Author: relbus

We’ve just spotted that Prentice Coaches have the ability to provide live bus tracking information for all it’s bus services. Click the links and you’ll get magical popup to the Live Tracking App.

121 Haddington to North Berwick

123 Gifford Circle

123 Gifford Circle (Morning school run)

Prentice will be using Pinpointers’ tracking software, which we notice can also be integrated with booking software (at a cost). But why would knowing where a bus is matter to anyone? Pintpointers state:

For example, if a coach operator was carrying children on a school trip, the new system would provide parents and teachers with accurate, real-time updates on exactly where the coach is and therefore when it is going to arrive. This would avoid children having to wait by the roadside, improving safety and comfort.

All of which seems quite nice. Though in this day and age mobile telephony with geo positioning, smart phones and twitter offer low cost ways that can do pretty much the same. Top marks for Prentice all the same for encouraging and leading good practices in rural East Lothian.

Following a recent article in the local press about a lack of parking spaces at Drem station, RELBUS suggested that it might be possible for some people to take the bus to the train station instead, if the timings were right. Although it transpires that most local buses are tied up in school runs at the end of weekdays, Prentice coaches have been able to make a small change to their North-Berwick to Haddington 121 service, which now arrives in Drem at 18:20. This is ideal for anyone coming off the train service from Edinburgh arriving at 18:11. We understand that Prentice have noted a significant rise in passengers already.

Continue reading Better bus connections with rail long overdue

RELBUS, the Rural East Lothian Bus Users group welcomes the formation of East Lothian Council’s Local Bus Forum. We recognise it is not easy for the public’s needs to be met in a competitive and deregulated environment and that  operators justify investment and operational decisions in the interests of shareholders. However the structural deficiencies in public transport are significant and are barriers to employment and business development, as well as access to health services and education according to East Lothian’s latest Economic Development Strategy (2012-2022). There is a need for change, so we were pleased to be able express passenger concerns and begin the conversation on the key issues that we feel will lead to: greater innovation in service provision and fares, better integration and connectivity of public transport, much improved information and publicity and, above all much more public involvement in the shaping of these services. We see the forum as a welcome first step in the right direction and optimistic that there is a willingness to explore new approaches. We think a further step in this direction would be the establishment of a common passenger charter for the East Lothian area, for all operators and the council to sign up to.

Barry Turner, RELBUS CHAIR