Provost Launches Live Bus Time Information System
>> 26 January 2016
Provost of Aberdeenshire, Cllr Hamish Vernal, has launched a new bus information system to help passengers plan better and make public transport a more attractive option. The new Real Time Passenger Information (RTPI) system being introduced across Aberdeenshire means bus users can see the actual time buses will arrive at stops, rather than their scheduled arrival.
Passengers at any Aberdeenshire bus stop with a timetable case will also be able to use an enabled smartphone to scan the Quick Response (QR) “tag” to access the information. Accurate times will also be displayed on the Council’s electronic departure information screens, located at principal bus stops across Aberdeenshire.
Providing real time travel information is a key objective in Aberdeenshire Council’s Bus Information Strategy.
Aberdeenshire Provost, Cllr Hamish Vernal, who launched the RTPI system in Aberdeen yesterday, said:
“I am delighted that Aberdeenshire residents now have access to higher quality bus information than has ever existed before,” he said.
“By providing real time departure information we hope to enhance the service provided to our existing customers and improve the perception of public transport among non-bus users to hopefully encourage greater use of the bus service.”
“By providing real time departure information we hope to enhance the service provided to our existing customers and improve the perception of public transport among non-bus users to hopefully encourage greater use of the bus service.”
Chairman of Aberdeenshire Council’s Infrastructure Services Committee, Cllr David Aitchison, said:
“This is an important development in public transport in Aberdeenshire and a major step forward in the provision of bus information in the region.
“We believe this will be extremely well used by people travelling in our area, allowing them even more confidence when planning a journey by public transport, but also minimising any time wasted standing waiting for a bus which is running late and allowing them to get on with other aspects of their lives.”
“We believe this will be extremely well used by people travelling in our area, allowing them even more confidence when planning a journey by public transport, but also minimising any time wasted standing waiting for a bus which is running late and allowing them to get on with other aspects of their lives.”
The new system tracks the actual location of the bus, comparing this to the scheduled timetable to provide customers with much more reliable information on when a bus will depart from their stop.
The information can be accessed on the Aberdeenshire Council and Traveline Scotland websites, and using the Traveline Scotland smart phone app.
The project was developed by Aberdeenshire Council with the software supplier Trapeze Group and in partnership with bus operators, in particular Stagecoach North Scotland, Bain’s Coaches and First Aberdeen.
Aberdeen City Council and Nestrans contributed, allowing the information to be provided region-wide by using Aberdeenshire Council’s RTPI system to provide real-time departure information at city locations for rural bus services.
Stagecoach has developed a vehicle tracking system that interacts with Aberdeenshire’s RTPI system, allowing all of its local services to be included.
A similar system is used by First Aberdeen which also now links to Aberdeenshire’s RTPI system.
Bus services operated by other companies in Aberdeenshire will also show real time departures using Aberdeenshire Council’s vehicle tracking system.
