Regional Vehicle Finder help page

Last updated: 25/9/2021

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For all data presented in mode RVF, due to the way the vehicle data is obtained, no guarantee can be made that the specified vehicle will appear. This is down to the way that ticket machines and modules may be swapped between vehicles and is particularily true of withdrawn and sold vehicles reappearing after sale.

Contacting the Admin Team - Please do not email LOTS

If you need to contact the LVF admin team please send an email to this address :- lvf_help@hotmail.com

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LVF uses a cookie to store your user id (so you only have to login once) and your preferences

 

Modes

The Vehicle Finder application currently covers all major operators in England, Stagecoach in Scotland & Wales and Lothian with its subsidaries. This single interface can access data from any of the areas covered. Data that is only dependent on an operator code can be accessed in all modes ie LRT 1-50 to list all of Lothians' Volvo 7900s or GAL WHV100-110 to list some GoAhead London Volvo/Gemini 3s work independent of the current mode. Accessing Route data and most shortcuts are mode dependent.

To change mode the command is "mode" followed by either "LDN", "LRT" or "RVF" for London, Lothian and English regional Operators respectively. When the mode command is executed the banner header and help page will change.

Obtaining Data from the VF application

Data can be requested in a number of ways by :-

A history facility is available for all except by stop (see below)

The entered value will attempt to match in the order:- registration, operator/fleetnumber, route, or stop.

Wildcards

In most cases any individual character can be replaced by an underscore '_' to create a wildcard search. The '*' character can be used to replace multiple characters..

Ranges

In some cases ranges can be specified. A range is signified by the "-" character. A wildcard cannot be used in a request where a range is specified.

In all cases of multiple output, a maximum of 180 entries will be displayed. Each of the requests is explained in detail below

By Registration:

Enter the registration of the vehicle you wish to lookup. Wildcards are allowed as are ranges. Example of valid ranges are YN66EZM-S, returns details of 5 vehicles or RGB 701-10, returns details of 10 vehicles. YN*EZM-S is not valid as it is potentially many ranges.

By Operator/Fleetnumber:

Operator codes cannot be wildcarded and must be included in any fleetnumber request. To lookup more than one vehicle in a request the fleet nummber may include wildcards or a range may be specified

Valid Operator codes below are listed by major operator groups and then followed by the smaller independant operators

Arriva :-

ASSouthern CountiesMNMidlandsNWNorth West & CymruYKYorkshire
ATYorkshire TigerNUNorth EastTSThe Shires
 

First Bus :-

DCDevon, Cornwall & SomersetFMManchesterMRMidland RedTVFirst Berkshire & Railair
ECEastern CountiesHDHampshire & DorsetPMPotteriesWEWest of England
ENFirst EssexLELeicesterSYSouth YorkshireWYWest Yorkshire & York
 

GoAhead :-

BHBrighton & HoveGLCGo Ahead London (Commercial)GSGo South CoastOBOxford Bus
EYEast YorkshireGMGo NW (Manchester)MBMetrobusPLPlymouth & Go Cornwall
GAGo East AngliaGNGo North East
 

National Express :-

WMWest Midlands
 

Rotala :-

DBDiamond BusHMHallmarkRNDiamond Bus North WestPBPreston Bus
 

Stagecoach :-

BBBluebirdEMEast MidlandsMYMerseysideSOSouth
CMEastESEast Scotland (Fife)NENorth EastSWWest
CUNorth WestHIHighlandOXOxfordWSWest Scotland
DGSouth WestMAManchesterRWWalesYTYorkshire
EKSouth EastMSMidlands
 

Smaller Groups :-

CBCentrebusMLCMetroline CommercialTBTrent BartonTDTransdev
CTBHCT BristolRATRATP Commercial
 

