Transit Part 7: Guidelines for Bus Routing

The main consideration of bus routing guidelines needs to be with Local Area and Extended Local Area Bus routes.  This is because, with the exception of Special Event buses, these two routes are doing all of the “door-to-door” part of the work in my program.  With all routes, the goal is to pick up and drop off as many passengers as is safely possible with the least amount of travel miles and travel time.


An important consideration in planning the time needed for Local Area, Extended Local Area, and Special Event buses is to keep in mind that the only passengers who need to be “escorted” between bus and building are those whose doctor determines that they need that level of accommodation.  All other passengers can be expected to keep an eye open for the bus so they are ready to get themselves to the bus within about a minute.

With current technology being what it is, it should also be possible for an automated or semi-automated system to make a call to the next passenger being picked up to let them know about when their bus will be there.  This helps them to be ready, and gives them an opportunity to do something like “use the restroom” if needed before the bus arrives.  It also reminds them to be ready when the driver arrives.

Currently, there are times when a passenger will take up to 5 minutes to turn lights of and take care of other needed tasks so they are ready to come out the door, lock it, and get to the bus.  This kind of delay, while understandable within the current system, can be at least reduced, if not mostly eliminated so as to help increase the passenger per hour average that is realistic for each bus to accomplish.

Thank you for taking time to read my program.  Obviously, if I didn't believe in my own program, I would not have published it for others to read and ponder on.

An Opinion Article by Dave Kemper
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It has been said that: "One definition of insanity is to do the same thing, the same way, over and over and over again, each time expecting to achieve a different result."
Therefore, we must either CHANGE the way we live, or we bind our future to our past as if with CHAINS.
"I do not consider myself to be better than anyone else.  But I do believe in exercising my right to not stay stupid."

David W. Kemper, Author
© Copyright 2014 by David William Kemper.  All right reserved
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