RAIL - Back On Track Forum

612 ABC Brisbane

http://blogs.abc.net.au/queensland/2012/10/public-transport-apps-for-the-south-east-corner.html

Public Transport Apps For The South-East Corner

08 October 2012 , 7:30 PM by Kelly Higgins-Devine

With her last look at apps - Android and iPhone - Bernie Young farewelled Brisbane with a look at apps and mobile websites for public transport.

--> here!

Go Brisbane. I (~2009 - very quickly after it was released) and a few others on here have it and its well worth the 1-2 bucks for it considering you can download all the timetables for buses/trains/ferries to it, get the bus routes and stops plotted on maps, closest bus stops/train stations, times for stops not on printed timetables and many more features. There are some instances in where you might have to do manual inputs to get better results ie transfers that involve train>bus>walk>bus but once you've had a play around with it and are fimilar with the local routes/saved previous routes its a pretty nifty ap.

Real-time data and smart phone technology increasing the uptake of public transport

How NextBus works --> http://cts.cubic.com/solutions/real-timepassengerinformation/nextbus,inc/hownextbusworks.aspx

Looking so forward to real time roll out for the buses ..  might be a few surprises hey?   

E.g. NJ TRANSIT to use real-time data to improve on-time performance  ..

--> http://www.thetransitwire.com/2014/08/22/nj-transit-use-real-time-data-improve-time-performance/

There's no reason why they can't have real-time data for TRAINS now.

Twitter

Scott Emerson ‏@scottemerson 3 minutes ago

Something exciting is coming to public transport. Can you guess what it is?

Standing at the stop at Curnow St waiting for the 524 can be bit of mystery.  A one hour out of peak frequency (30 min peak) means if the bus does not show, it is difficult to know what to do.  Is the bus late, has it been cancelled?  With real time tracking at least there is a chance of making a rational decision.

Real time bus tracking will be of great benefit to all, but particularly in areas of low frequency.

Couriermail --> Facebook post by Transport Minister Scott Emerson attracts 500 comments

Stand by ...

http://www.scottemerson.com.au/media/media-releases/569-real-time-to-roll-out-in-south-east-queensland.html

Real-time to roll out in South East Queensland

South East Queensland passengers will soon be able to track their buses, trains, ferries and trams on their smartphones or online.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson announced the new technology, that would enable real-time travel information, will be installed across South East Queensland from next month.

"This new technology is all part of our strong plan for a brighter future to improve public transport for Queenslanders and boost the local economy," Mr Emerson said.

"Real-time technology enables passengers to know exactly where their bus is in the morning which could mean enough time for an extra cup of coffee with the family before leaving the house.

"When finishing work for the day passengers will be able tell how far away their train is avoiding extra time waiting at the station.

"We're also supporting small business with Brisbane company Queensland Connectors and Cables a major supplier for this project.

"New driver console units use GPS, combined with mobile communications on each vehicle to track the exact location and movements of services with arrival times updated every 30 seconds on the TransLink website.

"Previous real-time trials have proven too expensive but working with Cubic we've been able to deliver good value for Queensland taxpayers.

"Public transport users will see more than 3,000 existing driver console units on their bus and ferry services replaced with the new, modern devices to enable real-time info over the coming months."

Cubic Australasian Managing Director Tom Walker said the new technology delivered a number of behind the-scenes efficiencies set to benefit TransLink passengers.

"This technology allows vehicles to download data away from the depot, meaning customers will be able to view their go card travel histories within 30 minutes," Mr Walker said.
Sunshine Coast buses will be the first to be equipped with passengers benefiting from the real-time technology by the end of the year with the rest of the South East Queensland network to follow by early 2015.

Sunshine Coast Council Transport Portfolio Councillor Rick Baberowski said the technology added certainty for passengers.

"Council has been a long-time advocate for real-time information and has sought to work with TransLink to implement it and will work with the community to maximise the benefits from it," Cr Baberowski said.

For more information about real-time, visit www.translink.com.au or call 13 12 30, anytime.

Will this roll out include the in bus displays like seen on the Clarks and City Glider buses?

Media release 16th October 2014

SEQ: Real time tracking, buses, trains, trams and ferries welcomed!

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers has welcomed today's announcement of real time tracking roll out (1).

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Much of south-east Queensland has poor service frequency.  It is very useful to be able to check real time where the bus, train, tram or ferry actually is and when it will arrive."

"For example, standing at my local bus stop at Curnow St Goodna, waiting for the 524 bus can be bit of mystery.  A one hour out of peak frequency (30 min peak) means if the bus does not show, it is difficult to know what to do.  Is the bus late, has it been cancelled?  With real time tracking at least there is a chance of making a rational decision."

"Real time bus tracking will be of great benefit to all, but particularly in areas of low service frequency (2)."

"Thanks to TransLink, Cubic and the Queensland Government for advancing this initiative."

References:

1. http://www.scottemerson.com.au/media/media-releases/569-real-time-to-roll-out-in-south-east-queensland.html

2. http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=10885.0

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

Quote from: nathandavid88 on October 16, 2014, 12:31:12 PM
Will this roll out include the in bus displays like seen on the Clarks and City Glider buses?

