Some tweaks to the Next Bus SMS service
Some tweaks to the Next Bus SMS service
You can still text to get your bus timings however, how you send and receive SMS information from the service is changing slightly .
What’s new
From August 15, 2016 onward, you will need to text the stop number AND a bus route number in order to receive the next two departure times.
You must include a bus route number in your request in order to get times.
How does it work?
Text the bus stop number and bus route number to 33333 (example: 54440 240) and within seconds, you’ll receive the next 2 departure times for that bus route at that stop.
If you need times for multiple bus routes that service your stop, enter the stop number and up to two bus routes, and text 33333 (example: 50585 44 84).
You’ll get the next 2 arrival times for each bus route in separate texts. You can only request up to two bus routes per text.
If three or more bus routes are listed at a stop and you want times for all of them, an additional text message will need to be sent (example: 54446 240 246 and 54446 241).
Departure times
The predicted departure times are based on the GPS location of the buses and update approximately every two minutes, but sometimes only scheduled times will be available.
Scheduled times are marked with an asterisk (*). When a service is cancelled, we’ll indicate the time with a “C” – same as today.
Need help?
As always, you can text “HELP” to 33333 for assistance.
Remember! Next Bus is also available on our website. So, you can get departure times and all of the route and stop information provided for you on your mobile device or computer.
For more information on the Next Bus SMS service, you can visit our website.
Have questions on the go? Tweet @TransLink or call us at 604.953.3333.
So basically if you don’t have the route number, you’re out of luck. Or if you aren’t sure if you want the N19 or the regular 19, you have to figure it out. Doesn’t seem very useful when you are at a remote stop late at night.
Yes, this change isn’t really helpful when it replaces the previous service. Why not add it as a feature.
As it stands right now if I’m at a stop with only one bus and I text just the stop number, i get a message back telling me which bus stops there.
The system literally knows exactly what I want, but refuses to tell me. Instead insists I jump through more hoops.
That’s not smart design.
EG:
Text: 54813
Response: Please text [stop#] [bus#] for Next Bus times. Bus at 54813 is: 640
It knows the stop. It knows the bus. It refuses to tell me.
The sms service is useless as it tells wrong times! Example: Sms sent at 1:20pm told me the bus leaves at 1:41pm, so I was at the bus stop at 1:35pm. No bus showed. I asked google, and google told me the bus had left at 1:32pm and that the next bus comes only after 2pm. Worst sms “service” ever!