Leapfrogging

In the bus industry leapfrogging happens when one bus on a route is running a little late and the bus behind catches up. The bus behind over takes and picks up passengers where he can. A slightly different version is when the late bus arrives at a bus stop just in front of the on time bus and drives past the stop and the on time bus picks up the passengers. Every one benefits here, the late bus picks up a bit of time and it makes no difference to the passengers which bus they get on, their journey time remains the same.

There are a couple of problems with this system. One is when the late bus just drives past the stop knowing that the on time bus is not far behind but is not in view. The passengers at the stop don't know the other bus is about to appear and feel a bit upset that a bus they may have been waiting 20 mins for has just driven past. So we shouldn't drive past unless both we, the driver, and the passengers waiting at the stop know, that is can see the next bus coming up to the stop. Common sense really.

The second problem is also common sense. You can not play leapfrog with a driver who is not going to the same place as you. For lots of years this wasn't a problem on the 12 route. There was no problem leaving people to catch the bus behind while you went on to the next stop. Both buses were 12s and going to the same place. But now we have two different services traveling along the same route for part of the time so now if you go past a stop there maybe some there who wanted your bus and not the bus behind. There maybe a bus at a stop picking passengers up, you can only go past if you are the same service. If he is a 12 and you are a 12A you have to at least slow right down and see if there is anyone at the stop who wants you. Not just drive past and leave people to wait 15 mins for the next 12A. Or have them guess that they should catch the 12 and change at Paignton. Why should they. If you are heading towards Brixham please remember the 12 and the 12a are two different routes. It's not the passengers fault that management didn't call the 12A the number 14 and make this fact clear to everybody. (Please note up there in Exeter).

P.S.
If you have left Paignton and are heading to Newton the the 12 and the 12A are going to the same place so play leapfrog to your hearts content. One last though; do not run early just so you can play leapfrog.