Real-time information

Introduction

Real-time information, broadly defined, means any information available to transit providers or customers about the status of vehicles.

Automatic vehicle location is one type of technology used in delivering real-time information to passengers and transit system operators.

More recently, the definition of real-time information has begun to refer specifically to arrival information for passengers. Passengers access real-time arrival and departure information through dynamic signs at stops and stations, or through the Internet at home or on smartphones. As smartphones become more prevalent, they have made access to third-party scheduling information and apps highly accessible for passengers.

Benefits to Riders

Reduces anxiety during wait time; reduces time spent waiting when passengers can learn about a delayed bus or other problem before arriving at a stop or station

Additional Reading

National Center for Transit Research at the Center for Urban Transportation Research, University of South Florida.[[file:CUTR_RealTime.pdf|“Enhancing the Rider Experience: The Impact of Real-Time Information On Transit Ridership.” 2005.

Transportation Cooperative Research Program. TCRP Synthesis 48: Real-Time Bus Arrival Information Systems, Transportation Cooperative Research Program." 2003.

Transportation Cooperative Research Program. "TCRP Research Results Digest 5: Electronic On-Vehicle Passenger Information Displays (Visual and Audible)." 1995.

Transportation Cooperative Research Program. “TCRP Report 92: Strategies for Improved Traveler Information.” 2003

Transit Cooperative Research Program. “Synthesis 91: Use and Deployment of Mobile Device Technology for Real-Time Transit Information.” 2011.