New passenger capacity facility for NCT bus tracking
Nottingham City Transport has added a new feature to its live online bus tracking to enable customers to check how busy or quiet their bus may be, so they can plan ahead. Available on the NCT website, and planned as an addition to its NCTX Buses app, the system provides information about the bus including its capacity and features, such as wi-fi and USB chargers.
The capacity information is initially being collected from customers, who are encouraged to help each other, with those on the bus updating the capacity details in real-time so those who are looking to travel can see how quiet or busy the bus may be. In future updates, the information will be supported using historic and real-time passenger counting data from the ticket machines on buses.
“Alongside social distancing measures introduced on our buses and the Safer Travel Guidance we published to customers last month, this new feature helps passengers plan their journeys and travel safely with NCT,” says Anthony Carver-Smith, NCT marketing manager.
NCT’s long term digital partner, Passenger, has developed the new feature and is working with other bus operators and ticket machine suppliers on enhancing the information provided to customers.
Passenger CEO Tom Quay adds: “Due to physical distancing requirements, we had to quickly find ways to deliver information on vehicle occupancy to those making essential journeys. We’ve been able to build on our existing technology to merge information from multiple sources including crowdsourced data from customers themselves.
“This combination will give the most accurate indication possible of whether a bus is at capacity. It’s been great to work with NCT and the industry as a whole to respond to the challenge.”