Brisbane's real-time information system rollout is gathering momentum, with a new trial set for the popular CityGlider bus route
May 1, 2012
The rollout of real-time information systems on
Brisbane buses is gathering momentum,
with a new trial set for
the CityGlider service.
Transport Minister Scott Emerson says following the installation of display and GPS equipment
in August this year
CityGlider
passengers will
have
access to real-time arrival and departure times.
“I’m pleased that TransLink has been able to expand its trial to include the 20 buses that service the CityGlider route, between Teneriffe and Newstead,” Emerson says.
“This addition to a Logan City trial, to commence soon, will come at no extra cost and will ensure real-time information can be trialled within the CBD.”
Emerson says as part of the trial customers will be able to see exactly when buses are coming using a web-based mobile phone or tablet.
He says there will also be on-board information to identify the next stop.
“This trial will require each bus to be fitted with a GPS tracking device and other equipment that allows the bus to compare its current location to its planned location,”
Emerson says.
“The bus then releases this information to the central real-time system which calculates and sends the expected time of arrival the on-bus displays, mobile devices and TransLink website.”
Mayor Graham Quirk says Brisbane City Council has been pushing for the technology to be installed on the city’s buses for some time.
“I believe this technology trial is a big step forward towards improving the reliability of Brisbane’s public transport network,” Quirk says.
German transport company INIT was chosen to install the real-time system for TransLink.
INIT has installed similar real-time systems at more than 400 sites across the world including Dubai, Vancouver in Canada, Dublin, Bavaria and soon in South East Queensland.
The real-time system will also be trialled on 125 buses in the Clark’s Logan City Bus Service fleet, including the high-frequency route 555 between Logan City and the Brisbane CBD.