Transport for Wales (TfW) is laying plans for a procurement framework to support the development of real time bus information services for passengers around the country.
It is looking to develop a system architecture that could serve the 22 local authorities and bus operators in Wales.
The agency has begun a market engagement exercise to make potential suppliers aware of its requirements and lay out what it expects from a system.
Its priorities are to ensure that councils do not need to run separate procurements for all of the equipment and systems required, to reduce any duplication of effort by the councils and ensure the interoperability of equipment from different suppliers.
The prior information notice identifies the main components as a choice of new displays, a content management system (CMS), upgrading existing displays to operate via the CMS, and a real time information prediction engine.
It also specifies the likely inclusion of open APIs, SIRI data feeds, an XML gateway, 4G and 5G mobile communications and accessibility enhancements such as the Royal National Institute for the Blind’s React.
Image by Eric Jones, CC BY-SA 2.0
