Rule number one for structuring a bus route network is surely that all routes with the same number take the same route- right? If you jump on bus J, then you expect it to take a particular route and for that route to always be the same – right? Well, with updates to the route structures for Dominion Road and Sandringham Road buses, it seems that “rule number one” has gone out the window. You can compare the old and new timetables on the MAXX website:
Sandringham Road current –> Sandringham Road (from Jan 30th)
Dominion Road current –> Dominion Road (from Feb 1st)
Many of the changes are good (or at least appear to be good). We see a great simplification of routes on Sandringham Road services in particular, with pointless services like the 241, 246 and 247 being discontinued. Generally the 248 and 249 services have also been merged into one – and the bizarre 202 bus has been turned into a school service. This is all very good and along similar lines to what I proposed a few months back – although doesn’t go quite as far in terms of simplification. Here’s the outer part of the new route map: 
This compares to the old map, which looked like this for the same area:
While these changes are good – I’m always a fan of eliminating unnecessary complexity from bus routes – it seems that actually all that’s changed is the numbering of the routes and in fact nothing has changed when it comes to where the buses will actually go. Many of the former 241, 246 and 247 services (though not all of them) have effectively been retained – just they’re now listed as 249 services and start their run closer to the city.
Talk about confusing: it means that if you live anywhere along the 249 route further out than Wesley you can’t actually just check the times of those services, you also need to make sure that it’s actually running and doesn’t start much closer to the city. Rule number one of bus routes out the window. Outbound, three 249 services (3.35, 3.55 and 4.15) terminate at Wesley: bad luck if you got on that bus and presumed it would take to you to Blockhouse Bay – or even to New Lynn as bizarrely some of the 249 services go all the way there.
The situation is actually even worse for Dominion Road services. At least in the case of Sandringham most of the outbound buses have avoided having different routes (aside from the three mentioned above). For Dominion Road, parts of the timetable are hugely confusing – some 267s in the morning peak start at Lynfield, some start at Valley Road, some go via the Flyover, some are Express services. Similarly, some 258s start or end their runs in Blockhouse Bay, others at May Road. Particularly for outbound services it seems that nearly half the 258s actually terminate at May Road rather than continuing to Blockhouse Bay. The section of timetable below shows how strange this is – with red dots next to 258 services that do go all the way to Blockhouse Bay, and green dots next to those that terminate at May Road:
It seems to me that in both the Sandringham Road and Dominion Road changes, Auckland Transport has done a half-arsed job to try and make it look like they’re simplifying the route network. Sure, there are fewer route numbers about which is a good thing, but it’s completely pointless to simplify the route numbers if you don’t actually also simplify the routes themselves! It’s just damn confusing for passengers if this 249 bus goes to Blockhouse Bay, the next one goes to Wesley and the one after that goes to New Lynn. Furthermore, it would be damn annoying to jump on a 258 bus expecting it to take you to Blockhouse Bay, but then be dumped off it at May Road and forced to catch a second connecting bus to finish your journey.
It’s also a bit odd that there was no consultation over these changes. I’m sure if Auckland Transport had consulted the public, the potential confusion of having different route workings for a route of the same number would have been pointed out. Hopefully we will see this sorted out, and hopefully Auckland Transport will learn and not make the same mistake in the future.
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I think even just how the route numbers are displayed will be quite confusing for some i.e. looking at the Dominion Rd you now have 4 services that go down it, the 250, 258, 265 & 267. Assuming for a second that all went the length of the road before splitting off to their final destinations, then if you wanted to go to say Landscape Rd then you have to look out for one of those 4 bus numbers which look remarkably similar to a lot of other bus numbers. Why not number all of the key routes like Dominion Rd with a unique number, it should be quite easy as they have already been identified as the QTN routes, then separate out any alternate workings. That way if Dominion Rd was route 25 then all buses would be 25-X with X being the sub route it takes. Going back to my Landscape Rd example, all you then need to know is to catch a bus that goes along route 25 which seems much simpler. I also think it is important to separate out the sub working with a dash or something similar to give a bit more effect to the main route indicator.
Also coming back to the Sandringham Rd maps, why have they left in that detour around New Windsor, I realise that by removing it, it would create a hole in the coverage but surely a detour that size must impact patronage a bit due to how much longer and less direct it is. Perhaps the gaps should be filled by a LCN type service going around a few of those side streets and feeding into the higher frequency buses along Tiverton/New Windsor Rd and Donovan St/Boundry Rd
Ha! Why bother? If it was me I would be heading straight down to the train station and walk the last mile. Forget about the buses!
