Question about GPS in WDW busses

[Sunshine36616]

We were leaving Epcot last Wednesday and going to the All Star Sports Resort. I thought it was taking an unusually long time and then I noticed the Magic Kingdom gates approaching. Our driver told us that there was a glitch in the GPS system that took him there. We took the scenic route through the MK. He gave us a bit of a tour and I learned tons of info about the parking lot, the buses and what it takes every night to get them ready.

I was wondering if that is something new. Do you drivers have to follow the GPS?

[Shorty82]

I believe the GPS only tells the driver if he is on route or not, it does not tell him the route. Sounds to me the driver probably took a wrong turn and blamed the system instead of admitting fault himself.

[Big Wallaby]

Interesting.

Shorty is correct, the GPS doesn't "send" a driver any particular route, and all drivers are (theoretically) trained to go a particular route to get from point A to point B. To go from Epcot to ASR by way of MK is certainly the long way around... You wouldn't even take that way to avoid traffic problems (like the night I was working MK, there was a bus fire on World Drive so they rerouted us around Vista Way and BVD. Sounds to me like your driver either had a brain fart or didn't know where they were going. You didn't go by the sewage and recycling area, did you?

[Kwahati]

As I recall from some of your posts in the past, Big W, it sounded to me like drivers sometimes work pretty long shifts, right? I'd say a brain fart isn't out of the question... Funny, though. :D:

[Sunshine36616]

We didn't end up by the sewer, lol. He did a great job of telling us a lot of interesting stuff though. I found the whole washing, gassing and preparing of the hundreds of busses fascinating.

I'm voting for brain fart lol.

[Cranbiz]

Somebody missed a turn...........OOOPs!


Been there, done that.

I hate it when I go right when I should have gone left. :D: :p:

The GPS does not talk like a car unit. The approved route is in the box and it has directions stored in it but all the box actually does is tell the driver if he's on route or not. A driver can bring up the directions screen to confirm approved route BUT he can only get to that initial directions screen if the bus is stopped. Drivers can also be detoured around events/problems/issues if necessary by a coordinator. BW lists an example of a detour put out by a coordinator.

We didn't end up by the sewer, lol. He did a great job of telling us a lot of interesting stuff though. I found the whole washing, gassing and preparing of the hundreds of busses fascinating.

It's a shame that the folks at FIW don't do as good of a job as they could. Things get thru there because of the sheer numbers. Minor repairs don't get done, buses don't get cleaned thoroughly, etc. I had a Nova last night that I got from the truck line (minor repair line). I was told that it was fixed and good to go. The problem, the speedo light was out. When I left FIW, no dash light s were on, I turned them up and guess what, no speedo light. I want to know just what light they replaced!

[ktulu]

I turned them up and guess what, no speedo light. I want to know just what light they replaced!

They probably just topped off the headlight fluid...

[hobie16]

I want to know just what light they replaced!

The light at the end of the tunnel?

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

maybe they put on high speed fenderbolts to increase gas mile-age?

On a related question, does the GPS unit track the bus? in other words can they either locate the vehicle or see a historical depiction of where its been?

[Cranbiz]

They probably just topped off the headlight fluid...

The problem was that they used brakelight fluid instead

The light at the end of the tunnel?

That's Zazu's train! :D:


To Grumpy Pirate,

Yes the GPS tracks the bus. It's a CAD system simular to most E911 centers