Request ID: FOI-0017-2425 Date published: 22 April 2024
You asked
I have a fascination with technology and specifically onboard transport vehicles. I've recently learned the current ibus system will be upgraded to further enhance bus journeys for passengers, drivers, bus company's and other involved parties alike. If availabile I would like to see images of the new ibus passenger display units and driver display units in action if possible and further details on how the new system will work in terms of alerting passengers about road incidents and closures as well as diversion as well the implementation of its use for Rail Replacement and broader uses.
We answered
Our ref: FOI-0017-2425/GH
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 2 April 2024 asking for information about new iBus equipment.
Your request has been considered under the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and our information access policy. I can confirm that we do hold the information you require.
The new iBus2 On-bus system will not be implemented on TfL buses for another two years as it will need to be thoroughly tested prior to deployment. However, subject to TfL specific design requirements which will be finalised as part of the transition and rollout of the iBus2 On-bus system over the next two years, the iBus2 On-bus system is based on Init Se’s CoPilot and Touchmdt products. Further information on the CoPilot and Touchmdt products is publicly available at www.initse.com including images showing the products deployed on other clients of Init Se.
The key change introduced by iBus2 for customers will be in terms of the availability of information during disruption (e.g. Diversions and Curtailments).
Under the current solution it is not possible to easily and quickly update the data held by the bus in terms of its new route or service. This results in information on disruption not always being available to customers when planning their journey, and once on the bus, this information having to be relayed verbally by the driver, and displayed on the bus as an asterix (*) on the Next Stop Sign, indicating the bus is off its normal route.
Under iBus2, the expectation is that this disruption is shared with the bus in near real time, and the route and service is updated accordingly. This will allow the new route and service to be shared with customers planning their journey, as well as features such as the automated triggering of on bus customer announcements (both audio and visual) before a bus leaves its normal route, and providing customers the correct stop details via its Next Stop Signs whilst on diversion.
The only other change that may be readily apparent to customers is improvements in the way the arrival predictions are created and shared. TfL has increased the level of accuracy required from these predictions, and in the manner they are created and measured which should result in more accurate and reliable predictions, especially for ‘first stop’ predictions (the arrival prediction for the first stop on a bus trip), which were previously only based on the timetable and not calculated from the previous performance of the bus itself and its preceding buses.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.
Yours sincerely
Graham Hurt FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
