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

[Diarmad McNally]

Delighted they've hired someone as they don't understand the basic  
elements of a timetable themselves:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dyoublodd/297523825/in/ 
set-72157600191075184/

compared to:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dyoublodd/489638118/in/ 
set-72157600191075184/

Regards,
Diarmad McNally
Interaction Design Studio

UK: +44 (0) 7808 297289

On 29 Jun 2008, at 11:26, Barry McMullin wrote:

> 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/
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