Bus and Tram Lines Routing

[NewMasterChoco]

I know that everyone has their own style or way of doing things, but what are the good way to make a bus and/or tram lines more efficient? My third city in the game is very heavy on the bus, especially since I laid out like 7 or 8 bus line across my city. Some of those lines share one or two same stops. As for tram, I am planning to make a tram network for not all part of the city, but for specific district and maybe connect them through tram (I think I have done a lot for bus and want to try out new).

[onezerorising]

I spend half my game time tweeking bus stops. Remember the cims will walk quite a distance for a stop, so few stops well placed is the key here. Sometimes you have to make it worth their while with 'free public transport' or you can use mods like AVO or IPT 2 to lower fares.

If a stop is over or under used, try just moving it. If a stop is really popular see if you can identify where the majority of cims from that stop are going and make an express line that only covers those stops - with maybe a few more thrown in.

If you want to allow tranfers between bus routes, consider an otherwise useless stop on an otherwise unused road (so's you don't slow general traffic with queueing buses). That is, detour bus route '1' onto 'quiet road A', and then detour bus route '2' onto the same road for the transfer stop. You won't have cims 'queueing' for that stop, but you will get them hopping off route '1' buses, to wait for buses from route '2'.

Trams now, I have no idea as I don't have the dlc, but I imagine it would be similar to metro/bus interchanges and again I would try to keep either stop off 'main' traffic routes to avoid blocking regular traffic.

[NewMasterChoco]

Publicado originalmente por onezerorising:

I spend half my game time tweeking bus stops. Remember the cims will walk quite a distance for a stop, so few stops well placed is the key here. Sometimes you have to make it worth their while with 'free public transport' or you can use mods like AVO or IPT 2 to lower fares.

If a stop is over or under used, try just moving it. If a stop is really popular see if you can identify where the majority of cims from that stop are going and make an express line that only covers those stops - with maybe a few more thrown in.

If you want to allow tranfers between bus routes, consider an otherwise useless stop on an otherwise unused road (so's you don't slow general traffic with queueing buses). That is, detour bus route '1' onto 'quiet road A', and then detour bus route '2' onto the same road for the transfer stop. You won't have cims 'queueing' for that stop, but you will get them hopping off route '1' buses, to wait for buses from route '2'.

Trams now, I have no idea as I don't have the dlc, but I imagine it would be similar to metro/bus interchanges and again I would try to keep either stop off 'main' traffic routes to avoid blocking regular traffic.

Thank you for posting. I am looking for a way to improve my public transit and thinking of redoing my bus lines. Not all of them, but maybe add an expressway for the bus through my city where it is very heavily used. I shared and uploaded 14 screenshots of all the bus lines in my city. If you don't mind (and for anyone else, too), could you take a look and see what I can improve?

http://steamcommunity.com/id/NewMasterChoco/screenshots/

[mbutton15]

I really am no expert when it comes to buses, I mainly use them for their level up abilities.
However, with your grid like road structure I think just stick to simple up/down and left/right routes. Put the stops near junctions so they don't have to walk far if they want to switch routes.

[scpool1986]

Have trams going in directions that will meet bus lines meeting at right angles. I’m about to enter into a massive expansion of my tram services in my city. Haven’t added any new routes in almost 30,000 cims so I think it’s about time. The key is to keep up with the growth of your city or public transit works will start to feel overwhelming.

[NewMasterChoco]

Publicado originalmente por mbutton15:

I really am no expert when it comes to buses, I mainly use them for their level up abilities.
However, with your grid like road structure I think just stick to simple up/down and left/right routes. Put the stops near junctions so they don't have to walk far if they want to switch routes.

Hi mbutton15. Thank you for noticing and answering to my discussion. I think I should put a stop at my junction. Well, actually there is a stop near the junction, but maybe I can put it little closer.

Publicado originalmente por scpool1986:

Have trams going in directions that will meet bus lines meeting at right angles. I’m about to enter into a massive expansion of my tram services in my city. Haven’t added any new routes in almost 30,000 cims so I think it’s about time. The key is to keep up with the growth of your city or public transit works will start to feel overwhelming.

Well, I wish you good luck in your city! If you made it well, I would like to see it if you share it and don't mind about it. I am starting to like using the tram. It is another kind of rail transportation that I am very interested.

[scpool1986]

Publicado originalmente por NewMasterChoco:

Publicado originalmente por mbutton15:

I really am no expert when it comes to buses, I mainly use them for their level up abilities.
However, with your grid like road structure I think just stick to simple up/down and left/right routes. Put the stops near junctions so they don't have to walk far if they want to switch routes.

Hi mbutton15. Thank you for noticing and answering to my discussion. I think I should put a stop at my junction. Well, actually there is a stop near the junction, but maybe I can put it little closer.

Publicado originalmente por scpool1986:

Have trams going in directions that will meet bus lines meeting at right angles. I’m about to enter into a massive expansion of my tram services in my city. Haven’t added any new routes in almost 30,000 cims so I think it’s about time. The key is to keep up with the growth of your city or public transit works will start to feel overwhelming.

Well, I wish you good luck in your city! If you made it well, I would like to see it if you share it and don't mind about it. I am starting to like using the tram. It is another kind of rail transportation that I am very interested.

Thanks. It’s a work in progress but I’ll be glad to share some screen shots of my system. My trams are mostly working in opposing loops in targeted residential and industrial areas with a “spine” line that connects a majority of my routes. The buses are mostly used to get cims to where the central “spine” line is. Trams are good for medium sized cities but what I’ve discovered is that using them to feed metro stations along with buses works best for taking cars off the road and reducing commuter traffic.

[NewMasterChoco]

Publicado originalmente por scpool1986:

Publicado originalmente por NewMasterChoco:

Hi mbutton15. Thank you for noticing and answering to my discussion. I think I should put a stop at my junction. Well, actually there is a stop near the junction, but maybe I can put it little closer.



Well, I wish you good luck in your city! If you made it well, I would like to see it if you share it and don't mind about it. I am starting to like using the tram. It is another kind of rail transportation that I am very interested.

Thanks. It’s a work in progress but I’ll be glad to share some screen shots of my system. My trams are mostly working in opposing loops in targeted residential and industrial areas with a “spine” line that connects a majority of my routes. The buses are mostly used to get cims to where the central “spine” line is. Trams are good for medium sized cities but what I’ve discovered is that using them to feed metro stations along with buses works best for taking cars off the road and reducing commuter traffic.

I see. I think I will re-work my tram system. I only put some stops around my high density residential and IT office areas, but it is just a grid, so I want to expand and connect it to other area.