An end to printed timetables for bus

New technology could spell the end to printed bus timetables.

The numbers don’t lie — according to Bay of Plenty Regional Council — and the days of the printed bus timetable appear to be numbered.

As the Regional Council prepares to roll out its new Tauranga and Western Bay bus network on December 10, it has been investigating how people find out which bus to take and it’s shown a dramatic shift to online tools in the past few months.

Public Transport committee Chairman Councillor Lyall Thurston says since July 2014 nearly

119,000 timetables had been printed, but in the past seven months more than 400,000 sessions have been recorded on the mobile Transit App, putting real-time information into the hands of people and their mobile phones.

“The app allows customers to see the next buses arriving at the location, set a favourite route number, track their bus as it approaches and plan their trip in real-time,” Cr Thurston says. “This new technology is all about enhancing the experience and providing a more reliable and efficient service.”

Bayhopper customers can now also plan their journey thanks to updated Google Maps technology via the Baybus website.

The maps show a departure board for each bus stop, with real-time information as well as routes and timetables.

Printed timetables will still be available for users — with 8000 printed for the launch of the new network.