Passengers frustrated by 'ghost buses'—services that appear on electronic information boards but never arrive—are being assured that work is underway to tackle the issue. Members of the West Midlands Combined Authority's (WMCA) Transport Overview and Scrutiny Committee will discuss the region's bus real time information (RTI) system at a meeting next week.
What Are 'Ghost Buses'?
'Ghost buses' refer to services listed on bus stop or station electronic boards that predict a bus's arrival but the vehicle never shows up. Officers say efforts have successfully reduced these occurrences to a minimum.
Improved Information Systems
A report to the committee highlights work on several areas to enhance passenger information. This includes tackling ghost buses, implementing automated trip cancellations from National Express West Midlands' lost mileage recording system, and providing 'RTI Everywhere' QR codes at bus stops.
Franchising Model Benefits
The report notes opportunities for improving RTI when the region's network transitions to a franchise model from next year. Under franchising, all services will operate under a service contract, allowing WMCA to contractualise elements such as service operation, customer contact, and data provision—currently solely within the gift of bus operators.
Franchising will enable WMCA to specify the frequency of bus position reporting, mandate operators to provide information about cancelled trips, and ensure timely and accurate updating of service schedules. This will address many identified causes of inaccuracy in the RTI system.
Audit Results
An audit between February 16 and 23 observed 52 bus stops and confirmed ghost bus occurrences. A similar exercise between December 1 and 13 noted three instances. The report states that through controlled amendments and post-change checks, the number of ghost buses reported is now minimal.
