Skip to main content

Cubic’s NextBus Subsidiary seals real time bus arrival deal

Cubic Transportation Systems subsidiary NextBus is expanding its market with its first real-time passenger information systems (RTPIS) project outside North America, with TransLink, the public transportation provider in south east Queensland, Australia.
October 23, 2014 Read time: 2 mins

378 Cubic Transportation Systems subsidiary NextBus is expanding its market with its first real-time passenger information systems (RTPIS) project outside North America, with 376 TransLink, the public transportation provider in south east Queensland, Australia.

Following a successful three-month trial, NextBus will deliver RTPIS to 19 separate transit providers that operate under TransLink.

The contract expands Cubic’s services and capabilities in the region and delivers on a key component of its NextCity strategy - the integration and application of payment, traveller information and operational analytics to regional transportation networks around the world.

By early 2015 the equipment will be installed across the entire TransLink network, which operates across 23 zones and seven regions with the network stretching from Gympie in the north to Coolangatta in the south, and west to Helidon.

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.

NextBus vehicle arrival information can be accessed through its regularly updated web application and is also accessible through mobile devices including smartphones and tablets, computers and LED/LCD signs at bus shelters and transit depots. Using GPS technology, NextBus automatically determines the passenger’s location and the nearest stops, which passengers can view on a live map on the NextBus website.

For transit operators, the NextBus system provides a host of management tools that enable operators to improve their on-time performance and transit planning. Tools include headway management that tracks how far apart buses are spaced out, schedule adherence, replay maps that utilise historical travel data to show dispatchers past vehicle location information, and the real-time map interface, which allows transit managers to monitor vehicle arrival status in real time.

Related Content

  • July 28, 2014
    Perth, Australia to get Parkeon’s real time tracking bus tracking
    Ticketing technologies company Parkeon is playing a key role in a multi-million dollar public transport project in Perth that will provide real-time journey tracking for passengers, along with Australia’s first underground dynamic bus stand allocation system. The real time tracking system (RTTS) forms a significant part of the contract awarded by the Western Australia Public Transport Authority to Downer EDI Engineering Power. It is being delivered by Parkeon as part of its latest ticketing platform and
  • August 1, 2012
    Developments in travel information display systems
    David Crawford looks at recent developments in travel information display systems. It is important to remember that we are investing in Real-Time Passenger Information [RTPI] to increase ridership," says Robert Burke, Managing Director of New Zealand transit tracking technology specialist Connexionz, which has been involved in at-stop and remote passenger information since 1995. "Superior information improves the perception of public transport reliability and gives the passenger more choices and greater con
  • December 1, 2014
    Real time passenger information now available
    New York State’s Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) Board of Directors is to roll out a real time passenger information (RTPI) pilot program for its fleet of fixed route buses, using automatic vehicle location (AVL) software to determine bus location and speed. Customers will be able to access real time transit information for CDTA fixed route services through the free CDTA iride mobile application for Apple and Android devices, through Google Maps’ mobile apps and maps.google.com, through
  • March 19, 2013
    Cubic to deliver hardware system for MTA Bus Time
    Cubic Transportation Systems has been awarded a contract worth almost US$27 million from the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority to build and integrate the bus hardware system for MTA Bus Time, the authority's customer information system for bus location and arrival times that will be accessible to passengers using an internet browser-based map, a mobile phone-based application and a text message-based service. As part of the bus hardware system, Cubic will deliver its new mobile validator that w