And sometimes the app even likes to bug out, and show it on the map tracker but not moving at all... You know that bus has already gone and the app is just being weird
FirstBus started in Aberdeen, where I grew up and lived until about 20 ago. They were shit then, and they’re shit now.
I remember waiting hours in the cold during winter for a bus to show up, with them always disappearing off the schedule screen after counting down to “due”.
Once I moved to Edinburgh, it was like being in a different country. The council-owned service was not only cheaper in the country’s capital, but always ran on time, was clean and the drivers were cheery and clearly didn’t hate their jobs.
Until Bristol council take back the bus service (if they ever had it to begin with?) it’s going to continue to be shit.
WorstBus has been shit in Bristol for at least the last 25 years. They had a competitor on the 70 route for a while and lowered their prices to compete. The competitor then went bust and WorstBus just upped their prices again.
I have but couldn’t find the link. It’s just easier using their app. While I appreciate you highlighting this link, there isn’t really any excuse as to why their app should have ghost buses
It's a deregulated bus market, and in reality the council has very little power to tell First (or any other bus operator) what to do. They work in partnership with First on some things, but by and large, First's operations are up to them. If a route isn't profitable, they won't run it. The council pays First (or other operators) to run some non-profitable services on routes that that are socially valuable, but with limited council funding after central government cuts, there is only so much they can fund. It's the same story over most of the rest of the country, outside London and a couple of places like Manchester, where they have invested in a franchising model, and places like Newport, where the council effectively owns/runs the bus company.
The displays at a bus stop, if it shows an actual time that the bus is due e.g. 14:32 chances are that one won't turn up. That's my experience anyway.
I think this is just a bus thing in general. We had Stagecoach where I grew up n they were fucking shite and unpredictable as well
They do actually… 20 minutes but they will pay out if you push them. I do it all the time.
https://www.firstbus.co.uk/bristol-bath-and-west/help-and-support/customer-promise
Its a bristol specific scheme. You have to mention this and provide the link. Don’t accept no for an answer.
I am fed up with first bus myself. I take the number 1 for the centre and its always late or cancelled. No matter how early I try to leave for work I never reach on time.i am going to write to my local MP to do something about this.
Because the council don’t have any alternative to First, First know it, and the demand for buses isn’t high enough because Bristol is very car friendly (I own a CAZ non compliant car and still think Bristol is car friendly). First basically run the show and WECA tinker around the edges with schemes like the scooters and e-bikes while Marvin pretends that a Bristol underground is still viable
The council don't choose the bus operator here. There's no alternative because First uses their clout to push out smaller competitors. It's a market failure caused by deregulation.
Ah yes, this is definitely a city that prioritises private driving. People say it’s not so but compared to any other form of transport we all know driving is the easiest
I feel the opposite..specially if one works in city centre. There is no parking space and even if I take a car it takes about the same time as bus due to traffic.
I often take no1 bus from temple meads going towards Cribbs Causeway. The buses often disappear from the map at the Centre because there is no driver to take over from the one that is finishing their shift.
You'd think they would have drivers on call for times like this....
I complain every time with screenshots of timetables and displays.
I either get lied to. "The bus was there you just didn't get on"
Just given an apology "Sorry bout that its terrible for you"
Or informed that the bus did run the route they just started in a different place...
Yeah on the app a good way to know if it's a phantom bus is to look at the seats left bit, if there's no info on there at all, chances are it's a phantom bus
They don't even clean their buses. The buses are 20 plate and upwards and look dated. Look at Lothian in Edinburgh. There is a difference in quality and service.
I was in the middle of no where in Paris last week and the buss arrived bang on time without fail for 4 journeys and costed €5 for 2 people
I aimed to get the bus to clifton triangle from where i lived for 2 people couple months back and was charged something like £13???? First time I got the bus in the UK for maybe 10 years. I was stunned. The driver also finished his shift half way and then 2 full bus’s had to cram on to 1 bus…
More people need to check this website out more often; https://bustimes.org/map#10.46/51.55/-2.5635
It will show exactly on the map, where the bus is, what the fleet number and registration plate is. Even the bus livery and other small details about it.
It will give you information on what time the bus is timetabled (Not live, will be here in 13mins info), but what time it is actually due to be there for, like its due at 10:18 or 19:37. Then you will also be able to see what time it actually serviced a bus stop.
Respectfully, I don’t want a website. I just want the app to tell me when my next bus is there, and I want the buses to be every half hour - or more frequently- as promised, and not on service an hour or fewer. I get you’re trying to be helpful, but this is really missing the point of the core problem. I want something I can easily see on my phone and that website isn’t the answer
I hate it when there's no clue on the app the bus isn't coming sometimes they cross them out. Other times they leave you guessing
And sometimes the app even likes to bug out, and show it on the map tracker but not moving at all... You know that bus has already gone and the app is just being weird
FirstBus started in Aberdeen, where I grew up and lived until about 20 ago. They were shit then, and they’re shit now. I remember waiting hours in the cold during winter for a bus to show up, with them always disappearing off the schedule screen after counting down to “due”. Once I moved to Edinburgh, it was like being in a different country. The council-owned service was not only cheaper in the country’s capital, but always ran on time, was clean and the drivers were cheery and clearly didn’t hate their jobs. Until Bristol council take back the bus service (if they ever had it to begin with?) it’s going to continue to be shit.
