Examining the political and practical reality of bus-based Real Time Passenger Information

Enhancing the bus experience through improved information provision is a key element of the UK Government’s transport policy as stated in ‘A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone’ (DETR, 1998). There are several ways of doing this, but one in particular - Real Time Passenger Information (RTPI) – has often been seen by local authorities as the way forward. RTPI is perceived to reassure passengers waiting for a bus by reducing the uncertainty of when (and even whether) the bus will arrive, thus encouraging patronage and benefiting the public transport operator through increased revenue and the local authority, by promoting social inclusion and achieving a modal shift. RTPI also provides an important tool for operators by allowing them to monitor services and refine their schedules.