Topic: A way of uniformly distribute buses on a line

[suf]

I've been playing Pak128 (v2.3, Simutrans v112.3) for a few weeks and I figured using long distance bus lines are more profitable than train lines (arguable, I know, but seems to be true every the time).

The main problem that keeps occurring is managing a good distribution of buses on the line. I got about 10 long bus lines in a network servicing most cities, about 30 buses per line. Initially I distribute the buses by starting them from the depot at intervals to get a nice distribution. Problem is due to traffic delays the buses on a line tend to group together and travel in a big pack causing huge fluctuations in station service. I tried setting minimum load and wait time on one of the stops, but that quickly caused other problems because its behavior varies according to supply. My only alternative now is to manually select each bus and somehow delay it (by returning it to the depot or changing its next stop on the line). However, this is a time consuming activity and not a fun one, so when this happens I prefer withdrawing all buses on the line and buying new ones.

I was hoping there is/will be an option to uniformly distribute buses on a line. It wouldn't have to be perfect. Perhaps a street sign or building that would delay a bus until X time has passed since last bus on the same line?

Also, is there something similar to Platform Choose Signal, but for buses? Sometimes I get long wait lines even if I choose different stops for different lines in a station since buses can't pass each other.

Thanks

[Zeno]

Traffic lights can be also used to create a minimum space between road vehicles, although I find maximum wait time much more useful for that goal.

[gauthier]

Also, is there something similar to Platform Choose Signal, but for buses? Sometimes I get long wait lines even if I choose different stops for different lines in a station since buses can't pass each other.

There are two choose signals for buses, one is a usual arrow-shaped roadsign, the other is a big lighting pannel above the road. Just place them before the crossing where buses will have to turn to the right stop.

The "packing" effect you described is usual in Simutrans on all waytypes. It has the worst consequences on ships (ships graphically merged into only one) and planes (runways completely saturated for some minutes). The only way of fixing this problem efficiently is through the code.

[ӔO]

wait for minimum load 100% + maximum wait times are good for this.

I would use 1/8 or 1/16 initially, and then add or subtract depending on traffic volume you are seeing.

[benjad]

The miniumum wait time is something I have never been able to wrap my brain around... and this question gets asked pretty often.  Is someone able to make a nice video tutorial (or good explaination) page of these strategies? 

[Combuijs]

wait for minimum load 100% + maximum wait times are good for this.

I would use 1/8 or 1/16 initially, and then add or subtract depending on traffic volume you are seeing.

Yes, that's what I usually do. Wait time is in months, so 1/32, the setting I frequently use, is around one day. 1/16 is around 2 days, 1/8 is around 4 days.

[zook2]

See this:
http://forum.simutrans.com/index.php?topic=9241.0

[benjad]

Thats for experimental.

[ӔO]

minimum load: convoy will not depart the station until it has been loaded by X%
month wait time: maximum amount of time convoy will wait for the above to happen before it departs.

100%, 1/1:  Depart when capacity is 100% or depart after waiting for a full month
100%, 1/2:  Depart when capacity is 100% or depart after waiting for a half month
100%, 1/4:  Depart when capacity is 100% or depart after waiting for a quarter month
etc.


Best to try it out in a freeplay game.

Typically, for buses and other lower capacity vehicles, you will want to use shorter intervals of 1/16, 1/32, etc.
For high capacity vehicles, like ships, you will want to use longer intervals, like 1/2, 1/4.
Of course, those are not rules by any means.

[gfurst]

I too have been facing this problem. Normally what I would set a 100% capacity with a waiting time about 1/8 to 1/32, on the end stops.
But what typically happens is that some of these stops end betting full and convoys will depart immediately, eventually causing them to get together again.
I can manually fix this since most of my lines are supplied only by two buses. Still its not something I like spending time on.

There is a new feature that show in the stop's window, departure and arrivals times for regular convoys.
The ideal solution would be able to set a departure time instead of load, as well as showing an average trip duration( basic calculation without traffic) or arrival time on next destination.
As it is in actual world, such line departs at 8:00 and is expected to arrive at such time. And later we make the adjustments depending on the load.
This would also help a lot by adjusting lines that supply a main line arriving just before the main lines takes off, thus improving immensely the performance and overall logistics.