How do I make bus routes that actually save car trips?

[0.25_mol3]

I decided to redesign my whole bus network because I felt I had too many bus lines and they weren't saving any car trips whereas my metro system is always overcrowded. Can anyone help give advice as to how I can plan bus routes much better so that they can also save car trips?

EDIT: I had TMPE and I was surprised that there were more options that I could use. I finally have some bus routes that save around 30-50% of car trips after I disabled unnecessary transfers and enabled realistic parking.

[MaxFX]

You could apply a certain hierarchy amongst public transport. Where (trolley)buses are the lowest tier, trams and metro in the middle tier, and trains, ships and planes in the highest tier.

Use buses to collect cims from their homes and bring them to a location with good tram and metro connections.

Use the trams and metro's to transfer cims over long distances within your city. Make sure they have a stop within your tram/metro network that connects to a trainstation/harbour or airport.

Use trains, ships and planes to transfer cims between your city and the outside connections.

[AulaDraco]

I'd spend some time clicking on individual cims and cars and road networks to identify what trips are actually taking place. How do these people get to work? Can the bus make that more efficient? Are residential and work zones connectable by bus, and how about residential and commercial? Also, think about the "last mile" concept. When your train or metro lets people off at the end of the line, do they then have to get in their car and finish the last portion of their trip by getting in their car? This is to say that busses are most efficient when they connect with a heavier mode of transit. To start with this concept, try 4 bus lines - starting from a metro station and fanning out north east south and west, and see how it fits with what you want.

To your point about your metro, ask yourself what those trips are for. It's likely to/from your airport, but if not, its very likely you've got some sort of tourist hotspot that you're serving. Click on some tourists and see the kind of routes they're taking, and see how you can shape your metro around that. Increasing the number of vehicles for the sake of increased frequency can also be considered.

[OneJasonBradly]

There are many routes I have made where I have "Car trip saved" 100%. If you have too few busses attending a route the percentage goes down. Too many busses and the cost of the line goes through the roof. I think the biggest factor to "trips saved" is serving the waiting and not have those riders de-spawn of pull out there pocket cars because they are tired of waiting for a bus. I think those missed rider opportunities hurt the percentage greatly and give it a lower rating.
EDIT: There are routes I have that I just can't seem to crack and get any decent savings on and not sure as to why. Sometimes I think it based on length of line to amount of stops and transfer opportunities. What I mean by that is we all have seen them exit a bus, walk a half a block and pull their car out to continue the trip. That too possibly plays to the % for in that instance a vehicle trip was not saved. In that case where they pull out pocket cars I try to adjust the stops placement or number.

[nicolaandmike4]

Is there a mod to stop them using their pocket cars?

[cogvos]

TMPE (Traffic Manager President Edition) has an option in the game play tab to enable more realistic parking. Not sure if this stops them using pocket cars completely, but it does seem to help.

[Doc001]

Originally posted by cogvos:

TMPE (Traffic Manager President Edition) has an option in the game play tab to enable more realistic parking. Not sure if this stops them using pocket cars completely, but it does seem to help.

It does stop them from using pocket cars. But you need parking available for the cims.

[MarkJohnson]

I find commerce to be the biggest cause of traffic issues for transportation.

I try to use mostly offices as they don't sell anything and don't need freight.

I just scatter commerce in mall fashion, so I can manage them in the district. I get most of them to walk everywhere. But I will use buses to take residential (workers) to job areas borders. This will move workers and shoppers around locally.

But if you have tons of tourists waiting around. you just may need to figure out where they are wanting to go. I use the route button by clicking on a road in a busy area and see where cims are going and examine what type of cim and where they want to go, then make a transportation line to get them there. The route tool is great for seeing where cims want to go.

Just remember, shoppers want to go from residential to shops, tourists want to come in from the outside connection and roam your streets the whole time until they run out of money or time, then go back to the outside connection.

But I try to make little tourist trap districts with passenger trains, planes, and ships to move them in and out as best I can.

If you want specific advice, maybe post a saved game so we can see better what is going on in your city.