|
Post by snoggle on Oct 8, 2014 23:32:54 GMT
TfL have published a Board paper that sets out the future of I-Bus and requests an extension to the existing contract for up to 7 years. PaperA few interesting things from the paper. TfL cancelled a project called Nimbus that was going to provide a new IT infrastructure on buses (I Bus, new ETM, radio etc). TfL are effectively locked into a single supplier for the time being but intend the eventual replacement for I-Bus to not be a big single contract with one supplier. Some of the future features TfL are thinking about are (a) TfL to take leverage from bus manufacturers’ innovations to reduce costs, installation weight and to improve management of the bus fleet with increased data availability; (b) reduce cost and single supplier dependency by allowing multiple vendors to supply on-board components against an agreed technical platform using European Bus System of the Future (EBSF) standards specified by TfL; (c) an ‘open data’ strategy to be built in at the outset to enable transparency and portability of key data items; (d) interoperability with non-TfL bus operators enabling controllers and passengers to see non-TfL services in London on bus and on information signs (e.g. National Express) and for TfL services to appear on non-TfL infrastructure to increase the provision of multi-modal information to passengers; and (e) the upgrade of the existing iBus radio system to a digital service possibly inter-laced with London Underground (Connect) and/or operating with the replacement to Airwave to gain both cost and operational efficiencies. Item (d) looks especially interesting and offers the prospect of some exciting improvements if the wider bus and coach industry plays ball and is willing to share data for use by passengers. It would be good to be able to see the times of First's services in Brentwood or Slough via Countdown or when a commuter coach was due or Airport services like National Express A6 / A9, Easybus and Terravision. We have to hope that TfL have judged this properly and there are no gremlins hiding away in the system that will come to fruition before 2020. There is an awful that depends on I-Bus.
|
|
|
Post by Nathan on Oct 8, 2014 23:41:59 GMT
I agree point (d) does seem interesting. I can see it being integrated with the KU services around d Kingston. It would be useful to see what time the bus will be coming electronically, as opposed to traditionally looking at the timetable made available by the university. Although if this type of thing were to be implemented I don't really see many people using it. I don't think the time and effort would be worth it.
|
|
|
Post by vjaska on Oct 8, 2014 23:59:26 GMT
As well as point d) which I think is needed and can be very useful, I'd like to also see hail & rides properly announced on I-Bus than the current way. So after announcing the start of the hail & ride section, I'd like it to announce all roads its travels on whilst on a hail & ride section until it announces the end of the hail & ride section - it would be very nifty for people who are unsure of the area in the same that announcing bus stops has been a big help.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2014 0:35:06 GMT
As well as point d) which I think is needed and can be very useful, I'd like to also see hail & rides properly announced on I-Bus than the current way. So after announcing the start of the hail & ride section, I'd like it to announce all roads its travels on whilst on a hail & ride section until it announces the end of the hail & ride section - it would be very nifty for people who are unsure of the area in the same that announcing bus stops has been a big help. That was recently implemented on Route 434
|
|
|
Post by snoggle on Oct 9, 2014 9:43:00 GMT
As well as point d) which I think is needed and can be very useful, I'd like to also see hail & rides properly announced on I-Bus than the current way. So after announcing the start of the hail & ride section, I'd like it to announce all roads its travels on whilst on a hail & ride section until it announces the end of the hail & ride section - it would be very nifty for people who are unsure of the area in the same that announcing bus stops has been a big help. I think the penny has finally dropped at TfL that the current mish mash of treatments for Hail and Ride on i-Bus is not satisfactory. There is quite a bit of history as to why things have ended up as they have but that doesn't excuse the current poor state of information. Hopefully the concept deployed on the 434 and W10 can and will be applied elsewhere. I expect it will take a bit of work to sort out each hail and ride route to confirm where people typically board and alight and put in "pseudo stops" in the system to allow waiting times / announcements to be provided. A decent chat with a cross section of the drivers on each H&R route would soon identify where people typically board and alight.
