Bus Journey Planner

Weeks ago, I lamented the snail pace progress of the electronic bus journey planner. Originally scheduled for public trial release in July, it is not until today that it is launched. For those who are unaware, you may read up some background here. Essentially it is an integrated tool that enable people to plan how to get from one point to another using public bus services offered by the two major operators.

I've given it a try and here are my findings:

• It is bus-stop based. Although it offers three different ways of search (by street names, MRT stations, or bus interchanges), it still requires user to select which bus stops they are boarding and alighting. This is unlike journey planners in other countries which also offer major attractions/landmark as another way. It would be great if TransitLink can incorporate "landmark enquiry" into the bus journey planner.
  
• Bus stops are paired. What this means is that it is able to advice you to walk to the opposite bus stops if you choose the wrong direction of travel. Say goodbye to solutions that require you to travel in nonsensical loops.
  
• Walking distances are coded. When suggesting an alternative bus stop, it is able to tell you the walking distance from the bus stop you've selected to the proposed boarding point. Best of all, you can select how far you are prepared to walk to alternative bus stops for more direct journey by choosing from a selection of 200m, 300m or 400m. (Why not offer solutions of up to 800m if people are willing to walk?)
  
• Number of bus stops. Besides providing the usual information of fares and travel times, it also lists the number of bus stops in between boarding point and alighting point of each leg of the journey.
  
• Make it more user friendly please. It would be easier to select the street addresses from the drop-down menu if it is separated into smaller list (say breakdown by alphabet) instead of a single long-list. Second, it is intuitive to provide a link at the proposed solutions page to allow users to view the bus route details with a single click.
• More fare information please. Instead of giving adult (ez-link) fare and cash fare only, why not list child fare and senior citizen fares too? Also, please help us to compute the total journey fare by including transfers rebates too! (I'm sure you're able to deal with the complications arising from SBST $1.90 fare cap)

And the last of my comment? Please consider expanding the journey planner to include other modes. We should not be contended with having a BUS ONLY journey planner. We should challenge ourselves to develop a total integrated journey planner, offering solutions using buses, MRTs, and even walking!

Explore it here now.

LTA And Transitlink Launch Electronic Bus Journey Planner

Joint News Release

From today, commuters will be able to plan their bus journeys with the Electronic Bus Journey Planner at www.transitlink.com.sg. The Planner will cover all bus services provided by SBS Transit and SMRT.

1 By indicating the origin and destination bus stops or bus interchanges, commuters will be able to obtain information on various possible bus travel routes, select their desired travel route, determine the estimated travel time, number of transfers required and fares for each route.

2 The Planner is introduced on a 3-month trial basis, with funding support from the Land Transport Authority. This is part of LTA's continual efforts to promote the use of public transport and make it a choice mode for commuters. During the trial, TransitLink will obtain commuters' feedback and suggestions and improve on the Electronic Bus Journey Planner where relevant. Commuters are encouraged to provide their comments via TransitLink website www.transitlink.com.sg.

Source: LTA, TransitLink (27 Aug 2007)

New ERP gantries

[Note: If you're looking for locations of the 16 new ERP gantries as announced in the Land Transport Review, please refer to this latest post instead.]

More ERP gantries coming your way on 1 Nov 2007 onwards. In summary, the changes are:

• South-bound CTE: Operational hours extended from 7:30am - 9:30am to 7am - 11am on weekdays
• North-bound CTE (before PIE): New gantry charging from 5:30pm - 10:30pm on weekdays
• East-bound CTE: Two new gantries charging from 6pm - 8pm on weekdays. One gantry is placed before the Rochor Road exit and another at the Ophir Road slip road.
• South-bound BKE (before PIE): New gantry 7:30am - 9am on weekdays

[Post-note: The 4 ERP gantries mentioned above are denoted by blue pins. The rest of the pins are the location of the new 16 ERP gantries that was announced in the Land Transport Review Part 3. ]

View Larger Map

Expanding ERP Coverage To Better Manage Congestion

1. Traffic congestion affects the quality of life and the environment as well as the overall efficiency and productivity of the economy. The LTA adopts a holistic and multi-pronged approach to deal with congestion in a sustainable manner. These include promoting the use of public transport, moderating vehicle growth, and using Electronic Road Pricing (ERP).

