LTA Press Relase: http://app.lta.gov.sg/apps/news/page.aspx?c=2&id=ab1a34e0-b97d-4bdc-8259-6641d4ca6e5d
Trapeze Press Release: http://www.trapezegroup.se/nyheter/artikel/trapeze-supplies-operations-management-system-to-singapore
Related article: http://mypaper.sg/top-stories/taking-guesswork-out-bus-travel-20140410
What is publicly known from these articles?
- SBS Transit and SMRT Buses Operation Control Centres (OCCs)
will be using the same set of software to manage their buses.
- SMRT Buses is already using some form of solution from
Trapeze.
- New workstations will replace the existing systems in their
respective OCCs.
- Most of the solution deals with the back-end and may utilise
existing hardware and equipment. If so, passengers might not
observe any visible changes.
What is open to interpretation?
1. New driver device?
A similar system has been recently installed in Canberra,
Australia by Trapeze. It may provide clues as to what might be
implemented in Singapore buses. However, their next bus prediction
is not in full operation yet (testing stage).
The touch-screen units installed in ACTION buses are capable of
displaying maps, and the map shifts along with the position of the
bus (similar to taxis, the small device below the blue sticker in
the photo). They use another Parkeon Wayfarer machine to issue
tickets.
The existing DDU used by SBS Transit is certain to be replaced.
However, there is the possibility of using the existing On-board Bus Equipment (OBE) as part of this
implemenation.
2. New PIS?
Again, Canberra has a complete PIS solution (known as RTPIS and
NXTBUS) installed by Trapeze. There are two possibilities to this
aspect:
a) Buses with existing PIS may get to keep it
SMRT Buses has an existing passenger information system. It
might be wasteful to dipose of the system completely (and the newer
LECIP equipment is relatively young), so one possibility is for the
new system to feed real-time information through existing hardware
if integration is a more cost-effective option.
b) Install new PIS
If this option is chosen, passengers may be in for a treat.
These are PIS displays installed by Trapeze in ACTION buses and
they make audio announcements as well. They were installed in
almost all buses, new or old.
For SBS Transit, this prospect might be promising as none of
their buses currently have PIS displays and they may be installed
as part of this system.
3. How much control?
Having a unified system under LTA means that the authority
effectively decides how much control it wants to take on or give to
the operators, which previously was fully at the mercy of operators
which essentially developed and own the existing technologies. It
can decide to take over certain responsibilities from operators, or
to stick to the status quo.
Such a system can be observed in London, which uses a
competitive tender system. In London's iBus, Transport for London's CentreCom handles incident
management while the depots focus solely on service recovery and
monitoring.
4. Still a duopoly?
This development might also translate to lowering the barriers
to entry by new operators. If an existing operator exits the
business, a new or another existing operator can simply take over
without too much hassle. The time is about right to kick off the
competitive tender system for public bus routes.
