V Block for West Ox?

[WayneNYC]

I'd have to agree.  I can list NYCT/MTAB style when I get a few minutes.  It's interesting, but I think it works well there.

[Perry]

Maybe they go to depot stickers like NYCT?

[rideonrulez]

Maybe they go to depot stickers like NYCT?

I suggested that for Ride On with our old Operations Manager and he liked the idea. I had an idea of what to do with each depots logo BUT the problem was finding an artist to do each of the 3 depots. I could've put my artistic skills to work but then you would have people represented by stick figures!! 

[WMATAGMOAGH]

Agreed. John Catoe is trying to make WMATA just like LACMTA. The number system is just retarted.

I don't have an issue with Catoe bringing ideas from LACMTA.  My thing is that if WMATA ever grows beyond ten divisions, then they'll have to go to at least a 5 character block number or other changes.  Perry is right on point with the current letter system and West Ox proves it, since "W" is already used.

There are 26 letters in the alphabet, they can come up with something and keep the current system if they really wanted to.  The real problem with West Ox is that it has a letter conflict (not too significant), but that the next best letter to pick isn't usable, since I don't think they would use O since it can be confused with the number zero.  X might already have an internal use, but that doesn't mean it can't be used.  V isn't a bad idea.  They could also just use A since West Ox is replacing Arlington, or use E since it is the second letter in the word West, but E and F might be confused and those garages are fairly close to each other.

When you have so many divisions, it actually is easier.  I like the number system over just picking a letter to represent that division.  The more that open up the tougher it becomes to come up with that nomenclature.

I had been tossing around the idea of numbering our blocks based on the garage assignments here too because later this year both of our garages will begin with "S", Simmons and Sunset.  I was going to have the blocks either 1 for Simmons or 2 for Sunset followed by their block number, but instead we are doing five numbered blocks with the route the first three digits and the block the last two, so Route 108 block 3 is called 10803. 

You get a whole different perspective when you actually have to schedule and block runs as opposed to being on the street and wondering what they mean.  Having the block displayed in some order allows the supervisors to understand what block that coach is on.  If some transit fans figure it out, all the better, but that makes it even more fun to make those things cryptic. :-)

That is what they do on a lot of European systems: Route Number-Block number.  Many places have tiny metal signs and the driver takes the appropriate sign and puts it in a holder on the dash or on the exterior of the vehicle.  No roll signs for the run/block number in those places.

Depot stickers have their imperfections as well, since they need to be designed, printed, and then changed when a bus is transfered.  With the rate at which WMATA moves buses around, that could be problematic very quickly, unless they did what they do in LA and just put a small letter or number sticker on the front of the bus.

[WayneNYC]

Maybe they go to depot stickers like NYCT?

I always liked this.  They started it back in the mid 80s.  Looks like it's a MTA thing as LIB and MTAB has it too.  I think the bus operators like it too as they also have baseball caps with the depot logos on them.   NJTransit also uses depot logos.

In NYC, what's known as a block number is called a run number there.  The way it works there is the run number for each route starts at "1" as a sequence number and goes up from there.  Run 1 would be displayed as "1", "01" or "001".  Run #1 is simply the first bus of the day on a particular route.  If the route operates 24hrs, then run 1 & 2 (possibly 3 & 4 too) are hawks.

A run number between 1-99 stays on the same route.  Higher run numbers (100-999) have many different meaning, but the most common is that the run operates on more than one route.

This bus (run 12 on S79) would stay on the S79 for the entire shift.



This bus (run 48 on M5) would stay on the M5.



This bus would be interlined with another route since it has a 3-digit run number.



Now, if that wasn't confusing enough.  Here's a bit more.  In NYC a run number is attached to a bus operator and not the vehicle itself.  So, if I'm run 3 on Bx2 and I get relieved, the next operator will display his/her run number.


Something a little different.  At MTAB, Spring Creek (formerly Command Bus) handles their express route run numbers a bit different.  This works for them because their express routes (BM1-BM5) have just one digit.  The first digit of the run nubmer indicates the route.  In the photo below the run number indicates that the bus is the BM2 (run 40 on BM2)




 

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

Agreed. John Catoe is trying to make WMATA just like LACMTA. The number system is just retarted.

I don't have an issue with Catoe bringing ideas from LACMTA.  My thing is that if WMATA ever grows beyond ten divisions, then they'll have to go to at least a 5 character block number or other changes.  Perry is right on point with the current letter system and West Ox proves it, since "W" is already used.

There are 26 letters in the alphabet, they can come up with something and keep the current system if they really wanted to.  The real problem with West Ox is that it has a letter conflict (not too significant), but that the next best letter to pick isn't usable, since I don't think they would use O since it can be confused with the number zero.  X might already have an internal use, but that doesn't mean it can't be used.  V isn't a bad idea.  They could also just use A since West Ox is replacing Arlington, or use E since it is the second letter in the word West, but E and F might be confused and those garages are fairly close to each other.

well imo they should keep the letter system...as you said, there are 26 letters and 9 numbers (or 10 if you include 0) and 10 divisions...

plus...the E and F may be lookalikes, but so are M and N but they're still using them. (for example: Silver Spring...where it primarily consists of Northern and Montgomery routes...if you don't know whether the block says M or N and the sign is blank or not in service, you gotta take a closer look)

[79MetroExtraMD]

Wayne, I've wondered about NYCs run number system. Having the numbers go in sequential order indictating the run and the time of day seems like the same thing in DC as well as Baltimore.Scheduling those runs must be difficult if a run doesnt apply to a coach rather to the operator let alone street supervisors checking runs and such. I wonder what their paddle boards look like for NYC.