11 July 2002
Connexionz Limited has won a $NZ2 million contract to install its breakthrough real-time passenger information system for Sydney’s Liverpool-Parramatta Rapid-Bus Transitway (T-way).
The system is similar to that purchased by the Christchurch City Council for the city’s bus system and bus exchange, and is the first overseas contract won by the Christchurch company.
“We are in the tender process for a number of other overseas public bus systems, and we’re obviously hoping the Sydney contract is a sign of things to come,” said Connexionz managing director Robert Burke.
The Liverpool-Parramatta Rapid Bus T-way is the first link in a new public transport network for western Sydney.
The New South Wales government’s $A200 million, 31-kilometre T-way has 35 modern bus stations that will be equipped with real-time passenger information, security cameras and lighting. Connexionz won the tender as part of a team effort led by ALSTOM Australia.
Stage one of the successful Christchurch system was installed for the Christchurch City Council at the city’s bus exchange in April last year. Illuminated screens tell waiting bus passengers how many minutes away their bus is, and what platform it leaves from.
Installation of stage two is underway, with ten city and suburban bus stops equipped with BusFinderTM’s interactive touch screens giving bus passengers feedback on their selected route, ahead of the roll-out to a further 180 bus stops.
The system was developed by Connexionz for Environment Canterbury and the Christchurch City Council, and has already played a key role in lifting the city’s bus patronage.
“We’re very grateful for the opportunity that Ecan, the City Council and local bus companies gave us to prove what we had invented is a winner,” said Mr Burke.
When the project is completed next month, Christchurch will be the world’s first city equipped with a fleet-wide, real-time bus location system involving a city’s bus terminal and major bus stops.
In contrast, the company had been “hugely disappointed” when the Auckland City Council rejected a Connexionz tender for a similar system in October last year, and instead awarded the contract to an Australian company.
“But Tourism Holdings Limited has bought a similar Internet-based Connexionz system for its Auckland Airport Airbus service and this will be a world-first when it’s commissioned in a few weeks.
“We’re already getting inquiries from international airport bus operators and we’re hoping this will be another area of steady business,” said Mr Burke.
The Connexionz system fulfils long-held predictions that providing certainty about bus arrival times would increase bus patronage, especially at off-peak times.
But previous real time information systems developed overseas had been applicable only to parts of a bus fleet, with developers being defeated by the logistics of affordably equipping an entire public bus fleet.
For further information contact:
Connexionz Managing Director Robert Burke
Tel (Direct Dial) 03 339 2828
