Text and Twitter part of the ACTION plan

Started by CanberraTransport, April 21, 2011, 06:13:54 PM

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CanberraTransport

QuotePeople using public transport in Canberra could soon receive text message updates on the progress of their bus service.

Text messaging is one of the systems being considered by ACTION as it prepares to roll out its multimillion-dollar real-time passenger information system.

ACTION buses director James Roncon said yesterday a number of social media platforms were also being considered.

''It will probably be a combination of the text messaging, Twitter and some of the other stuff that's working in other capital cities at the moment,'' he said.

''We'll be looking at taking the best of all systems and making sure that we get the most reliable information out to the public.''

Roncon said one option being explored involved people subscribing to a route number in order to receive personalised text messages updating them on service delays.

If adopted, the option would become part of the $13 million system that ACTION is looking to roll out within the next 12 to 18 months.

Roncon said good communication was the key to happy passengers and was far better than informing passengers of service interruptions at ''the 11th hour and expecting them to deal with it''.

''People might not be happy about the fact we've dropped a Sunday service, but I think at least they'll respect the fact we gave them plenty of notice and they were able to plan around it,'' he said.

Source: The Canberra Times

Maxious

There's some pretty cool technology for handling announcements in real time transit information like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roIsmq9R7Wc
Actually I would be thrilled if they just adopted the whole OneBusAway software platform; cheap (ie. free software + installation/support) pricetag, has the automated voice telephone/SMS support built in and provides access to the data for those who want it.