Transit schedules versus real-time transit info

The city of Richmond in British Columbia has teamed up with both Novax Industries and wireless network technology provider Tropos Networks to help provide more up-to-date information about local and regional transit schedules than is offered up by published transportation schedules.

Here's how the solution works: Wireless sensors communicating with the Novax InfoPOD software communicate with the Tropos wireless broadband mesh network - offering information about transit performance that is driven by actual performance rather than expectations. Relevant data is displayed over an LCD that could be up to five miles away in a bus stop, providing passengers with more specific information abut arrival information, especially how expectations might different from published schedules.

Says Tropos vice president of engineering Mike Bailey: "Accurate time to arrival information generation for buses operating in mixed traffic has been problematic. The Tropos wireless mesh network makes it possible to report the progress of a bus in great detail to ensure timely accuracy that was only possible for rail systems with a dedicated right of way and highly specialized operational infrastructure."

Tropos is pretty involved with the whole municipal network play; communications being one of the biggest factors in the smart cities movement. Here are two other applications where Tropos is helping smart cities break ground:

• Corpus Christi pushes envelop with municipal wireless
• Wireless player plays up smart grid security theme

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com