[Irl-dean] Dublin Bus "Real Time Passenger Information"

[Barry McMullin]

Hi Folks -

This is a bit belated, but I notice that Dublin Bus have recently
awarded a contract for the implementation of a "Real Time
Passenger Information System".  The full text from them is here:

<http://www.dublinbus.ie/projects/avlc_real_time_passenger_information_system.asp>

and here is a piece about it from the Irish Examiner on 6 May
2008:

<http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2008/05/06/story62065.asp>

In brief, the system should be fully rolled out by "Summer 2010",
and will then "enable passengers at bus stops to obtain real-time
information about service times."  Obviously this is a very
significant potential benefit to all users, but especially to
users with a disability who are both more reliant on public
transport, and more in need of accurate and detailed real-time
information (e.g., of the next 5 buses due at this stop, which
are wheelchair accessible?).

Now my question: does anybody on the list know anything about
this system? In particular, what consideration has been given to
ensuring that it is as accessible as possible, and, indeed, as
beneficial as possible for users with disability?  The contract has
been awarded to a German company, INIT GmbH.  Does anybody know
of any similar systems installed elsewhere by this company - and
what accessibility features they had?  Finally, are any of you
members of the Irish "Public Transport Accessibility Committee"
(organised/administered by the Department of Transport)? If so,
are you aware of whether that committee has had an opportunity to
review or comment on the Dublin Bus initiative?

Note: I am really, genuinely, delighted that Dublin Bus are doing
this (even if I also think it is several years overdue!). And I
have no basis - other than accumulated cynicism - for thinking
that the new system will be anything *other* than fully accessible.
Nonetheless, given the importance of intervention to assure
accessibility *early* in the design of such systems, and the
crucial importance of public transport to people with
disabilities (significantly greater than for the public as a
whole), I would really like to find some re-assurance somewhere
that this is in hand.  I do plan to enquire directly from Dublin
Bus, but I just thought I'd check here first in case any of you
have any first hand information that you can share.

Many thanks - Barry.

--
Barry McMullin, Dublin City University
   phone: +353-1-700-5432
   web: http://www.eeng.dcu.ie/~mcmullin/