Bustimes.org

Bustimes.org is a transportation information website created to take advantage of Bus Services Act 2017 requirements for bus operators by the Department for Transport that bus timetables, fares and vehicle locations could be provided in an open data format, which can be utilised by app and website developers.[2] This DfT service is called the Bus Open Data Service.

bustimes.org
Type of site
Bus Timetable Website
Available inEnglish
Founded2013
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Founder(s)Joshua Goodwin[1]
Current statusLive
Written inPython 3.9+

Location data from operators such as Lothian Buses is supplied to the site via the Transport for Edinburgh Open Data system.[3]

The site uses data from AVL tracking to determine and transmit the geographic location of a vehicle, such as data from Ticketer machines and the iBus system in order to display live bus positions on a map.

The site also uses data from the National Public Transport Gazetteer, and bus stop locations from NaPTAN.

The live tracking system was added in response to the Department for Transport stating that they wanted "to see more people taking the bus, and...those who do take it to have the best possible experience."[4] with fares for companies operating the Passenger MyTrip system being added in 2022.[5]

Criticism

The website was criticised by Centrebus Group owner, Julian Peddle, as lacking authority, not being an "official website" and questioning if trust can be placed in its information[6] in an article in Buses Magazine about bus timetable information.

References
  1. Sharman, Richard (24 September 2020). "Tracking the UK's bus network". Coach & Bus Week. p. 30.
  2. "BusTimes.org – bus timetables, route maps and vehicle location in the West Midlands". West Midlands Bus Users. 21 February 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  3. "Data sources – bustimes.org". bustimes.org. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  4. "Bus open data policy". GOV.UK. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  5. "Passenger enables third parties to host operator ticket links". routeone. 16 March 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  6. Peddle, Julian (July 2022). "It's all online, isn't it?". Buses Magazine. Key Publishing. p. 17. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
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