And the timetables- the layout looks complicated too. Wouldn’t it be better to have the destinations top—>bottom and the services left —> right ???
Total freaking madness.
This is not simplification, it makes the whole system far more complex. The routes are just as complex as before, only now the method of understanding where each bus goes has got a whole lot more complex. Idiots!
Given the notorious punctuality problems associated with buses, the only way to determine that the shape trundling toward you is really the bus you want to catch will be to wave it down and ask the driver, with the associated shirtiness that the drivers will undoubtedly display and the inevitable knock-on effects on punctuality down the line.
When I look at that map I see it only needs two routes to cover everything in a a quite direct manner, what is the purpose of all that other guff?
If I were designing this timetable I would have a 233 twice an hour and a 249 twice an hour all day (i.e. a half hourly clock-face service). These would be timetabled so where the routes overlap at Sandringham Road the would form a 15min clock-face timetable all day.
This would be supplemented by two flyer’s an hour at peak on both routes (on the quarter hour between the regular services), which would run express from Sandringham shops.
This would be incredibly simple to understand: Out around Blockhouse bay and New Lynn your bus comes every half hour on the half hour all day, except during the peak where you get extra flyers on the quarter hour too. On Sandringham Road your bus comes every quarter hour on the quarter hour.
I agree with Nick,
But I’m sure a new rule will come out soon that peak bus services are cancelled because they get in the way of cars.
It would be as sensible as their current plan above.
Haha, goodness!
Check out the 249F – it deviates from the 249 and 249X route at the Stoddard/Richardson Rd split, instead following the route of the 243. Stupid.
These changes are absolutely atrocious! Do they want people to ride these buses or not? Even the PT-savvy will find this hard to follow, so what hope for punters who decide to take the plunge, break the umbilical to their cars and give the buses a go?
I hope somone responsible from AT is reading these comments. With this sort of approach it’s no wonder bus patronage struggles to grow in Auckland.
I’m not surprised. They started doing that on Mt Eden Road buses — 274 buses either starts at Three Kings or Mt Eden Shops. I thought at the time ‘at least they didn’t do that on buses going in the reverse direction’! But looks like they’re going down that route (pardon the pun) now.
I wonder if the long-term plan is to migrate to a 2-digit system. The routes you mention could be simplified to 23 (following the current 233 route) and 24 (following the current 249 route). The last digit is really there only to show where the bus terminates — however some routes also use them to show slightly different routing than the usual route.
Thanks for raising this. I’m on the Puketapapa Local Board (and a fairly regular 267 user) and there hasn’t been so much as a heads up to the Board, let alone any proper community consultation. Will have a look into it.
This is madness and confusion of the highest order.
If what they want is a simpler and more easily understood route system is what they want, then ditch all the shorter routes – 238, 240, 241, 246, 247, etc. (that run only a couple of times a day anyway) – and make all buses do the whole trip, and give them 2-digit labels:
233 becomes 23
248/249 -> 24
256/258 -> 25
267 -> 26
I agree with shifting to two-digit bus route numbers. There’s absolutely no reason why Auckland needs more than 99 bus routes.
I’d be potentially keen on calling the Dominion Road services things like D1 (267), D2 (258) or DX (express bus).
Are your bus routes rational? We have 100s being south, 200s being east, 300s being north and 400s being west.
Auckland might need more buses in the future, once you get patronage, so a 3 digit system may be a good idea to keep.
Somewhat rational. 100 buses are generally west, 200 are west-isthmus, 300 are south via Manukau Rd, 400s are south via Great South Road, 500s are southern crosstown routes, Mt Wellington services and (weirdly) a North Shore crosstown route. 600s via Remuera Road, 700s via Tamaki Drive, 800s and 900s for the North Shore.
Routes starting with 0 are spread out pretty much anywhere – often in the inner west or crosstown or in the northwest.
It’s all a bit of a mess really.
From memory ARTA had identified 20 odd routes to eventually put B Line branding on like they have done with Dominion Rd and Mt Eden Rd, I think that they should perhaps only have 2 digit codes with the LCN type services having 3 digits. That would be a good way to help identify routes but we would probably have to get better at streamlining our routes.