Passenger information systems

Helping disabled passengers on board and keeping them safely secured whilst in transit covers a great deal of accessibility issues with buses and coaches. However, as the Guide Dogs for the Blind’s ‘Talking Buses’ campaign has been highlighting, an important aspect of making vehicles accessible is next stop audio-visual announcements.

Providing the equipment and software to enable this is Vix Technology, which offers the AD820 28inch Solent TFT Display for on board fitment. The information and content shown on the screen is completely customisable using the Vix Inform content management package. Multimodal real time departure information can be incorporated with multimedia presentations, video and still images using a web based platform that enables central control. Communication can be provided to the display by either wired (Ethernet) or wireless internet connection or by the addition of an optional 3G/4G modem. Audio announcements can be triggered through an optional integrated RNIB React3 module with full text to speech functionality. The screens can be integrated into a complete transport operation management system, which can be provided by Vix.

Also integrating audio visual screens with operational management systems is INIT. It has installed audio visual announcement systems on Nottingham City Transport’s buses, which are linked into the company’s real time passenger information systems in order to offer passengers up to date scheduling details. It can offer the choice of on board TFT or LCD displays for this.

Last word

Audio/visual announcements, wheelchair restraints, ramps and vehicle lifts cover a broad range of accessibility issues, but they are not the be all and end all of products that make buses and coaches more accessible. As ever, B&CB will each week bring you news of developments in the field of accessibility equipment as they happen.

By Chris Peat