2. The ERP is a key tool for managing congestion, by maintaining traffic flow within the optimal speed range of 45 to 65 kilometres per hour on expressways and 20 to 30 kilometres per hour on arterial roads. The ERP seeks to achieve relatively smooth flowing roads by encouraging motorists to consciously plan their trips via different routes or consider public transport alternatives. As demand for travel increases due to factors such as population and economic growth, the ERP has to be continually reviewed for effectiveness, to take into account dynamic traffic conditions.

3. The LTA has completed its review of traffic conditions on the roads and will be extending the coverage of ERP at the following locations. The changes take effect from 1 November 2007.

South-bound Central Expressway (CTE): Extension of Morning ERP Hours

4. Currently, ERP is in operation on the south-bound CTE from 7.30am to 9.30am during weekdays. The ERP has been effective in keeping traffic congestion in check during this period. However, outside the current ERP operating hours, traffic speeds have consistently fallen below the optimal speed range on the stretch between Ang Mo Kio Ave 3 and Braddell Road.

5. To improve traffic speeds, the charging hours at the ERP gantry between Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 and Braddell Road will be extended to operate from 7am to 11am on weekdays.

6. There will be no changes in the operating hours (7.30am to 9.30am) of the other three ERP gantries along south-bound CTE (between Braddell Road and PIE; and Serangoon and Balestier Slip Roads). This is because the speeds along this CTE stretch between Braddell Road and PIE remain within the optimal speed range.

North-bound Central Expressway (CTE): New Gantry with Extended Evening ERP Hours

7. The implementation of evening ERP on the north-bound CTE since August 2005 has helped to improve travel speeds on the CTE north of the Pan Island Expressway (PIE) exit. However, the average traffic speeds on the stretch from Bukit Timah to just before the PIE exit have consistently fallen below the optimal speed range due to the high volume of traffic from the city exiting to the PIE.

8. To manage congestion along this stretch, a new ERP gantry will be erected along the north-bound CTE just before the PIE exit. The charging hours at this gantry will be between 5.30 pm and 10.30 pm on weekdays. The charging hours reflect the period during which congestion is experienced on this stretch of the CTE.

Evening ERP on East-bound East Coast Parkway (ECP): New Gantries for Evening ERP Charging

9. The high traffic volume along the east-bound ECP between 6pm and 8pm on weekdays has led to traffic congestion occurring between Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) and Fort Road exit of east-bound ECP.

10. In March 2007, LTA had provided an additional lane in each direction of the ECP between Fort Road and Marina South to help alleviate the congestion. Despite this, traffic speeds continue to remain below the optimal speed range.

11. To manage the congestion, ERP will be implemented on the east-bound ECP from 6pm to 8pm during weekdays. An ERP gantry will be erected at each of the two accesses into the east-bound ECP from the city and the AYE, namely, (i) before the Rochor Road exit and (ii) at the Ophir Road slip road.

South-bound Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE): New Gantry for Morning ERP Charging

12. Average traffic speeds on the BKE have deteriorated below the optimal speed range on weekdays. A new ERP gantry will be erected after the Dairy Farm exit, before the BKE joins the PIE, to help manage the traffic congestion there. The operating hours for this gantry will be from 7.30am to 9am during weekdays.

Installation of Other Gantries Which Will Not Be Activated Until Speeds Fall Below Optimal Speed Range

South-bound Upper Bukit Timah Road: New Gantry

13. With the introduction of a new gantry at the south-bound BKE, traffic at Upper Bukit Timah Road may deteriorate as traffic decants from the BKE. Hence, an ERP gantry will be erected along the south-bound Upper Bukit Timah Road after Hume Avenue to allow us to address congestion in a timely manner if it were to build up. This gantry will only be activated when congestion builds up and traffic conditions warrant the implementation of ERP.

