Real-Time Bus Arrival Information Systems

In the late 1980s and 1990s, the deployment of automatic vehicle location (AVL) systems tobetter monitor and control operations was becoming prevalent throughout the U.S. transitindustry. The focus of most of these deployments was to increase operational efficiency, notto provide customer information. As these deployments matured, transit agencies recognizedthat data from an AVL system could be used to provide customers with real-time predictionsof bus arrivals. At the same time, many transit systems in Europe were demonstrating thebenefits of providing such real-time information to their customers.As a result, transit agencies have discovered a growing interest in providing real-time busarrival information to customers once they have deployed the AVL technology. Transitagencies of various sizes are beginning to invest in real-time information systems, with therealization that they can have a significant and positive impact on their customers. Also, intelligenttransportation systems products that specialize in providing real-time transit informationexist on the market today and are being procured and deployed by transit agencies ofall sizes. This synthesis describes the state of the practice in real-time bus arrival information systems,including both U.S. and international experience. [Editor's note: The link below is to a 1MB PDF document.]

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