As an operator, one of the most valuable things in your transit agency is being able to help riders make smarter journeys.
One of the most effective ways to do this is with real-time passenger information (RTPI).
In this article, we’ll take you through what RTPI is, and how it can help improve your riders’ journeys.
How does real-time passenger information work?
RTPI is one of the many intelligent transportation systems (ITS) you can incorporate into your transit agency.
This innovative form of ITS allows you to display accurate, real-time information to passengers, including the specific arrival times of each vehicle in your transportation network.
When waiting at a stop, station or platform, riders can have clear access to information such as:
- what vehicles are arriving
- what times they’ll reach the stop
- what routes they’re travelling
- if there are any delays.
This information can be presented to passengers through advanced displays, which can be set up in a variety of ways to meet your service needs. For example, these displays can be placed on the street, on the platform, on-premise, and in vehicles.
This way, customers have clear and easy access to the displays, and can accurately plan their journeys using the RTPI.
How can riders use RTPI to make smarter journeys?
Riders can use the RTPI provided by your transit agency to make their journeys smarter in many ways.
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Satisfying journeys
Riders can experience a smoother journey with access to accurate information, precisely when they need it.
As RTPI can be easily displayed, and even accessed through riders’ mobile devices, passengers can clearly see the arrival times of your vehicles and plan accordingly.
They can more accurately time their journey, make informed decisions, and predict the time of arrival at their destination.
For example, riders can arrive at a bus stop at the right time, and avoid waiting a lengthy time until the next bus arrives.
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More efficient routes
RTPI can also help riders choose more efficient routes for their journeys, and avoid as much disruption as possible.
Passengers can use RTPI displays to identify if there are any delays, cancellations, or re-routes to any of the vehicles they were planning on boarding.
With this real-time data ahead of the vehicle’s arrival, riders can make the decision to change their plans to accommodate the disruption.
This allows for quick and effective adaptation to riders’ journeys and as such, RTPI can help improve customer loyalty and reduce complaints.
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More confidence and less risk
Riders can also plan their journeys with more confidence using RTPI, with a lower risk of missing or failing to complete their journeys on time.
With the data provided by RTPI, riders can see how many vehicles are active and completing the route they need to take from their stop, and how frequently they’re predicated to arrive at the stop.
If riders see that their stop has several vehicles arriving within short periods of each other, they won’t need to worry about any impact on the timings of their journey.
Instead, they can be confident that even if they miss one vehicle, another one completing their route will be arriving in good time.
Smarter journeys are likely to always be an aim for transit agencies. Therefore, by incorporating RTPI into your services, you can begin improving your transport network for the future.
