Wellington transport adopts new real-time information system

New Zealand’s capital Wellington has announced plans to modernise its bus and train stations with new real-time information (RTI) for services.

The overhaul has been made available through a deal between the city’s transport operator Metlink and global technology firm NEC.

Metlink group manager Samantha Gain said the roll out could take up to two years.

“About 250 digital signs around the region need to be replaced and new hardware installed on approximately 450 buses.

“By June 2024 we hope to have the new RTI software up and running in the background, and the whole project completed by December 2025.”

The cost of setting up the new RTI system is estimated to be NZ$8 million (US$4.9 million) with another NZ$11 million more available to maintain the technology over the next 10 years.

Fifty-one percent of the cost is being funded by the NZ Transport Agency.

Passenger experience

Greater Wellington Transport Committee Chair Thomas Nash says the new RTI system will greatly improve the passenger experience.

“It will track the location of our vehicles every second of the day and update digital signs faster than they update now. Arrival time predictions will be more accurate with any detours factored in.

“The current system is close to its use-by date and its inaccuracy is a significant pain point for our passengers – the new system will greatly enhance passenger confidence in our network.

“It will help increase patronage and contribute to our goal of making public transport a more attractive option than driving for as many people as possible.”

Along with the new signs, text to speech units will be installed at some bus stops for visually impaired passengers.

New tablets will also be fitted for drivers that display route diversions within seconds of being transmitted by operators.

AI cameras

In September, Wellington City Council announced it would roll out a new sensor network to collect data on traffic to “better inform effective, evidence-based decision-making in a cost-effective way”.

Data collected by the new cameras includes counts of different types of road users, paths of travel, and travel speeds for cars, trucks, bicycles, scooters, buses and pedestrians.

“As the city grows, use of space and transport become more vital to the liveability of Wellington. This kind of information is invaluable for planning and designing our future,” said Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau.

The city says that data collected will inform transport strategies and, when combined with other data sets, will lead to “tangible benefits for key council decisions”.

Image: Elliot Blyth Unsplash