Public Transport Information

Public Transport information is increasingly presented via digital media. These displays include summary screens showing:

• service departure information from an interchange
• at stand, stop or platform level screens showing specific service details
• displays showing more general information including wayfinding and "Where is my stop?" information.

Care needs to be taken when considering the information to be displayed. Use cases should be developed to inform the design of both the display and the information to be presented. As with kiosk design, the following factors need to be considered:

• visibility and the impact of direct sunlight on legibility/readability
• water and dust ingress protection and impact protection
• data communications to or from the sign, direct Ethernet connection, ADSL, or wireless technology (3G/4G) or similar
• web design guidance WC3 web accessibility standards and guidance (See http://www.w3.org/WAI/ )
• data security (See Data Regulation and Security )

Users of public transport services expect information on: 

• calling points,
• destinations and arrival times
• real-time information on levels service and disruption 

It is vital that the display technology provides trusted, accurate, reliable and understandable information. Pre-requisites for clear information include:

• clearly defined stopping points
• for complex networks a well defined hierarchy of calling points such that the key points can be shown
• well defined schedule information – when should services arrive
• well structured incident information

Additionally it is helpful to be able to advise the latest situation regarding service operation – real time information and information related to interchanging between services or modes.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

Latest developments with public transport and multi-modal signage include increased use of solar powered displays and the use of e-ink and similar technologies to reduce the power consumption of signs. There is also greater use of TfT Liquid Chrystal display technology as opposed to LED technology which provides greater flexibility to present multiple types of information which can maximise value from the displays concerned.