Commuters in Chennai may soon know exactly when their bus will arrive. The Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) has started trial runs of real-time passenger information on LED display boards across the city. These boards are expected to be fully operational from March.
The LED boards are part of the Intelligent Transport System (ITS) project, funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The project aims to create an integrated transport system for MTC buses, including automatic bus location tracking and passenger information at bus stops and depots.
As part of this project, LED boards are being installed at 500 bus stops and 65 bus stands and terminals. There will be three types of boards — two-line, four-line, and 10-line displays — depending on the location.
The LED boards will show real-time bus information using GPS data connected to the Chennai One mobile app. Onboard GPS units have already been installed on buses. “The GPS data will be sent to the LED boards through the Integrated Command Centre at MTC, giving commuters the exact waiting time for their buses,” an official said.