"Peter Lawrence" wrote in message
eb.com...
Does anyone know what a bus driver is instructed to do when he approaches
a stop and there are two or more buses stopped there already.

Use their common sense? - the best course of action will depend on variables
such as how many and what routes serve the stop, traffic conditions, how
many passengers there are on the buses involved and likely to be waiting at
stops further down the route.

Let's assume all the vehicles in the scenario you describe serve the same
route, and the approaching driver knows this. My observations for central
London buses a

There is then little chance of an intending psssenger making a clear
signal or of the driver being able to see any signal made.

My experience is that it's up to waiting passengers to take the initiative
by making their way to the back of the queue and making themselves visible
to approaching drivers if they want to board that bus.

So, I show hope that
(a) he will stop even if no signal is seen.
if someone on board the bus requests the stop the driver has to comply,
usually by joining the queue. They open the doors, let passengers on/off,
close the doors and take off. Anyone waiting at the stop who doesn't make
their way to the back of the queue (of buses) won't be catching that bus. If
no one on board requests the stop the driver may decide to skip that stop
(see below).

(b) he will let passengers off and on when at the back of the queue, if it
is safe to do so.
see above

(c) he will stop again shen he later reaches the stop sign, lest any
passengers have not been able to get to an earler stopping position.

In my experience it is very rare for a bus to close doors, move up the
queue, and then re-open the doors unless traffic conditions mean the driver
would be stopping there anyway.

I hope he will NOT decide there are no passengers for his bus and overtake
the stopped buses.


If the approaching bus is lightly loaded and no one on board requested the
stop and traffic conditions are suitable there may be a strong case for it
to overtake and pick up the (large number of) people waiting at the next
stop. This reduces subsequent dwell times for all the vehicles involved and
will get things moving to the benefit of all. I have certainly seen this
happen to good effect.

--
DAS