ACTION information to come in real time

The ACT Government is on track to provide bus users with a real-time passenger information system by 2013.

July 4, 2011 – The ACT Government is on track to provide bus users with a real-time passenger information system by 2013. The system will provide Canberrans with instant timetable information via their mobile phones, the internet, touch screens and on bus displays.

Territory and Municipal Services Minister Simon Corbell said he hoped the ASD12.5 million system would encourage more people to catch public transport. ''It will make our public transport system easier to understand and allow passengers to plan their trips. Reliability and being able to predict when the bus is going to arrive is very important for people who catch public transport.''

The real-time system will track the location of all ACTION buses and provide passengers with instant information about their buses' estimated time of arrival. The technology, which is already used in many Australian cities, is also expected to interact with traffic signals to ensure buses are given priority when they approach intersections.

''This will help improve passenger confidence in public transport,'' Mr Corbell said. Mr Corbell said the system was currently being designed and a request for tender for the supply, installation and maintenance of the system would occur by the end of the year.

Consultants KEMA will manage the implementation of the system, which is expected to be installed in 2012 and fully operational by 2013.

Source: The Canberra Times.