GPS for Buses Digital Signage

GPS for Buses Digital Signage designers and marketers are scouting for new public areas where people stop for a short while and can read the informational, entertainment and marketing messages. If the signs are in the right place at the right time, they can draw the intended audience and provide valuable information, increase education, sell products and services, and build brand.

Due to the rising cost of fuel and the economic problems, the American Public Transportation Association reported in November, 2008, nearly 3 billion trips on public transit systems, which is about a 5% growth, about 140 million trips, versus the previous year. The Outdoor Advertising Association of America says that advertisers can reach travelers on buses in 80 to 85% of the top one hundred markets. The transportation areas, such as the bus shelters, bus terminals and the buses themselves are becoming one of the best opportunities for these new signs.

The unique uses of GPS and wireless along with new digital signage could greatly enhance the efficiency of bus transportation, and, at the same time improve the customer experience and bring in income from the advertising. New concepts for buses range from real-time data to digital signage and advertisements.In any major bus terminal you can have real-time digital signage with schedules.

Here are five ways to use digital signage with buses: At the bus terminals: the "Touch and Go" kiosks, which are custom built and designed to look like buses, provide potential bus riders with all the information that they need to take their trip through the city. The rider can touch on a route name, specific destination or area of the city, the exact route will come up and provide a map.

From there another touch brings the rider to the times of departure and arrival at each location along the route. The route map will also show any points of interest if this is a tourist area or specific buildings if this is a typical city (e.g., St. James Church, Home Health Center). For general information, the person just has to hit the "?" And be able to search for additional information, for example, "bus, St. James Church." The screen can also display weather and time.

If this is a tourist city, then the software will be tailored to the different points of interest. The rider can touch one of these areas (e.g., Howard Art Museum) and either read or see a video about that location. Other comparable sites are recommended as well. Also noted are restaurants and shops of interest around the museum, which is added advertisement income. Also at the terminals are large overhead screens that show which bus will be leaving and when and another screen with arrivals.

Smaller-scale screens with the same information can be at various places in the terminal (e.g., at entrances) if it is a large city. The digital signage is therefore being used to display real-time views of bus locations to people in the station, in order to make sure that they have specific information about when the next bus will arrive or depart. Running underneath these departure and arrival screens can be specific events that are taking place that day and their location and the bus route to take.

With wireless cellular technology, the sides of the bus can have running advertising signs that are either generic in nature, or specifically for that particular bus route. For example, the bus going by Howard Museum can have a running sign with information on the museum and saying, "five blocks ahead, see the new exhibit on the Inca Indians." This is income for the bus company. The buses can also immediately alert people to any dangers, "Fire at Read Street.

Streets blocked from Read to Strong Streets." The advertisements can also be tailored to the specific audience in the area, for example, using different languages or ads for that market depending on the bus route. These advertisements and announcements are also broadcast inside the bus with large overhead screens. At each bus stop, digital signage will provide information on the bus routes that stop at this location, when the bus will arrive (wait time), and final destination. Buses rarely are exactly on time.

Sometimes they are a minute ahead of schedule and people just get to the bus stop and see the bus go by. Other times, especially when the weather is bad, the bus can be late. Buses also get behind schedule during bad weather, or even are taken off the route when, for instance, the snow has not been plowed yet. With the real-time information, bus riders can know when (or if) the bus will arrive.

Information would be sent back to the local hub with the bus' location and calculated and either sent out to a sign or a telephone can be picked up and dialed with the real-time information. Passengers can also use their cell phones, pagers, personal digital assistants (PDA) or online email to get alerts from the bus terminal and RSS feeds with customized updates regarding any time delays. At designated places (need to be secure from weather, vandalism, etc.) kiosks can provide a wide variety of information for the bus traveler.

The display panel can include all the bus route information including any landmarks. When touching the LCD screen, customers can access bus route information. A map of the bus route will show where the bus stop is in relation to origin and destination with any points of interest along the way. In addition, the kiosk will hold print maps that riders can take with them.

Depending on how payment is made on the busses (token or cash), a vending machine and/or change machine will be available, as will be an ATM. The town will have to decide whether or not to include sound. This is helpful for those who cannot read the information and for those who acquire information better through sound vs. vision. However, the question is if this will add too much "sound pollution" to the area. Also, other disabilities need to be considered (e.g., use of brail, height of sign).

Inside the bus (if it is different from that being shown outside) is a whole captured audience that can view news items, weather, community events, health updates and infomercials. These, like the signs outside of the bus, can be changed depending on the demographics of the riders. These screens.