PAT: bus lines with different routes confuse me (credit, living)

[BarqCider]

I was looin at pats website and noticed that they lack the different routes a bus might take. For me, its the 87. There's the 87S and 87M (Stanton hgts and morninside respectively). anyways, the times are what I assume for the 87S, not the 87M yet ive found its all up in the air when the bus you need will show up.

Last time I needed the S but the M came, so I got on and got off where these routes completely separate.

im sure there are other lines like this, so how do you figure out whens who coming?

[guy2073]

4124422000 i dont use the bus but if i do i always call and ask

[fleetiebelle]

The PAT schedules integrated in Google Maps are a lot easier to use than PAT's website.

[doo dah]

Bus Schedules
I saved the ones I use a lot to my tablet.

[BobMcKelvin]

The agency schedule should be helpful for you, as the S and M are in boldface as you go down the table.

http://www.portauthority.org/rt/87.pdf

Hint:for quick PDF schedule reference, memorize the URL and just replace the route number.

There's definitely a learning curve, I remember the first time I got on he 54D instead of 54C and was surprised that I didn't end up at South Hills Junction. Many of the buses will have the appropriate schedules up front as well...Google and Tiramisu are great and an asset to any frequent transit rider, but the agency schedule is often the most updated, glitch-free version available. The buses will still arrive ten minutes late, but that can be expected. (Despite having one of the most convoluted routes through the city, I always found the 54 to be among the most reliable, many will disagree I'm sure)

[Blackbeauty212]

One thing I think I can give PAT credit for is better simplification of routings....What we have now is much better than the system we had back when every route had a letter... Some routes like 61C had a dozen different Branches/Variances.... That sh*t was too confusing

[BarqCider]

thanks guys. for some odd reason my maps never showed buses that passed. just showed stop signs. now I got it to work and figured it out. downside of living off a slow route is that it barely passes often (maybe twice an hour)

[Moby Hick]

The thread title makes me think of "Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer", but I think that was before the OP's time.

[Hopes]

My buses has different routes, and I never had a problem knowing when to catch the one I wanted. It's all on the bus schedule. Just look at the pickup times, run your finger across to see if it has a pickup time where you want to get off. If it doesn't, that bus will be going on the other route. All you need to do is look at the bus schedule! Sometimes they are running behind/ahead of schedule and one will show up before the other. Just wait a few minutes and the one you want will show up.

[trotter_rej]

This may have been mentioned elsewhere, but for those who take the P1 or P3, there is now real-time tracking of the buses on those routes. I've used the estimated arrival time section twice while waiting for the P3 and it's been accurate both times. Port Authority of Allegheny County | Port Authority Bus Time