14. LTA will give prior notice before levying any ERP charge at this gantry.

Outer Cordon: New ERP Gantries

15. In May 1999, LTA announced that the ERP system would be progressively expanded beyond the Restricted Zone (RZ) to relieve traffic congestion along roads in the Outer Cordon area under Phase 2 of the ERP plan. The aim is to relieve congestion in the Outer Cordon area by forming a cordon covering the radial roads leading into the city around the RZ.

16. On 6 September 1999, LTA implemented seven gantries in the Outer Cordon and the Central Expressway under ERP Phase 2A, and announced that the remaining Phase 2 gantries would be implemented as and when traffic conditions warrant it.

17. There are 10 locations remaining in the Outer Cordon where ERP has not been implemented. LTA has been monitoring traffic conditions on these roads very closely and anticipates that traffic speeds may deteriorate below the optimal speed range at four of the locations.

18. To enable LTA to be more timely in managing traffic congestion on these roads, LTA will be installing gantries at these four locations, namely Toa Payoh Lorong 6, Upper Boon Keng Road, Kallang Bahru Road and Geylang Bahru Road. ERP charging will be activated only when traffic conditions deteriorate and warrant the implementation of ERP. LTA will continue to monitor the traffic conditions at the remaining six locations.

19. LTA will give prior notice before implementing ERP charging at these gantries.

Enclosures:

Annex A - ERP charges at new gantries/extended hours of operation
Annex B - Summary of implementation dates for ERP 2007 (including KPE)
Annex C - Location maps of gantries (with dates of implementation for gantries operating in 2007)
Annex D - Location map of ERP Outer Cordon gantries

Source: LTA (23 August 2007)

Real-time bus arrival information panels & Key bus services map

I've come to a realisation that this transport blog is too boring: text, text, and more text. In an effort to spruce things up, I've posted some photos. Pardon for the poor photography skills though.

(A) Real-time Bus Arrival Information Panel

Passengers will be able to know when their next bus will arrive with the new real-time bus arrival information panels. Two panels are already up at bus stops outside Delfi Orchard and Le Meridien Shopping Centre. A total of 30 bus stops will be fitted with LED panels by August 2007 -- 20 in Orchard; 5 in Ang Mo Kio town, and another 5 in Yishun Town.

Real-time bus arrival information panel @ Delfi Orchard

Panel @ Le Meridien Shopping Centre

Bus 700 is clearly approaching the bus stop. Why is it the panel showing next bus is 12-min away?

Basking in bright daylight, the LEDs fade into the background, leaving passengers squirming their eyes over the bus services number in green. To improve service delivery, they can consider enhancing the LED contrast, or change the font colour. How useful are these panels? Take a poll on your right to voice your opinion!

(B) Key Bus Services Map

Key Bus Services Map will be installed at 36 bus stops around Orchard Road by August 2007. It will provide graphical information of selected key bus routes calling at the bus stops and the routes they cover. Measuring 1m x 1m, they are housed in specially designed and installed tampered proof glass panel.

Key Bus Services Map

Bus routes are differentiated by colours and labels

Look! "You are here!"

The key bus service map looks uncanningly familiar to an equivalent London's map. London's version is so much more elegant. Our own version is living demonstration to our failed attempt to copy the initiative.

Don't get me wrong. The map is a good initiative. Perhaps what LTA needs to do is to engage a better design agency that can produces a map with better layout, better typography, and a design that is more consistent with their public transport signal guidelines. It would help greatly if they replace the meaningless shopping malls logo with one that reflects the architecture of the building. Oh? No unique architecture for shopping malls in Singapore? It's not LTA's fault then. Pardon me. May the new ION Orchard and Orchard Central shopping malls add some spice to Orchard Road architecture.

[Post note: Softcopy of Key Bus Services Map is now available]

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)