LYNX Information Kiosks
October 25, 2011
New electronic kiosks with real-time bus departure information have been installed at LYNX Central Station, the Orlando International Airport and the Orange County Convention Center. Each kiosk shows the departure time of buses serving the location along with informational videos to help keep our customers informed of events at LYNX. Departure information is updated based upon the progress of buses along the route, automatically updating and adjusting the time should traffic, weather or other events delay the bus.
Customers at the airport where delighted with the information. “We saw customers walking up to the sign to check their bus’ departure time within less than a minute of when we plugged the sign in,” said Doug Jamison, LYNX senior ITS developer and project manager. “The older poster information showed the scheduled departure, but didn’t reflect whether the bus had just left or was delayed and soon to arrive.”
The new kiosks were provided as part of a demonstration for the 18th World Congress on Intelligent Transportation Systems, a technology conference held in Orlando in October 2011. Delegates included transportation technology experts and high ranking officials from over 80 countries around the world. Held annually in locations alternating between the Americas, Europe and Asia, the conference brings together technology experts to exchange information on state-of-the-art technology and their research and deployment plans over the next 25 years. The sharing of information allows experts in transportation from around the world to learn from each other and provide improved solutions to current and future transportation issues.
LYNX, in partnership with the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), the Intelligent Transportation Society of America, and Ayers Electronic Systems LLC developed the kiosks to demonstrate the Transit Communications Interface Profiles (TCIP) Standard Development Program. “Standards” are specific formats for the sharing of information between electronic systems. By adopting standards, various manufactures of technology can easy operate 
with each other. As an example, the adoption of standards for electrical connections means that any item purchased, regardless of who manufactures it, has the same plug. You can plug each one in without having to provide a custom built connection to your home wiring. Transit standards work the same way. No matter who provides a technology product used by the transit industry, it can exchange information with any product from any other manufacturer.
Watch for more kiosks with real time bus departure information at high volume customer locations in the near future. LYNX is also working on plans for providing real-time bus departure information available through the internet and cell phones. For more information on these plans, please contact Doug Jamison. For more information on TCIP and how transit agencies and manufactures can use this information without charge please contact Lou Sanders, APTA director of operations and technical services.