Beginning August 4, passengers on select buses will have access to real-time schedule and stop information as part of Calgary Transit’s testing of its new real time information system, a system which will eventually allow transit users the ability to determine the exact location of their bus prior to its arrival.

Nearly 200 of Calgary Transit’s fleet of 1,000 full sized buses and community shuttles have been equipped with visual displays indicating the location of the next stop and speakers which will announce the stop.

Over the next three months, all Calgary Transit buses will be equipped with the new technology.

“This is the opportunity for us to test the system, to test the loads on the system and to make sure the announcements are working well,” said Chris Jordan, manager of strategic planning with Calgary Transit. “We want our customer’s feedback. Forms will be available with the operators, you can call 262-1000, and we’re looking for feedback on how the system’s working.”

Bus information will be available in real time on the Calgary Transit website and on mobile devices by the end of the year.

“This system is going to allow our passengers eventually to see where a bus is in real time,” said Jordan. “They’ll see where it is relative to the exact scheduled time and it will give them an indication of where we’re at during unforeseen delays.”

“It’s particularly handy for our customers during the winter.”

The onboard audio and visual announcements are currently set to announce stops frequented by a high volume of passengers, but Calgary Transit officials say they will consider adjusting the frequency of announcements based on customer feedback.