to TransLink completely (currently not the case) and BT to be operated by BCC on an operational basis only.

In this case, my previous post you are quoting would still stand.

[p858snake]

Airtain already offers to do stuff for plane tickets if you miss a flight, Although there is some requirements you need to meet like talking to the station attendant at the time and such.