PUBLIC TRANSPORT SOLUTION

BEST  getting  BETTER  ?

DNA ( 20 Aug ) carries a news report with following headline :

“ Now BEST to get smart with GPS , PIS on buses “

To ease the commute of travellers, the BEST Undertaking has claimed that they will ensure that the Global Positioning System (GPS) and Passenger Information System (PIS) is installed in its buses within six months.

" We are sure that the GPS inside buses and Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) at bus stops will be available to the public within six months," said SK Bagde, General Manager, BEST Undertaking.

While welcoming this passenger-friendly initiative , I urge Shri Bagde , to go for a COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION by implementing my following suggestion ( emailed earlier on 15  Feb  2016 ) :

https://myblogepage.blogspot.in/2016/02/public-transport-as-solution.html

*   Gradually change over to air conditioned buses

*   Do not allow standee passengers ( this will require adding many more buses )

*   Introduction of BRTS ( Bus Rapid Transit System )

*   Bus Arrival Time Indicators ( linked with GPS in all buses ) at all bus stops

*   A tablet type digital device fitted behind each seat , where passenger to touch his

     destination on route map displayed .

     Passenger will also touch his smart phone to the device which will transfer the fare

     amount to the bus operator , through a mobile wallet .

     No need for a conductor - as practiced in many foreign countries ! 

    This will tell the driver , at which stops , which passengers are getting off and how

    many seat/s are falling vacant

   

    If bus is already FULL and no passenger is getting off at the next bus stop, then driver

    will not halt the bus , since he cannot accommodate any standee passenger

    If a passenger is supposed to get off at , say XYZ stop , digital device will flash a

    signal / ring a bell , a few minutes before reaching the stop

   

    The Bus Arrival Time Indicator , at the Bus-stop will also display the " No of Vacant

    Seats " in this bus

   

    This ( No of Vacant Seats ) sign will also appear prominently on the bus itself as it

    pulls into the halt

    It is equally easy to introduce such an integrated traffic management system in Inter-

    City buses as well

    Entire intra-city bus traffic will be monitored and controlled from the Central Traffic

    Control Station of the city traffic department , much in the same way ATC control air

    traffic or railways control train traffic

   

    It is just a question of extending an existing ( but slightly modified ) technology to

   city traffic

    As far as density of traffic on various roads is concerned , mobile apps are already

    available

    Based on the situation , Central Traffic Control will order additional buses to be

    injected on any particular route , at any given time

    In some foreign countries , even elevator systems in large office buildings are

    designed to gauge :

    *  the number of persons waiting for elevator at each floor ( and how many want to

        go UP and how many want to go DOWN )

      

     *  the number of persons riding at any time , within each elevator ( and their travel

         intentions ) and adjust their stopping / halting pattern accordingly, automatically

         without human intervention !

     

Implementing such a system could not be a big problem for a country which takes pride in calling itself ,

A  SOFTWARE  SUPER  POWER 

Only thing lacking is political will 

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21  Aug  2017

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs