Centro – BUS TIMETABLE APPRAISAL 1990

Description

This April 1990 Research & Technical Services report evaluates Centro’s new bus timetable style, introduced January 1990, against the previous WMPTE format. A hall-test methodology on Saturdays in Birmingham presented about 100 bus users with four timed comprehension tasks (two per style) and a consumer appraisal questionnaire. Results showed almost identical performance: 117 correct answers for Centro and 119 for WMPTE (out of 222), with marginal, statistically insignificant time differences. Overall, nearly half of responses to test questions were incorrect, indicating generally low timetable comprehension regardless of layout. In contrast, qualitative feedback strongly favored the Centro design: 63% found it easier to read, around three-quarters approved horizontal lines and bolded hours, 71% liked the route map, and 70% preferred Centro overall. Open comments praised colour, simplicity and bolder type; few substantive improvements were suggested (e.g., printing full times). Conclusion: the redesign is well received and justified on preference grounds, but did not measurably improve users’ ability to extract timetable information, highlighting a need for deeper simplification.