Hope so!  Not sure though ..

 

Excellent news, one that many of us here have been waiting for.

Hooray! The question is, will bus stop displays (especially at busway stations) also take advantage of the new feed? I can only hope.

Twitter

Scott Emerson ‏@scottemerson

You'll be able to use your smartphone to check where your bus, train, tram or ferry is with real-time info #qldpol

Couriermail --> Queensland public transport GPS technology gives commuters real time information on delays

Great news although cant see anything to say when the real time train info will start, i would think this would be the easiest to implement.  Will make it much easier to track late and early services too.

No reason why full OTP profiles for all modes cannot now be made available as well ...

I did a pre-record with ABC Sunshine Coast (news) over the real-time data announcement today.
Information will also be made available as open data.   



The technology will allow buses to download travel data whilst away from their depots, meaning go card commuters could view their updated travel histories within 30 minutes of their journey completion.

It will be most useful and appreciated where there are infrequent services.

Now you will be able to see if your bus or train (tram or ferry for Gold Coast and Brissie) is running early or late and (re)plan your journey accordingly.
No more waiting and wondering for the hapless commuter - or their loved ones at home.

Not being able to plan ahead or to make alternative arrangements is probably the single biggest bug-bear of commuter travel when things go awry.
Information is everything and our time is more valuable than money.

If your service is running late in the am, you may be able to finish that cuppa first, before sprinting out the door.
If you and your service is late in the pm, you won't need to do a Carl Lewis type sprint in high-heels to the station, only to find you didn't have to.

All in all, a jolly good move...  and first rolled out onto the bus network on the Sunshine Coast  BONUS.
I'm told that trains will be a part of the system by early 2015.

TransLink --> Be in the know with real-time service info

Last updated: 3.08pm Thursday 16 October 2014

Soon you'll have up-to-the-minute service arrival information in the palm of your hand with real-time info rolling out across all TransLink SEQ services from December this year.

This means no more wondering whether you've just missed your service! You'll always know when to go with accurate service arrival times available via:

    TransLink mobile and desktop website
    TransLink's 24/7 call centre
    Google Transit
    third-party apps (via the Queensland Government's open data initiative).

Real-time info will be progressively rolled out to all TransLink bus, train, ferry and tram services across South East Queensland. Sunshine Coast buses will be the first to be equipped with passengers benefiting from the real-time technology by the end of the year with the rest of the South East Queensland network to follow by early 2015.

How does real-time work?

Real-time info will use GPS to pinpoint the exact location of your service and track its movements to give you up-to-the minute arrival times for services to your stop.

How will real-time info benefit me?

You will know how long till your next service with accurate estimates of services arrivals and departures across all stops on the TransLink SEQ network.

When will more information on how to use real-time be available?

Keep an eye on the website for more information as the project progresses over the coming months.

Don't we already have real-time information?

TransLink currently has real-time information for Logan, Cairns and Brisbane's CityGlider services.  All other electronic timetables currently provided on our public transport network are based on a mix of scheduled and real-time information

What will happen to Trip Tracker on Blue CityGlider and Clarks Logan services?

Brisbane Transport CityGlider and Clark's Logan bus services participating in the Trip Tracker pilot will be transitioned to the new system to ensure that all services are operating with an identical real-time solution.

Huzzah! At long last! And in time for the commute to Uni as well next year. At least now I should be able to see whether all the buses are running late or not on any given morning.

Quote from: ozbob on October 16, 2014, 13:29:19 PM

Quote from: nathandavid88 on October 16, 2014, 12:31:12 PM
Will this roll out include the in bus displays like seen on the Clarks and City Glider buses?

Hope so!  Not sure though ..

Answer is "no", although I am hopeful the installation will support them.

Maybe we can get some confimation from somebody in the know?

Real-time to roll out in South East Queensland

This is a very exciting and positive move for TransLink. Lets hope the user interface is half-decent.

Sent to all outlets:

18th October 2014

Re: SEQ: Real time tracking, buses, trains, trams and ferries welcomed!

Greetings,

Rolling out real time tracking is without doubt a very positive move.

However there are some questions that need to be asked, and hopefully some answers forthcoming.

Are the next stop displays, a feature of the trial system e.g. on Logan Buses,  going to be part of the new system?  These are very useful, it seems the displays may not.



Next stop display on board a 552 bus.  Photograph R Dow 30th September 2014

The next generation ticketing project is due in 2016.  Does the roll out of the 3000 odd new Cubic consoles mean that Cubic has the next generation ticketing project?  Not necessarily a bad thing as Cubic has introduced open payment and other smart options on systems elsewhere.  But it does seem as usual the full story is not being told.

Once upon a time, media used to seek balance and move past Ministerial Statements.  I guess there is not enough writer staff left to do that.  The 'spin army of staffers' just grows meanwhile.

Spin is the common denominator of mediocrity in public policy.

The fare system for SEQ is diabolical, high cost and anti-public transport.  We can only hope that as we move to the next generation ticketing system, proper public consultation as to ticketing options is undertaken and an equitable, balanced fare system that drives patronage around the clock, that also improves the fare box is implemented.

