Public transport information going in circles again: Part II

In March 2007, LTA announced that it would introduce two initiatives to enhance public transport experience. One of the them is real-time bus arrival information which was launched on schedule. The other initiative is electronic bus journey planner.

LTA promised that the electronic bus journey planner would be available on TransitLink website for testing by July 2007. Today is 1 Aug 2007. Has anyone seen it yet?

(no response)

It's nowhere to be seen. :-(

I was actually looking forward to the launch of the new electronic bus journey planner. The reason being the planning tools currently available provide only piecemeal information or limited functions. A summary of the choices available now:

• StreetDirectory.com: Provides point-to-point route planning using SBS Transit buses and MRT only (with map)
  
• iris Journey Planner: Provides point-to-point route planning using SBS Transit buses only (map optional)
  
• SMRT E-Bus Guide: Provides point-to-point route planning using using SMRT buses only
  
• TransitLink EGuide: Compilation of a list of bus services from both operators, SBS Transit and SMRT
  

The new electronic bus journey planner would provide passengers with a more comprehensive planning tool. It aims to the one-stop planning tool that merge information from both public transport operators. This means that passengers would not get a nil return from the journey planner if they try to find out how to get from Boon Lay to Yishun, or Woodlands to Serangoon, or Clementi to Choa Chu Kang... (or whatever travel path that goes from SBS area to SMRT area, vice versa). It would also eliminate the hassle of using two or more planning tools to get complete journey information. It is touted as the final solution to the current piecemeal information provision.

I do understand that developing a journey planner is not an easy task, especially more so when TransitLink is developing it in-house. Already faced with a stretched workforce, they also need to meet the never-ending external requests (psst... I heard one of the guilty party is LTA themselves, which push them to put up bus service information at all bus stops panels). It is no wonder there is a delay to the journey planner.

An alternative solution is to outsource the development of the journey planner. There are many countries in the world that already have a comprehensive journey planner (e.g. London, Paris) ,and some of them are developed by consultants. There are also many bundled packages available all over the world. All it takes is a sum of money and a time of about six months to develop a journey planner with full functionalities. The comprehensive planner allows journey solutions that involves all modes (note: the new TransitLink journey planner provides solutions using buses only), and schedule planning down to the minutes (be it day/night). Some even give details on the walking time and distance travelled.

As of now, there is no news on the status of the journey planner. A last check at TransitLink EGuide shows some signs of feeble work in progress. There is an addition of TransitLink Portal section which requires password access (which means I have no idea what is inside!). Also, there is a new function that allows users to calculate fare by simply selecting the boarding and alighting points. I would say the fare calculation is quite a useful and innovative feature to keep me entertained while I wait patiently for the next generation of the journey planner.

Meanwhile, to cover the lack of progress on the bus journey planner, LTA chose not to mention the delay in the journey planner project. Instead, they replaced the journey planner with a another initiative known as "Key Bus Services Map" that provides bus routes information around Orchard area. The news release is attached below for your reference.

Interestingly Hong Kong does not have a journey planner yet. Maybe LTA will hasten the development of Singapore journey planner if Hong Kong happens to procure theirs.

LTA Introduces Initiatives To Enhance Public Transport Travel

Mr Raymond Lim, Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs, inspects the first integrated real-time bus arrival information panel and Key Bus Services Map

Commuters will soon be able to get real-time bus arrival information of both SBST and SMRT buses services at 30 bus stops. This will help commuters better manage waiting time and transfers, so that they can make more informed travel decisions.

2 The first Real-Time Bus Arrival Information panel was inspected by Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Raymond Lim, at the Delfi Orchard and Le Meridien shopping centre bus stops today. With information supplied by SBST and SMRT, LTA will begin a trial to offer bus arrival times on a real-time basis at 30 bus stops with a high volume of commuter traffic -- 20 along Orchard Road and 10 in the Ang Mo Kio and Yishun HDB towns.

3 Commuters will now have the convenience of knowing how long more their buses will take to arrive at these bus stops, as these will be progressively fitted with LED panels by end August 2007. The panels will display the bus services that call at a particular bus stop, the arrival times of the next and subsequent buses for each bus service, and a symbol to indicate whether the bus is wheelchair-accessible.

4 Another initiative unveiled today was the Key Bus Services Map, to help commuters in the Orchard Road vicinity better plan their bus journey. The maps will be installed at 36 bus stops around the Orchard Road area by end August 2007. Each map will provide pictorial information on key bus services calling at the bus stop and the routes they cover. It will also indicate the MRT stations along the routes and significant buildings and locales. These maps will be especially helpful to tourists as they can determine which buses serve the places of interests in the vicinity. Please refer to Annex B for the list of bus stops and a sample of the map.

5 "We are focusing on improving the travel experience of commuters. The provision of real-time bus arrival information and key bus services maps will help commuters to better plan their journeys and manage their waiting time. These form part of the broader slew of initiatives to improve public transport for the benefit of commuters," said Mr Raymond Lim, Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs.

6 The two initiatives are introduced on a six-month trial basis, so as to allow time to take in commuters' feedback. To ensure that these services meet the needs of commuters, members of the public are welcome to share their feedback and suggestions via LTA's hotline 1800-CALL LTA (1800-2255 582) or their discussion forum Talk2LTA (talk2lta.lta.gov.sg).

7 "We'd like to hear commuters' feedback to help us refine these initiatives, to make them even more useful and relevant. By working in partnership with commuters and other stakeholders, we can better achieve our aim of making public transport a choice mode for all," said BG (NS) Yam Ah Mee, LTA's Chief Executive.

Source: LTA (30 July 2007)