Former Municipals :-

BPBlackpoolNTNottinghamRBReading BusesWAWarrington
IPIpswichNPNewport
 

Large Independants :-

BRYBrylaineFARFaresaverJBHJohnson BrosSNDSanders of Holt
BVCBelle Vue CoachesGLTGalleon TravelLYXLynxSTEStephensons
CHKChalkwellGOGGo GodwinsMCLMidland ClassicSULSullivan Buses
CMFCumfyBusGPMGrant PalmerNIBNIBSTYRTyrers
COPCompass BusHALHappy Als CoachesNVNu-VentureUBSUniversity Bus
DAGD&G CoachesHCTHarrogate Coach TravelPULPulhamsWCMWest Coast Motors
DELDelaineHUYHuyton TravelRLNRedlineWBSWhite Bus Services
EBEnsignbus
 

Supported Independants :-

ACWAC WilliamsDTLDartlineLTRLibra TravelSIMSimmonds, Bottesdale
ALEA-LineEAZEazibusLTTLittles TravelSLBSelect Bus Services
AMTAmbassador TravelELVEllenvaleMAGMaghull CoachesSLESleafordian
ASDASD CoachesFALFalcon CoachesMARMarshalls of SuttonSLVSilverline
ATBA2B TravelFBS1st Bus StopMBTMark Bland TravelSMMSummercourt Travel
ATLAtlantic TravelFINFinches CoachesMDCMD CoachesSPMStringers Pontefract
AVMAxe ValleyFOWFowlers, HolbeachMRSMarshopperSPSSouthdown PSV
BANBanga BusesFRMFrome MinibusNMCNick MaddySRGSargents
BBCBath Bus CoFTLFilersNXMNexus MoveSSCShoreline Suncruisers
BDRBorder BusesGRCGrayscroftOTSOffice & Transport ServSTNStanley Travel
BECBeeline CoachesGVTGlen Valley ToursPCCPC CoachesSTOStotts Tours
BEEBeestonsGYLGrayline CoachesPHOPhoenix of BlythSTRStreamline
BRCBritannia CoachlinesHATHattons, WiganOUROur BusSTTE Stott & Sons
BULBullocksHCCHenry Cooper CoachesPPBPeoples BusTCMTC Minicoaches
CATCatch22BusHDGHodgsons CoachesPRCPrimrose CoachesTCNTransport Connect
CCCCumbria ClassicHGCHatch Green CoachesRBTRobertsTKTTK Travel
CKMCuckmere Commty BusHNTHornsby TravelREERed EagleTYHTally Ho Coaches
CLAClaribelsHOPHopleys CoachesRELRelianceVECVectare
CLNCarloneHUNHunts of AlfordRGTRegents CoachesVIKViking Coaches
COACoachStyleJANJansen TravelRICRichmond CoachesWBCWest Berkshire
COTCoatham CoachesKETKeane TravelSCRScraggsWHPWhippet
CRUCrusiers of RedhillKILKilvingtonsSELSelwynsWMSWeardale Motor Services
CTNCommity Trans for NottsLMSLMS TravelSFGSafeguardWNCWest Norfolk Community
DRMDRM CoachesLOWLuckets of WatfordSFNSuffolk NorseYOPYorkshire Pullman
 

Unsupported Independants (no Timetable data loaded) :-

No timetable data available is a function of the operators not providing current data to BODS

BETBayliss Executive TravelHAMHams TravelLTKLangston & TaskerSFDSeaford & District
CELCeltic TravelHULHulleys of BaslowMPTMP TravelTANTanat Valley
CLOJH CoachesIRVIrving of DalstonNTBNotts BusTLCTLC Travel
CSVCoach Services ThetfordKEVKevs CoachesOGDOgdens CoachesTSCTravelsure Coaches
DJWDJ WattsKLCKirkby LonsdaleOLYOlympia TravelTTYTetleys
ESCEssex CouncilLANLangtoftREPReptonsTWTTravel Wright
GBSThe Green Bus TransportLLCLloyds of MachynllethRSSRossVSBVision Bus
YEOYeomans/Lugg Valley
 

