Automated announcement tests beginning again?

[QM1to6Ave]

I was on 8485 on the Q46 today and there were automated announcements at each stop! The voice was the same of the "please exit through the rear door" lady. The B/O appeared to be jotting down notes about how the system was working at each red light. 

 

I didn't see anything on the threads here about this test starting yet. What are the details?

[Around the Horn]

I was on 8485 on the Q46 today and there were automated announcements at each stop! The voice was the same of the "please exit through the rear door" lady. The B/O appeared to be jotting down notes about how the system was working at each red light. 

 

I didn't see anything on the threads here about this test starting yet. What are the details?

That's a first. Do you remember what the announcements were? I'm interested in the phrasing they chose.

[QM1to6Ave]

That's a first. Do you remember what the announcements were? I'm interested in the phrasing they chose.

They were short and sweet, e.g. "this is main street. Transfer available to the Q44 SBS and Q20". The announcement played about half a block before the stop. There were no turns on the portion I rode, so I dont know if the turn warnings will play as well.

[Around the Horn]

Any announcements at the stop announcing the bus's route and destination?

[LTA1992]

They were short and sweet, e.g. "this is main street. Transfer available to the Q44 SBS and Q20". The announcement played about half a block before the stop. There were no turns on the portion I rode, so I dont know if the turn warnings will play as well.

Pretty much how it's done in Europe.

[QM1to6Ave]

Any announcements at the stop announcing the bus's route and destination?

Nope.

[biker90]

I hope they did a better job then last time. I was the tester on bus #3800 when the new Hybrid first came out. I was on 34th st and the system sucked. Did they put the touch screen like i had back then so the operator can manually push for announcements?

[trainfan22]

Boubt time! This is LONG overdue, crazy how the subway had automated announcements for like 16 years now, LI Bus had em when it was apart of the MTA but the NYCT/MTA Bus fleet never had automated announcements.

 

Had me thinking WIFI and fancy phone plugs on buses but no automated announcements ?????? Especially considering they would be very beneficial for ADA reasons.

[QM1to6Ave]

I hope they did a better job then last time. I was the tester on bus #3800 when the new Hybrid first came out. I was on 34th st and the system sucked. Did they put the touch screen like i had back then so the operator can manually push for announcements?

I didn't see any new screens, buttons, or equipment for the B/O, but I didn't look super carefully. I remember the screens on the M34 pilot, those were very noticeable!

[DetSMART45]

Was wondering how the MTA would handle this, and it sounds like it could work.

 

Around here, we've had the announcements/LED sign for awhile on SMART buses.  Works like how I think NICE has theirs, reading off each stop along the route, plus transfer connections.  Was sorta shocked when the DDOT buses didn't have them, because it was something you noticed but didn't pay attention to, but it was still there.

 

But then DDOT added them once the new 2015 Xcelsiors started coming in, and got most of the old fleet updated (still not 100%, but so be it).  There is a difference in that every stop isn't announced, but it would almost be "lost" with the way some of the stops are so close together at times (and you're stopping anyways a lot of the time).

 

DDOT uses a woman's voice for all of them, while SMART uses a man's voice coupled with a woman's voice for the "public service announcements" in between ("Buses are designed for standing customers also", "Remember to pay the extra 50 cents when transferring from DDOT", "Let the driver know if you've got a bike to take off").  DDOT's simply say, "Transfer connection to: Route 16, Dexter; Route 27, Joy Road; and Route 47, Tireman".  Some roads are announced before the "Transfer connection to" begins.  Other announcements outside of transfer points are at points of interest/high volume locations, like "Exit next stop for: Detroit Cultural Center".  Whatever is being read is what appears on the LED sign.

 

I would hope that if the MTA rolls this out, they'd get rid of the "Exit rear door" every time the bell is rung.  It should just say "Stop requested" and scroll that on the sign.

 

I don't think most regular riders pay much attention to the announcements, and I don't see that on the DDOT routes, but on SMART, people do pay attention to them.

 

What REALLY irritates me are the people too busy with the crap in their ears that have to keep tugging on the stop cord, even after the LED sign is scrolling "Stop requested" and other people are getting up to exit.

[QM1to6Ave]

Was wondering how the MTA would handle this, and it sounds like it could work.

 

Around here, we've had the announcements/LED sign for awhile on SMART buses. Works like how I think NICE has theirs, reading off each stop along the route, plus transfer connections. Was sorta shocked when the DDOT buses didn't have them, because it was something you noticed but didn't pay attention to, but it was still there.

 

But then DDOT added them once the new 2015 Xcelsiors started coming in, and got most of the old fleet updated (still not 100%, but so be it). There is a difference in that every stop isn't announced, but it would almost be "lost" with the way some of the stops are so close together at times (and you're stopping anyways a lot of the time).

 

DDOT uses a woman's voice for all of them, while SMART uses a man's voice coupled with a woman's voice for the "public service announcements" in between ("Buses are designed for standing customers also", "Remember to pay the extra 50 cents when transferring from DDOT", "Let the driver know if you've got a bike to take off"). DDOT's simply say, "Transfer connection to: Route 16, Dexter; Route 27, Joy Road; and Route 47, Tireman". Some roads are announced before the "Transfer connection to" begins. Other announcements outside of transfer points are at points of interest/high volume locations, like "Exit next stop for: Detroit Cultural Center". Whatever is being read is what appears on the LED sign.

 

I would hope that if the MTA rolls this out, they'd get rid of the "Exit rear door" every time the bell is rung. It should just say "Stop requested" and scroll that on the sign.

 

I don't think most regular riders pay much attention to the announcements, and I don't see that on the DDOT routes, but on SMART, people do pay attention to them.

 

What REALLY irritates me are the people too busy with the crap in their ears that have to keep tugging on the stop cord, even after the LED sign is scrolling "Stop requested" and other people are getting up to exit.

There was no LED interior sign on this bus, though I do remember reading those should come with the WiFi on new buses

[DetSMART45]

There was no LED interior sign on this bus, though I do remember reading those should come with the WiFi on new buses

So they're still getting the buses with the "Stop Requested" light-up box on the ceiling?  Jeez......why not just be ahead of the game with an LED sign where those are supposed to be?  Especially on the Xcelsiors.

[QM1to6Ave]

So they're still getting the buses with the "Stop Requested" light-up box on the ceiling? Jeez......why not just be ahead of the game with an LED sign where those are supposed to be? Especially on the Xcelsiors.

Yup, exactly. Though I will say the "stop requested" box has gotten a lot bigger. The space is probably big enough that it could be replaced with an LED scrolling sign one day. Maybe.

[DetSMART45]

Yup, exactly. Though I will say the "stop requested" box has gotten a lot bigger. The space is probably big enough that it could be replaced with an LED scrolling sign one day. Maybe.

Sheesh....the only remnants of the old light-ups around here are on the DDOT 2003-4 New Flyer D40LFs, where they are built-in above the windshield by the door.  Even when SMART got some of those, they simply changed that out and put the LED in its place.  The other 2005 and 2010 D40LFs have a ceiling-mounted LED (which were also added to the 2003-4s).  All the 2011 Gilligs have it built-in, and the Xcelsiors as well.

 

Pretty hilarious to spend all that extra on the ports and wi-fi as "cutting edge" but still not get up to speed on something as simple as this.  Especially when other agencies have retrofitted to be ADA-compliant.