Have a nice weekend!

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

Quote from: ozbob on October 16, 2014, 12:33:01 PM


Media release 16th October 2014

SEQ: Real time tracking, buses, trains, trams and ferries welcomed!

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers has welcomed today's announcement of real time tracking roll out (1).

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Much of south-east Queensland has poor service frequency.  It is very useful to be able to check real time where the bus, train, tram or ferry actually is and when it will arrive."

"For example, standing at my local bus stop at Curnow St Goodna, waiting for the 524 bus can be bit of mystery.  A one hour out of peak frequency (30 min peak) means if the bus does not show, it is difficult to know what to do.  Is the bus late, has it been cancelled?  With real time tracking at least there is a chance of making a rational decision."

"Real time bus tracking will be of great benefit to all, but particularly in areas of low service frequency (2)."

"Thanks to TransLink, Cubic and the Queensland Government for advancing this initiative."

References:

1. http://www.scottemerson.com.au/media/media-releases/569-real-time-to-roll-out-in-south-east-queensland.html

2. http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=10885.0

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

I'll be very interested to see how good the quality and quantity of data that will be obtained from the new cubic devices they are putting on the vehicles. I have my doubts that it will be as good as what is currently available on the logan buses/cityglider.

I also have some questions on what will be provided as open data to third-party developers, whether it will just be stop information predicting when the next buses will arrive, or real-time vehicle position data as well. While getting raw go-card data is very unlikely, due to privacy concerns, aggregated real-time data on boardings and alightings at each stop would also be very useful.

http://translink.com.au/news-and-update/real-time-testing

Invitation to test TransLink GTFS-RT data feed

In October 2014, Scott Emerson the Minister for Transport and Main Roads, announced South East Queensland passengers will soon be able to track their buses, trains, ferries and trams on their smartphones or online.

Sunbus services on the Sunshine Coast will be the first operator off the ranks as part of a progressive roll-out across the SEQ network.

From 9am Friday, 5 December 2014 until 9am Monday, 15 December 2014 TransLink will publish a bus only GTFS-RT beta feed for testing. This data will only be accessible for the 10 day period.

TransLink is requesting your help to test the bus only GTFS-RT beta feed, and provide feedback and questions in a Google Group forum established for this project.

It is anticipated we will release all transport modes in the future and further information will be provided through the main TransLink Open Data Google GroupOpens in a new window..

More --> http://translink.com.au/news-and-update/real-time-testing

Getting onto it now

Registered for it when I saw it early Saturday morning. I wasn't expecting they would have something ready this quickly. It will be interesting to see what kind of data will be available, and how good it will be.

BT will commence installing the new DCU's approx. mid December. I've already been trained for it.

Quote from: Otto on December 01, 2014, 13:11:49 PM
BT will commence installing the new DCU's approx. mid December. I've already been trained for it.

Quote from: dancingmongoose on November 30, 2014, 17:13:12 PM
Getting onto it now

Have you received any response from them about this yet?

Finally saw a few of the new DCUs today on a couple of buses doing route 590 and one doing a route 210 this evening.

I got a pleasant surprise I was on the 412 today, after wondering why I couldn't see the 'bus stopping' light I realised -
an onboad passenger info screen had been installed!   

It seemed slightly smaller than the ones on the CityGliders - a bit less tall and maybe same width. Also seemed to have a different interface but showed the same info - time and 'bus stopping' at the bottom (no route info yet) and had been set with..... the Brisbane City logo as the wallpaper 

I've been seeing the new DCUs all over for a while since seeing Otto's post,  seems like a fast roll out - and in other news the City Loop appears to have been christened with route # 40 and the Spring Hill loop with 30. 

Must be the Toowong Depot busses first? Haven't seen anything on the 130 from the Mt Gravatt depot. But very exciting and looking forward to the end product.

The new DCUs obviously came to Toowong first - I spotted one on a 411 back on the 9th or sometime around then. The screens replacing the 'Bus Stopping' sign were still there though... exciting times ahead for PT in Brisbane.

Quote from: STB on December 18, 2014, 20:09:06 PM
Finally saw a few of the new DCUs today on a couple of buses doing route 590 and one doing a route 210 this evening.

All Carina buses were fitted with new DCUs on the night of the 16th. All Depots should be done by weeks end.

Quote from: ezekial on December 18, 2014, 21:12:09 PM
I got a pleasant surprise I was on the 412 today, after wondering why I couldn't see the 'bus stopping' light I realised -
an onboad passenger info screen had been installed!   

It seemed slightly smaller than the ones on the CityGliders - a bit less tall and maybe same width. Also seemed to have a different interface but showed the same info - time and 'bus stopping' at the bottom (no route info yet) and had been set with..... the Brisbane City logo as the wallpaper 

I've been seeing the new DCUs all over for a while since seeing Otto's post,  seems like a fast roll out - and in other news the City Loop appears to have been christened with route # 40 and the Spring Hill loop with 30.

I think those screens have been there for some time (installed in connection with the Spring Hill loop IIRC).  Was it one of the loop buses?