Real Time Customer Information on public transport

A team of experts from Sweden based global giant Volvo are in town for talks this week on its superior Real Time Customer Information System for public transport.

Sources said that the team will have discussions with Ministry of Transport officials along with representatives from the Sri Lanka Transport Board and Ceylon Government Railway. It will also meet up with representatives of mobile telecom companies.

Recently the Government launched a pilot project of luxury air-conditioned Volvo bus service in select popular routes in Colombo and suburbs. The bus is equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS) and via a special software it can communicate real time service times for the benefit of commuters improving efficiency and cut time wastage.  Via the customer information system it can make available the exact arrival time of the bus at particular halting place.

This is based on the average speed achieved midst traffic and the number of kilometres travelled. The system which can be made available in train services too provided the necessary technology is installed.

Sources said that talks with mobile companies would be aimed at explaining the system so that telcos could obtain the services whereby its customers could text and get the real time info of respective public transport services.