VICTORIA – Transit riders within the Victoria Regional Transit System may start to notice improvements to how vehicle location information is being announced along their route. Buses in the Victoria fleet are currently being equipped with on-board enhancements that will allow customers to see and hear upcoming bus stop information upon approach. This will replace the existing announcement system in the Victoria fleet.
It’s all part of BC Transit’s broader strategy to develop and install technology initiatives that will improve efficiency and enrich our customers’ overall experiences. The on-board announcements will be both visually scrolled at the front of the bus and announced audibly by recording, providing a benefit to those who are sight or hearing impaired.
Coming in 2019 to the Victoria fleet is NextRide Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) technology, which provides customers with real-time data on the location of their bus and its predicted arrival time at a stop. NextRide operates off of a responsive website, enabling passengers to plan their trips from an internet connected mobile device or desktop. Stay tuned for more details and an official launch date!
NextRide technology was first launched in the Regional District of Nanaimo in May of 2018, followed by the Comox Valley Regional District, Whistler, Squamish, Kamloops and Kelowna.
Strategic Mapping, Inc. has been contracted to install and monitor the technology. Funding for this project is coming from the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund (PTIF), which was announced in June 2016 by the federal and provincial governments.
For more information, visit bctransit.com/nextride.
Media contact:
Shellene McConnell
BC Transit
Senior Communications and Engagement Advisor
Media@bctransit.com
250-995-5763
