The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) will test buses that use an external speaker to tell passengers where the vehicle is heading.

Four talking buses will operate on a tryout basis on the 11 Bayview and 7 Bathurst routes.

The external announcements, heard from outside the bus through a speaker near the front door, are designed to help customers with visual impairments to more clearly determine whether or not to board the bus that has just arrived at their stop.

The bus automatically identifies itself by broadcasting its destination when the front door opens.

The TTC's new accessible streetcars already provide external announcements. The Toronto Rocket subway trains are scheduled to be retrofitted with external speakers by April 2016.

Customers who ride the trial buses are encouraged to provide any feedback online at ttc.ca, or by calling the TTC Customer Service Line at 416-393-3030, seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.