|
|
|
Post by snoggle on Oct 9, 2014 9:54:42 GMT
I agree point (d) does seem interesting. I can see it being integrated with the KU services around d Kingston. It would be useful to see what time the bus will be coming electronically, as opposed to traditionally looking at the timetable made available by the university. Although if this type of thing were to be implemented I don't really see many people using it. I don't think the time and effort would be worth it. Interesting view. I think we need to remember that TfL were not going to release the data feed at all - it was a Mayoral commitment that forced them to do it. I remember the manifesto words where Boris said TfL were going to keep all the data to themselves and not make it available to people. I suspect TfL thought "who would be interested in this stuff. We already put info on Countdown signs surely that's good enough?". As we all know people find the info hugely useful and the plethora of phone apps shows there is a market for presenting the info. Obviously there remains a big demand for more Countdown stop displays but TfL keep saying there is no money - odd how they can find £71m for 200 NB4Ls but not a couple of million for another few hundred Countdown signs. The paper I linked to even makes it clear that people save time by knowing when buses are going to come by timing their arrival at stops to minimise wait time. Improved service management also helps to reduce excess wait time. I think once people realise the info is available then they use it. I can't see it being beyond the wit of TfL, Kingston University and the relevant bus operators to publicise the info. There are obvious ways to communicate to students for the KU routes. I can see people in the borough of Kingston or at Staines being happy if Abellio's SCC routes were integrated into Countdown info. It will typically be the "cross border" bits of the network where this sort of info would be helpful as there are few independent services wholly within Greater London.
|
|
|
Post by snoggle on Jan 17, 2015 22:27:43 GMT
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 1, 2015 19:43:11 GMT
Point E is important, the current system is not brilliant.
|
|
|
Post by VPL630 on Sept 26, 2015 13:12:27 GMT
They should also allow you to enter a curtailment when on your last trip, really annoying having to turn the system off to stop it announcing incorrect information, this has been a problem for how long now...
|
|
|
Post by eggmiester on Sept 27, 2015 4:29:40 GMT
Since the beginning....
and to be quite frank I don't think it will ever become available.. In the lifetime of the current infrastructure anyway.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 27, 2015 10:41:06 GMT
I know what I'd like to see. A simple way to reboot the entire system. I've lost count of the times I've had no iBus due to a flickering or none working screen. Or it unable to pick up its location. If you have a bus like a wvl then you can access the batteries turn a switch and cut all power throughout the bus. But if you have a se,sen,ed etc then you're stuck waiting for it to eventually die which usually takes a good hour or so of being isolated. If you clear the screen before turning the bus off then that shuts the screen off but the hardware is still running till its batteries deplete.
|
|
|
Post by eggmiester on Oct 5, 2015 22:20:11 GMT
I know what I'd like to see. A simple way to reboot the entire system. I've lost count of the times I've had no iBus due to a flickering or none working screen. Or it unable to pick up its location. If you have a bus like a wvl then you can access the batteries turn a switch and cut all power throughout the bus. But if you have a se,sen,ed etc then you're stuck waiting for it to eventually die which usually takes a good hour or so of being isolated. If you clear the screen before turning the bus off then that shuts the screen off but the hardware is still running till its batteries deplete. There is a way of doing so by accessing the fuse board in one of the internal cupboards and temporarily isolating the Ibus power supply. Only engineers or suitably trained supervisors with the relevant keys to open such hatches would know how to do this.
|
|
|
Post by londonbusboy on Oct 6, 2015 7:33:24 GMT
Does anyone know what the circle symbol with LOW means on iBus screen?
|
|
|
Post by stubag on Oct 6, 2015 8:34:48 GMT
Does anyone know what the circle symbol with LOW means on iBus screen? Low bridge warning
|
|
|
Post by londonbusboy on Oct 6, 2015 8:51:02 GMT
Does anyone know what the circle symbol with LOW means on iBus screen? Low bridge warning Really? it gets displayed under the clock on the left hand side when on the main screen. I've had it numerous times when im not even near a low bridge
|
|