When the next bus actually is
See whether the bus is running, where it has gotten to, and how long you have before you need your coat.
A schedule says when a bus is meant to come. A live time says where the bus has actually got to. Knowing which one you are looking at is most of the skill.
Key points
- Tell a live time from a schedule time at a glance
- See where a bus has actually got to before you leave the house
- Ask the phone to buzz you ten minutes before it comes
- Find the stop on the right side of the road for the trip home
What to remember
- Live means the app can see the bus. Schedule means it is repeating what was printed.
- Live times can change while you watch them. That is the app being honest, not the app being unreliable.
- Two stops with the same name sit on opposite sides of the road. The word after the name is the one that matters.
Try this
Look up the stop nearest your own front door and save it. The next time somebody says "when is the next one?", the answer takes two seconds.
Practice: When the next bus actually is. Your first lesson is free, with no account or card; the rest are part of a Lantern plan. Interactive lessons require JavaScript.