GPS tracking systems used to track public buses in UK
On: 19/05/2008 11:58 In: Vehicle Tracking
Swindon town is spending about £100,000 on new GPS systems for buses. These GPS tracking systems will help improve reliability of the buses while allowing passengers to get the latest time table information at any bus stop, the internet or on their mobile phones.
At introductory stage the GPS device will be used in 90 buses, 50 bus stops and 20 traffic light junctions. The system will have the capacity for being expanded to 400 bus stops and 500 buses.
The GPS device will use satellite signals to track the exact location of the buses in real time. The device will then give up-to-date information on electronic screens at every bus stop, the internet as well as text messages via mobile phones.
Selective vehicle detection will be used at traffic light junctions guiding the lights to change giving priority passage to buses. For this, GPS satellite technology determines the priority status of the bus after tracking its exact location. The priority status is determined on whether a bus is running late or right on time. A bus that is running late will show a higher priority and the transmitter will give this information directly to central traffic signal control centre. By extending a green signal or skipping a phase lights can be managed to allow a late bus to pass.
As a part of its iBus project London will spend £116 million installing GPS tracking systems for real time information across 8000 buses by the year 2009.
