Pulsar 1429 is now working for Jesmond, effectively covering for the water-damaged 1498.
Information from Jeff Tattersall on arrivane Yahoo Group
New Blyth Pulsar 1505 (NK12 FLW) has been delivered to Jesmond and is visible from the open doors this evening.
1503 has been noted in service at Blyth today. 1500/2 are in Blyth Depot.
Information from Jeff Tattersall on arrivane Yahoo Group
Hi all just a quick question, I've noticed these (link below) in the cabs of arriva busses and always wondered what they were for does anyone here know? And also do any other operators known the northeast use them ie go north east or stagecoach
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3244/3092...2db4c1.jpg
(19/08/2012 19:26)Tango Wrote: [ -> ]Hi all just a quick question, I've noticed these (link below) in the cabs of arriva busses and always wondered what they were for does anyone here know? And also do any other operators known the northeast use them ie go north east or stagecoach
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3244/3092...2db4c1.jpg
Tango
Those are the on bus real time information screens.
Basically, the drivers use these to communicate with the control room in Jesmond (in conjunction with a cab floor mounted foot pedal to enable hands free). They work differently to CB radios that some operators use in that you can only hear communication if the operator has a direct connection with that bus (no chatter is broadcast).
They can also be used to send/receive 'text' messages between the bus and the control room in the form of simple one line messages and/or information about loadings and such.
Primiarly however, they are used with the system at Jesmond to see on a virtual map exactly where each bus within the Teesside/Durham area is. (Most vehicles in Northumbria do not have these fitted). Using this data, reliability information can be compiled as they update their position when a driver opens his/her doors (i.e. bus stops). They are helpful with supervisors who query of where a bus is located should it fail to appear when scheduled.
Other than that, they are dormant to the driver most of the time. Some are fitted lower down in the cab at driver knee hight on the 40xx series and some 17xx series at least.
Thanks for that sndriver a very informative post, seems like quite a good piece of kit as far as the bus company is concerned, I especially like the idea of sending and receiving text messages, is this what you can hear when on the bus? Sort of sounds like a child's toy every now and again like a der derr der sound every now and again (sorry for the shocking description :-))
That tone I think your on about is something to do with the new ticket machines they introduced as they never made that tone beforehand.
(19/08/2012 21:03)NK07 FZG Wrote: [ -> ]That tone I think your on about is something to do with the new ticket machines they introduced as they never made that tone beforehand.
That is correct.
The noise that the real time system makes is very low and only audible to the driver, unless he/she has the volume full, but even then it would be difficult to hear - even for a passenger directly behind the driver.
The new wayfarers make the noise you suggest when they fall into standby mode (about 20 seconds after last button press).
Ahh ok, I thought that's what it was, thanks sndriver.