First Bus has launched an eight-week pilot ‘NextStop’ on-bus announcement system that uses GPS and wi-fi to deliver a real-time system for announcements with the future potential for promotions and location-based destination marketing.

The project has been fitted to three vehicles on the Leeds citybus service in a partnership with Rise Digital Media, West Yorkshire Combined Authority and the CPT.

First Bus will gather feedback from all customers to help determine the next steps in providing improved information on buses. The pilot runs until 16 January 2016 and a number of organisations are being asked to test the product including VisitLeeds and Guide Dogs.

The initiative follows an eight-week pilot of the BusForUs branded App earlier this year which was created and developed specifically for blind and visually-impaired bus passengers providing real-time audio and visual alert notifications, direct to their handset. 

“We are committed to making our services as accessible as possible for all of our passengers,” says Paul Matthews, managing director, First West Yorkshire. “We are therefore very excited about this pilot which we think has the potential to revolutionise bus travel for all passengers as well as the blind and visually-impaired community.  

“First is delighted to work with our partners in this project and we have high hopes that it will be very successful. We’ll be continuing to work closely with passengers and user groups during the pilot.” 

Debbie Linford, Guide Dogs community engagement officer for North & West Yorkshire adds: “I am delighted that First Bus are introducing this pilot which I hope will be successful and extended to more bus routes. Talking Buses are essential to enable people who are blind or partially-sighted to use buses with confidence, as well as improve the experience of bus travel for all passengers, including elderly people, commuters and tourists.”

Source: Bus and Coach