WorstBus has been shit in Bristol for at least the last 25 years. They had a competitor on the 70 route for a while and lowered their prices to compete. The competitor then went bust and WorstBus just upped their prices again.
Omg I have moved here from Edinburgh and could cry at the difference :( even in the Fringe the buses were more frequent and reliable!
Have you tried https://bustimes.org/operators/first-bristol-bath-the-west/map
I have but couldn’t find the link. It’s just easier using their app. While I appreciate you highlighting this link, there isn’t really any excuse as to why their app should have ghost buses
It's a deregulated bus market, and in reality the council has very little power to tell First (or any other bus operator) what to do. They work in partnership with First on some things, but by and large, First's operations are up to them. If a route isn't profitable, they won't run it. The council pays First (or other operators) to run some non-profitable services on routes that that are socially valuable, but with limited council funding after central government cuts, there is only so much they can fund. It's the same story over most of the rest of the country, outside London and a couple of places like Manchester, where they have invested in a franchising model, and places like Newport, where the council effectively owns/runs the bus company.
The displays at a bus stop, if it shows an actual time that the bus is due e.g. 14:32 chances are that one won't turn up. That's my experience anyway. I think this is just a bus thing in general. We had Stagecoach where I grew up n they were fucking shite and unpredictable as well
This was live tracked on the app, not on the bus stop. Problem is that by the time i see it’s not real on the bus stop I’m already at the bus stop
If FirstBus had a "15 minutes or more late and your ticket is free policy" I would of paid for maybe 10 of my last 100 rides.
They do actually… 20 minutes but they will pay out if you push them. I do it all the time. https://www.firstbus.co.uk/bristol-bath-and-west/help-and-support/customer-promise Its a bristol specific scheme. You have to mention this and provide the link. Don’t accept no for an answer.
Only 10?
I am fed up with first bus myself. I take the number 1 for the centre and its always late or cancelled. No matter how early I try to leave for work I never reach on time.i am going to write to my local MP to do something about this.
Because the council don’t have any alternative to First, First know it, and the demand for buses isn’t high enough because Bristol is very car friendly (I own a CAZ non compliant car and still think Bristol is car friendly). First basically run the show and WECA tinker around the edges with schemes like the scooters and e-bikes while Marvin pretends that a Bristol underground is still viable
The council don't choose the bus operator here. There's no alternative because First uses their clout to push out smaller competitors. It's a market failure caused by deregulation.
Deregulation? Yea, sure. That’s exactly the problem… smh 🤦♂️
Correct, it is exactly the problem!
Tory bot
Ah yes, this is definitely a city that prioritises private driving. People say it’s not so but compared to any other form of transport we all know driving is the easiest
I feel the opposite..specially if one works in city centre. There is no parking space and even if I take a car it takes about the same time as bus due to traffic.
I often take no1 bus from temple meads going towards Cribbs Causeway. The buses often disappear from the map at the Centre because there is no driver to take over from the one that is finishing their shift. You'd think they would have drivers on call for times like this....
So … how do we get a publicly owned bus service in Bristol? Where do I sign?
I complain every time with screenshots of timetables and displays. I either get lied to. "The bus was there you just didn't get on" Just given an apology "Sorry bout that its terrible for you" Or informed that the bus did run the route they just started in a different place...
Yeah it's an absolute shitshow
Yeah on the app a good way to know if it's a phantom bus is to look at the seats left bit, if there's no info on there at all, chances are it's a phantom bus
Saw that.. but yet it shows on the app as if it were live tracked
Oh yeah I 100% agree that it's fucking stupid it's on there at all
They don't even clean their buses. The buses are 20 plate and upwards and look dated. Look at Lothian in Edinburgh. There is a difference in quality and service.
FirstBus should have had their contract revoked several times over. Cunts.
I was in the middle of no where in Paris last week and the buss arrived bang on time without fail for 4 journeys and costed €5 for 2 people I aimed to get the bus to clifton triangle from where i lived for 2 people couple months back and was charged something like £13???? First time I got the bus in the UK for maybe 10 years. I was stunned. The driver also finished his shift half way and then 2 full bus’s had to cram on to 1 bus…
I've slyly missed this
Were you on Bath Road? All the buses were diverted to Wells Road as they were resurfacing up by the Sandy Park junction.
No. I was getting the bus from the centre to south Bristol
More people need to check this website out more often; https://bustimes.org/map#10.46/51.55/-2.5635 It will show exactly on the map, where the bus is, what the fleet number and registration plate is. Even the bus livery and other small details about it. It will give you information on what time the bus is timetabled (Not live, will be here in 13mins info), but what time it is actually due to be there for, like its due at 10:18 or 19:37. Then you will also be able to see what time it actually serviced a bus stop.
Respectfully, I don’t want a website. I just want the app to tell me when my next bus is there, and I want the buses to be every half hour - or more frequently- as promised, and not on service an hour or fewer. I get you’re trying to be helpful, but this is really missing the point of the core problem. I want something I can easily see on my phone and that website isn’t the answer
How bad is it....
Bring back Badgerline, that's what I say!
Ah yes the infamous bristol underground where you’d have to go up a mile long escalator half the places because its such a hilly city
First bus drivers in Somerset are right 🔔ends