For several years London buses have been equipped with GPS tracking and this has enabled stops in central London to be fitted with Countdown displays tracking impending arrivals. It works well. In the outer suburbs, by and large, there are no indicators, even at major interchange stations such as Hammersmith.
The Bus Checker app taps into the Transport for London Countdown database and will tell you how long you have to wait at any bus stop in the Greater London area. It works like a dream and has made my life a lot easier in the two weeks I’ve been using it. The app shows you a map of the stops near your current location and provides details of direction and destination so you can choose the correct place to wait. So far it has been totally accurate.
The problem with buses, unlike trains, is that they are unpredictable because of traffic conditions. The result can be long periods of waiting followed by two or three buses arriving at the same time. Bus Checker can’t do anything about iregularities like that, of course, but it can tell you exactly what is happening. It enables you to stay in the warmth of Starbucks until the next bus is due.
As far as I’m concerned, Bus Checker is the best £1.49 I’ve spent this year. It’s less than the cost of one bus fare, by the way. There is an even cheaper app that does a similar job, although I haven’t tried it. Next Bus is in the App Store at 69p.
Yes it makes things easier all round and, I think, encourages more use of the buses!
Thank you thank you thank you for posting this – it has literally changed my daily commute! Although in my case starbucks is actually my house – still warmer than waiting at a bus stop though!
Tried the cheaper app you mentioned too, but wasn't as slick or easy to use as bus checker – definitly worth the extra quid !