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.
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 |
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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
Bus routes which terminate in the city centre
Network planning consideration |
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
Through-routing |
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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
Network planning consideration |
Advantage |
Disadvantage |
Loop routes
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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. |
The number of layover spaces required to reliably and efficiently operate a bus service are affected by the following factors:
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.