Destination alert: BEST gets smart with passenger information system

Just like trains and Metro, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) buses will have announcements and LED displays to alert you about the next stop.

In a bid to woo the Mumbaikars by being tech-savvy, the loss-making body has installed passenger information system (PIS) in 2809 buses. It has also installed GPS in 2470 buses from 7 depots which are now under trials. However, the authority has yet again missed the March 2019 deadline for the latter.

Under the passenger information system, the announcement of a particular stop will be made twice, once the bus leaves the previous stop and when it is approaching the stop. They have installed this system in 2809 buses out of the total 3337 buses. It will also show the time taken to reach the bus stop. The display board that has been placed right behind the driver seat, will display informative messages too.

The time taken by the bus will be known once the global positioning system (GPS) becomes a reality. At present GPS devices has been installed in 2470 buses belonging to 7 depots namely Colaba, Backbay, Wadala, Mumbai Central, Dharavi to name a few, from where it is being monitored.

"The GPS system is being tested on a trial basis. Based on its progress will we expand it to other depots," said Dr Surendra Bagde, General Manager, BEST Undertaking.

The GPS will allow passengers to know the exact location of the bus, the time taken by it to reach a bus stop, the authorities can keep watch on its fleet and know the timing schedule of the entire fleet. All this will be made available on a mobile app for passengers to know. The BEST Undertaking can also track the location of buses.

The BEST Committee members claim that currently the drivers are marked late and suspended for 5-7 days if they arrive late in the bus depot. Dismissing the claims, chairman of BEST Committee Ashish Chemburkar said, "This is utter rubbish. The road traffic is not under the control of bus drivers. How can one be suspended for coming late? The administration should pull up depot managers bus drivers are marked remark or in case of any action taken against them."

BEST has failed to run the electronic ticketing system successfully. They have gone back to paper tickets since over 75 percent of their 9000 electronic ticket issuing machines (ETIMs) are not functioning and re rotting in bus depots.

Wooing Mumbaikars 

Loss-making undertaking’s digital move aimed at drawing more commuters 

• 3337 fleet size of BEST
• 2470 buses with GPS trackers
• 2809 buses with PIS software
• 7 bus depots where GPS signalling is undergoing trial

Getting Tech-y With It

• PIS will provide real-time information about the arrival time, delay owing to traffic jam and different bus routes. 
• GPS will help BEST authorities and commuters track buses in real-time. Commuters can also track buses using the BEST mobile application.

DIGITAL FAILURE

Meanwhile, BEST has failed to run the electronic ticketing system successfully. They have gone back to paper tickets since over 75 percent of their 9000 electronic ticket issuing machines (ETIMs) are not functioning and re rotting in bus depots.