```python
def route_stops(route: str) -> list:
    """Breaks a route into individual stops,,."""
    if not route.strip():
        return []
    return [stop.strip() for stop in route.split('>')] if route.strip()

    
def route_h_h(route: str) -> int:
    """Counts the number of journeys between stops in a route."""
    stops = route_stopsops(route)
    return max(0, len(stops) - 1)
```