"Set Down Only - Not Taking Passengers?"

[Transport: Buses]

I've always been curious about this - under what circumstances do drivers actually display this on the desto? The majority of time I see this the buses are clearly not full and are midway through their route, so it's not like they're terminating anytime soon.

[Diesel_MAN]

In Adelaide, some routes require drivers to change the desto to display "Sorry No Pick Up". These are 'F' routes, which have a first set down for outbound trips and a final pick up for inbound trips. I don't know if you have any such routes where you're from, but here, a bus displaying 'Set Down Only' would be an 'F' service to the city. It's a way of saving time on longer routes.

Here's an example. If Bus Route 1 covers stops 15 to the city and Bus Route 2F covers stops 40 to the city using the same road as Bus Route 1, there's no reason for Bus Route 2F to have to pick up passengers after stop 15. Bus Route 1 can pick up those passengers. Bus Route 2F only has to set down passengers after stop 15. However, in Adelaide, passengers can board an F bus if it is setting a passenger down at that stop.

[boronia]

In Sydney, this is used when buses are running late, and the controllers think some time might be saved by not picking up new passengers, just letting the existing pax get off.

[Diesel_MAN]

In Sydney, this is used when buses are running late, and the controllers think some time might be saved by not picking up new passengers, just letting the existing pax get off.

That happened to me once in Adelaide. It was rather amusing, because there were only two other passengers on board the articulated bus when the driver got permission to do it. The next bus was only 1-2 minutes behind at that point, but I've never had that happen before, even on buses running twice as late.