Categories: Technology

Dublin Bus begins roll-out of real-time passenger information system

Dublin City Council, in conjunction with Dublin Bus, have begun the roll out of a real-time passenger information service in Ireland’s capital yesterday, with electronic information signs becoming operational at ten Dublin-north bus stops. It is expected that two-hundred and fifty signs will become operational by the end of the summer, and four-hundred and fifty by the end of the year.

Dublin Bus real-time passenger information display

The information signs erected at select Dublin Bus stops update passengers every thirty seconds on the expected arrival times of forthcoming buses. The system works by gathering location data from 1,000 Dublin buses, to which Dublin Bus received a €10 million grant in 2006 under the Government’s Transport 21 investment programme, and calculates expected arrival times at bus stops by recording the amount of time each vehicle takes to pass between stops along a certified route. This information can then be relayed back to the information signs, keeping would-be passenger informed.

The project, which is being funded by the National Transport Authority (NTA) to the tune of €6.5 million, will also be rolled out in Galway, Limerick, and Waterford by the end of the year.

Gerry Murphy, chief executive of NTA, says that the scheme has the potential to boast revenue for Dublin Bus by engaging the casual commuter who may opt to take the bus if one is due soon.

“Immediately at the bus stop, there are a number of bus routes and people can make the choice of which one they are going to take.

“It captures the casual person, they may stay on and take the bus. People like the assurance of the timing.”

Mobile phone apps and web and text-based services are also expected to launch by the end of the year to compliment the information signs. This is a well needed addition to Dublin’s transport system, but unfortunately won’t prevent the usual bus delays as a result of traffic congestion.

Image courtesy of Transport for Ireland.

Albizu Garcia

Albizu Garcia is the Co-Founder and CEO of Gain -- a marketing technology company that automates the social media and content publishing workflow for agencies and social media managers, their clients and anyone working in teams.

View Comments

Recent Posts

How a former Wall Street exec is saving your plants and the planet 

Jeanna Liu’s love for nature is rooted in her childhood. As a young girl, Liu…

1 day ago

New initiative announced to accelerate cloud, GenAI adoption in Latin America

The arrival of generative artificial intelligence (genAI) into the mainstream at the end of 2022…

1 day ago

Deborah Leff to join Horasis Advisory Board in boost to machine learning and data initiatives 

Data analytics and machine learning models deliver the most powerful results when they have access…

1 day ago

37, Emotionally Stuck, and Why the Journey Didn’t Change Me

I’ve been on the road for almost a year now. Chasing freedom, adventure, and purpose.…

3 days ago

Will iPhones Get Pricier Under Trump’s Leadership?

As technological use increases, so may the cost of innovation due to the global movement…

3 days ago

The Science of Gift-Giving: 10 Functional Gifts for the Holidays

Have you ever asked yourself why some people are amazing at picking gifts, while others…

4 days ago