Company XXX

The following companies are all grouped under company XXX due to the limited amount of stage carriage work undertaken :-

Blueworks TaxisCoventry MinibusLydney Dial-a-RideRosevidney TravelWright Bros(Hexham)
Chiltern AutomotiveHaines CoachesOlympic, ScarboroughWestern Dales CommunityWoofs of Sedburgh
Reays of Wigton
 

Operator codes with historic data are :-

AKEArriva Southern Counties  ASEArriva The ShiresEPEpsom BusesFLN First London
 

Operator codes for other modes are :-

AB Abellio LondonECBEast Coast BusesLRTLothian BusesRTP RATP London
ALArriva London SB Sullivan Buses
CTL Croydon TramsGALGoAhead LondonML MetrolineSLN Stagecoach London
CTPCT PlusLCYLothian CountryRBS River Boat ServicesTT Tower Transit
 

By Route:

Any input character string less than 5 character long is checked to be a route number. If it is not found to match a valid route then further matching will take place. Wildcards are not allowed as part of the route number. By default information will be displayed by direction of travel and then by vehicle fleet number order. The short code ZZ can be used to toggle the way information is displayed between fleet number order and stop sequence order

By Stop:

Stops can be indentified by the 12 character naptan stop codes. If 12 digit stop codes are entered then spaces and wildcards are not allowed. One or more stop code can be entered by putting a comma between the codes. However no check is made that stop codes are geographically close to each other.

Alternatively a stop or stops can be entered by name. Wildcards can be used as part of the name. Because special characters, eg '&' and ',', cannot be entered to be able to lookup somewhere like "Elephant & Castle" the "&" must be entered as a wildcard character.

Vehicles will be displayed in the order they are expected to arrive although this cannot be guaranteed.

History & Fullhist:

The facility exists to request the history of a vehicle, ie what routes it has worked, or the history of a route - what vehicles have been used on the route and when they were last recorded. To obtain history data enter the keyword history (or Fullhist) followed by a registration, operator/fleetnumber or Route number. This request does not allow wildcards. The keyword History limits the historic data to date from 1/1/18 whereas Fullhist will give the full history of a vehicle or route

With history it is possible to add date parameters to show either the vehicles on a route on a particular day (a single date) or what a vehicle worked between a range of dates. For vehicle history the first date entered sets the earliest date history is found for and if entered the second date sets the highest date history is given for. If the second date is not entered then the range is from the entered date to the present. Alternatively the parameter can be a 3 letter code for a day of the week to filter the data for that day.

Journey History

The facility exists to request the journeys that a vehicle, ie what journeys on which routes it has worked, or the journey history of a route - what vehicles have been used on the route and which journeys they made. To obtain journey history data enter the keyword dethist followed by a registration, operator/fleetnumber or Route number. This request does not allow wildcards. The system only keeps detailed journey history for 14days

With journey history it is possible to add date parameters. If a single date is entered then the detailed history will be from that date to present. If a second date is entered then that will be the last date history is display for.

ETA:

The facility exists to request the current predictions for an active vehicle. The request can be by operator/fleet number or by registration. Wildcards are not valid.

List:

Lists are used to provide a number of system defines sets of data. Lists are :-

A number of commonly used commands are available as short codes. Currently all short codes start with the letter "Z" The following short codes are defined :-

new Vehicles new into service or expected into service. Once a batch of vehicles is complete into service it will be removed from the list
ads This list provides information on all the overall advert buses currently operating in Reading
brand A list of all vehicles with route branding applied
ZA List new
ZB List ads
ZV Toggle list output order between operator/fleet number and just fleet numbers
ZW Toggle list output between all vehicles and those in service vehicles
ZX Toggle stop output between all vehicles and those within the ads list
ZY Toggle list output between all vehicles and excluding withdrawn vehicles
ZZ Toggle route output between fleet number order and stop sequence order