Automatic bus location announcement systems are a type of automatic vehicle location technology, now being widely used and applied in the transit industry as a means to track and monitor vehicles and fleets as they work the field. They are used in conjunction with other advanced technologies that all work together to create smarter passenger and transit systems. Automatic vehicle location systems along with automated passenger counters, transit displays, and passenger information systems are only some of the most widely used technologies that make up advanced transit information, communication, and data collection systems nowadays—and you can count on Transign to provide all these technologies and more.

One of the major uses for automatic bus location systems, besides monitoring vehicle locations, is initiating location-relevant voice announcements for passengers. With an integrated voice announcement system, an automated bus location system enables the relay of location-specific and relevant information such as announcements for current and/or next stops, alerts on approaching stops, or warnings on anticipated delays due to the current state of traffic.

An automatic vehicle location system typically consists of two parts, including an on-board GPS system that tracks the vehicle’s real-time location, and a software program displaying that particular vehicle’s location on a map. Like most GPS-powered systems, AVLs (automatic vehicle location systems) are usually accurate up to 30 feet of the vehicle’s location, a range that is adequate enough for monitoring transit routes and deploying on-board voice announcements, among many other applications. A modern voice announcement system can be extremely useful in different kinds of public transit applications, from buses to trains, trams, subway systems, and other such mass transit fleets.

Ideal for transit supervision, automatic vehicle location systems have effectively changed the way that transit agencies manage their operations. Before these kinds of technologies, transit operators had limited control and visibility over their fleets and unless their drivers alert them about incidents, they have no way of knowing when troubles and disruptions are occurring. Automatic vehicle location systems enable transit operators better means of monitoring fleets, therefore enabling them to respond better to situations.

Buses that use integrated voice systems

Automatic Bus Location Announcement SystemAutomatic bus location announcement systems are widely used in countries like the US, UK, Hong Kong, and Singapore, where it is employed by public and private bus companies to streamline their operations control and fleet management processes while giving commuters consistent bus-service performance. These integrated voice systems complement the driver display units and integrated driver fare consoles that have long been utilized in their public transport networks. 

Voice announcements enable commuters to identify the next stops without having to read the display, so that they can prepare to get off. These systems can also broadcast pre-programmed announcements to inform passengers of upcoming road diversions (if there are any) or simply to provide cheerful greetings.

In some regions, audio announcements were previously only available in public trains. Bus commuters had to rely on bus service guides and apps to ensure that they didn’t miss their stops. This technology was a much-welcome improvement—one that was widely praised by commuters and public transport enthusiasts. If you are interested in implementing an integrated voice announcement system in your own fleet, contact us to learn about your options.

 Just the same, one of the best applications for automatic vehicle location systems is the integration of automatic announcement systems, which enable operators to dispatch both internal and external announcements during transit and at every stop—something that the ADA requires so that passengers with disabilities can better be served by public transport. Audio announcements and visual displays are crucial for aiding passengers with disabilities in making use of the public transport system more safely and efficiently.