Digital Signs Inform New York Bus Riders

New York city has unveiled a pilot program that helps bus riders know when their bus is coming by employing GPS tracking devices and digital signs at some Manhattan bus stops.

1 minute read

October 5, 2007, 6:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg


"The signs relay information from a satellite positioning system that has been installed as part of a pilot project on 168 buses that operate on several routes in Manhattan. The routes include the city's busiest."

"Under the system, each bus communicates location data to satellites, which transmit the information to a center in Brooklyn. From there, a radio signal goes to the electronic signs, which post the number of minutes until the next bus."

"Robert Walsh, the general superintendent for buses with New York City Transit, said that since the installation began in July, the signs have been working well, despite occasional glitches when a bus loses satellite contact."

"The signs can also provide information on route changes."

Thursday, October 4, 2007 in The New York Times

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