Transport for London (TfL) has awarded a 10-year, £160 million contract to INIT for the replacement of its iBus automatic vehicle location system.
It said the company will provide new onboard hardware and back office services for all buses and trams in the TfL vehicle fleet.
The next generation of iBus will provide new service control tools for bus operators and be integrated with TfL’s voice radio system and payments and performance management systems. It will also provide new information, both on and off buses, on disruptions and diversions through information boards, audio-visual announcements and the TfL Go app.
The agency said the system will use data from journeys earlier in the day to reflect the impact of traffic conditions and improve the accuracy of arrival information.
It will also provide new safety features in the form of hazard warnings to bus drivers for tight turns on narrow roads.
The current system, managed by Trapeze, has been in operation for London’s buses for 17 years and trams for two. It supports over 8,000 buses on 700 routes and over 19,000 bus stops across Greater London, plus around 80 bus garages.
Transformed journeys
TfL’s director of information technology, Rebecca Bissell, commented: “Since being introduced, the iBus system has transformed our customers' journeys, and particularly helped people with visual or hearing impairments, by making it easier to navigate London.
“The solutions provided by INIT for the next generation of iBus will help us build on this success as we continue to enhance the safety and reliability of our service through improved real time information for our operators and customers.”
Seb Dance, London’s deputy mayor for transport, said: “This next iteration of the iBus technology will make journeys more reliable and give customers more accurate and up-to-date travel information, enabling Londoners to travel with ease, and helping to build a better, greener city for everyone.”
Since March 2023, TfL has been installing a wave of new bus countdown boards across every borough in the capital. More than 300 additional signs have been installed to date, taking the overall number to almost 3,000.
