Software for audio/visual announcements on buses

[175mph]

What software is typically used for configuring audio visual announcements on buses outside of London?

Is it usually the same software used to configure the electronic destination blinds with the audio visual announcements data often being linked to the destination blinds or is different software used for the purpose of setting up the announcements?

 

[MCR247]

Nottingham City Transports fleet all has electric destinations with the vast majority being Mobitec (either in orange or white) and some using white Hanover displays (as well as maybe a third type being trialled?). All of these buses have a separate destination display controller to the audio-visual system - they aren’t linked. So drivers have to ‘manually’ press a few buttons to set the right destination each time.

The Audio visual system is supplied by ‘init’, who also provide their ticket machines (which look more like a tablet fixed onto a stand with a separate printer module) and card/pass/QR readers. This system also provides the GPS tracking and maybe even the radio these days. This system knows which running board it’s bus is allocated to and so the ticket machine automatically updates the Audio visual at the start/end of each journey.

So in short, these systems aren’t at all linked so I can’t imagine the same software is used for both.

Whilst this only applies to NCT for certain, I imagine it is the same/similar for most UK operators.

In Europe, I believe it’s common for the destination displays to be controlled by the same thing that controls audio visual - an ‘ibis’. But then these sometimes aren’t linked to the ticket machines themselves.

There probably are operators around somewhere in the world which have a ticket machine, destination control and the audio visual control all in one - likely ones where they changed/upgraded all systems in a similar time period.

 

[ACBest]

The software to program Hanover’s next stop systems is called Hanover Central, and is separate from that used to program the destination displays, which is called HELEN.

For Mobitec displays, it’s the same MobiInfoEdit software for everything, but you need a different licence to program next stop stuff.

 

[175mph]

The software to program Hanover’s next stop systems is called Hanover Central, and is separate from that used to program the destination displays, which is called HELEN.

For Mobitec displays, it’s the same MobiInfoEdit software for everything, but you need a different licence to program next stop stuff.

With the Hanover Central software you mentioned, do you need a licence for every bus you intend to set up audio visual announcements on?

It's just in Hull, Stagecoach have recently introduced some new 73 registered MMCs to the fleet and some of them have the audio visual announcements enabled just like the 19 registered MMCs, whilst some others don't and simply show the current time and date. I was thinking if it's due to licensing reasons as surely it's as easy to upload the configuration data for the audio visual announcements as it is the destination displays data?

 

[ACBest]

With the Hanover Central software you mentioned, do you need a licence for every bus you intend to set up audio visual announcements on?

It's just in Hull, Stagecoach have recently introduced some new 73 registered MMCs to the fleet and some of them have the audio visual announcements enabled just like the 19 registered MMCs, whilst some others don't and simply show the current time and date. I was thinking if it's due to licensing reasons as surely it's as easy to upload the configuration data for the audio visual announcements as it is the destination displays data?

No, just a licence for the software.

 

[SCH117X]

Wonder how long before a second generation of self correcting displays arrives. My local service is being diverted on its terminating loop due to road works by the gas utility company. One location is served by an alternative stop of the same name on a different route, the next two stops are skipped, and the following stop is served by the bus stopping nearby at an unmarked location. Thereafter the normal route is regained with only one stop skipped further on.
The display sticks on the first missed stop, not recognising the alternative that is used, and today stayed stuck on that once the normal route - normally it does correct thereafter.

 

[ACBest]

Wonder how long before a second generation of self correcting displays arrives. My local service is being diverted on its terminating loop due to road works by the gas utility company. One location is served by an alternative stop of the same name on a different route, the next two stops are skipped, and the following stop is served by the bus stopping nearby at an unmarked location. Thereafter the normal route is regained with only one stop skipped further on.
The display sticks on the first missed stop, not recognising the alternative that is used, and today stayed stuck on that once the normal route - normally it does correct thereafter.

You’d need to amend all the data going in to the display in order to show stops on the diversion - which depending on how long the diversion is going on for, and whether the vehicles have the ability to be updated remotely or if a member of staff needs to go round with a memory stick updating each vehicle, may be rather prohibitive. You then need to amend it all back to the normal route once the diversion is complete.

There will shortly be a requirement in legislation for vehicles with these systems to show a ‘bus on diversion’ message and sound an announcement to that effect before the vehicle begins its diversion, but I don’t think the legislation extends to programming in the stops along the route of the diversion. (Although now you’ve mentioned it, I’m going to double check, as I’m going to be looking after such a system!)

 

[SCH117X]

There will shortly be a requirement in legislation for vehicles with these systems to show a ‘bus on diversion’ message and sound an announcement to that effect before the vehicle begins its diversion,

Such an announcement was made today albeit as soon as the bus diverted. Not sure drivers are going to be impressed with a bus load of passengers doing "for further information ask your driver". Noticed from the tracking the unmarked stop on the diversion, which is actually immediately after the proper route is rejoined, is being picked as if its the actual stop nearby on the road not being served. Taking that then as the first stop back on route the display finally corrected itself four stops later.