Grand River Transit going automated
Posted Mar 26, 2010 04:36:27 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The region is spending more than two million dollars to equip its buses with automated technology that will call out all stops for passengers. The $2.4-million investment will put Grand River Transit in compliance with an Ontario Human Rights Commission ruling that requires all systems to accommodate passengers who are visually or hearing impaired. The funding will allow GRT to equip about three quarters of its fleet with the new technology by October of this year. It’s expected that the entire fleet will have the technology by 2014, as older buses are replaced.
Director of Transit Services, Eric Gillespie, tells 570 News the technology has benefits beyond assisting the visually or hearing impaired. He says the automated system serves all riders by making them aware of where they are on a particular route or, if they’re new to GRT, it gives them a sense of where they are in the community. Gillespie says because the technology is GPS-based, it allows GRT to track every bus in the system. This helps keep track of how well the bus routes are operating to the schedule that was set, identify problem areas, and even track where people are getting on and off the buses thanks to a passenger counting feature. Gillespie says this feature aids in future planning to ensure that routes are designed in the best way to meet customer needs in terms of scheduling and capacity. Gillespie says GRT has been using the technology on its i-Xpress system so it already understands its benefits. In the future, Gillespie says GRT will be able to give real-time schedule and bus information via text message. He says that will happen once all of the buses are equipped with the new technology.
