Operational considerations

The number and location of bus layover spaces required is linked to the way in which the bus network is designed and operated.

The design and operational considerations include the way in which the driver and fleet are scheduled, the location of depots in relation to termini and the availability of bus layovers and driver facilities.

Since bus layover facilities can have a capital and operating cost associated with them, they are often competing for limited space in towns and cities.

This section explores some design and operational opportunities to reduce the need for layover spaces.

Driver changeover

Drivers can ‘changeover’ part way through a trip or at the end of the trip with the driver who has just finished his/her shift returns to the depot to take a break. The bus will continue running on the road with a new driver. This is most efficient when the changeover is scheduled to occur when the bus is closest to the depot, so that the drivers can walk between the changeover location and the depot.

When the changeover location is further from the depot, a staff car is often used to shuttle the drivers between the bus and the depot.

Network planning consideration	Advantages	Disadvantages
In-trip driver changeovers	No bus layover spaces are required because buses stay in-service. Drivers can take their breaks at the depot where full facilities are provided	Changing drivers mid-trip can create delay for passengers. Driver changeover can result in longer dwells which can increase congestion at the bus stop. It is not recommended that driver changeovers occur at busy bus stops or interchanges unless dedicated space is provided.

Through-routing

Through-routing is the term for when bus routes are designed to run from one side of a town or city to the other without terminating, waiting and recommencing in the centre. Through-routing can be thought of as joining two bus routes together so that there is one bus route end to end rather than two overlapping bus routes.

Diagrammatic example of through-routing

Diagram showing through-routing.

Bus routes which terminate in the city centre

Diagram showing two partly overlapping routes which terminate in the city centre.

Network planning consideration	Advantages	Disadvantages
Through-routing	Reducing the number of terminating buses in the city centre because layovers are taken at suburban termini. Reducing transfers because customers have a ‘one seat’ ride across the town or city. Fewer buses are in the town or city centre which may reduce bus congestion. Operational cost savings from having fewer overlapping services in the town or city centre.	Decreased service reliability if the route covers a long distance or operates without bus priority on roads which are prone to traffic congestion. There may be a requirement for relatively long ‘timing point’ stops (that is stops where buses wait if ahead of schedule to improve reliability). Reducing the number of opportunities for a driver to take a break and therefore decreasing drivers’ access to facilities particularly for long bus routes.

Loop routes

A loop route is when a bus route is designed to return to the same location which the trip started without terminating at the turnaround point.

Loop routes can be thought of as joining the inbound and outbound trips together so that layover is only undertaken at one end.

Loop routes operate most effectively when the route is short and/or bus priority is provided along the route to minimise the potential for delay.

Loop route terminations

diagram showing a green arrow showing a loop route which does not terminate at the turnaround point

Diagram showing a loop route which does not terminate at the turnaround point.

Network planning consideration	Advantage	Disadvantage
Loop routes	It can reduce the quantity of layover and driver facilities required as the infrastructure can be consolidated at one end of the route.	There can be issues with travel time reliability and bus bunching especially for longer bus routes. A timing point may be required at the turnaround point to allow promote schedule adherence.

Network planning consideration

Advantage

Disadvantage

Loop routes

It can reduce the quantity of layover and driver facilities required as the infrastructure can be consolidated at one end of the route.

There can be issues with travel time reliability and bus bunching especially for longer bus routes. A timing point may be required at the turnaround point to allow promote schedule adherence.

Layover capacity

The number of layover spaces required to reliably and efficiently operate a bus service are affected by the following factors:

The frequency of terminating buses
The duration of the layover (related to function) by each bus
Whether buses are timetabled to arrive at regular intervals or pulse to meet other services (eg rail)
How reliable the bus service is and whether buses regularly bunch together
Generally, the highest demand for layover spaces occurs around the morning peak, early afternoon and afternoon peak when drivers are scheduled to take meal breaks. Therefore, some layover spaces could be used for other purposes during off-peak times, including weekends.

Electric bus charging

Consider electric bus charging requirements in your planning and design of layovers to ensure that charging equipment can easily be installed as needed. This may include allowing space for charging equipment (eg pantograph, plug in or induction), installing electrical ducting and considering the capacity of the local power grid.

Battery electric bus charging

pantograph electric bus charging facilities reef street wellington lschmitt

Pantograph electric bus charging facilities, Reef Street, Wellington (Source: Lorelei Schmitt).

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Driver changeover

Through-routing

Loop routes

Layover capacity

Electric bus charging