USA Bus Lines

Why do bus routes have missing numbers?

With companies like arriva, they have bus routes which go up to something like 496 yet they don't have 496 different routes, so why have they missed out some numbers?

Public Comments

1. Consolidated two routes into one; Quit doing a certain route, lottsa reasons.
2. Ancient code similar to those used in the prison system amongst prisoners
3. Quite often routes are grouped together. Local town routes, cross town routes, country routes and inter town routes. They could all run from the same bus station but there may not be an even number to fill all the gaps. Added to that some routes have historical numbers that have remained the same for years. New services to new housing developments and old uneconomical routes would also fill / or make gaps. Some routes are let out to tender by local councils, these usually have the councils own route number that would stay with the route if another company took over the service.
4. Because. That's why.