Commuters kept in the loop through texts

Telecommunications Review - 15 November 2004

The Auckland Regional Council (ARC) recently implemented a text application that advises its rail customers of delays and disruptions.

Over 1,600 Auckland rail users have subscribed to the text update service, called Text Updates For Service Delays. It automatically texts commuters with real-time schedule updates and delay information for Auckland's three main rail lines.

With no existing automated delay notification system and ongoing rail network upgrades, the council identified text messaging as the ideal mechanism to communicate real-time passenger information to help rail commuters better plan their travel.

Auckland Rail manager Peter Sansom says ARC survey had established there was an acceptably high incidence of mobile phone ownership and demand for information among its customers. "Rail commuters want to understand how service disruptions might impact their plans and the reasons for delays. Texting was a natural choice for communicating with rail users because mobile phones are commonplace and offer a simple low cost channel for instant mass communication."

The service costs a 20 cent SMS to join and commuters are able to register by texting a simple code, rather than entering details over the web. Once the customer has subscribed, all text messages received are free, he says.

"Though train delays are typically anticipated in advance, the problem facing ARC was communicating delay information in a timely fashion," Sansom said. "So, a key success factor was a turnkey solution that could broadcast high volumes of text messages at specific moments in time."

Details of delays are sent from train and signal box staff to the Britomart Transport Centre platform office, where they are entered into the message system through a simple web interface. A template-scripted text is then instantly broadcast to any number of truck line users. Registration segment codes ensure text updates are sent only to the commuters affected by the delay.

Sansom says the system is completely replicable to any timetabled public transport service in the world. "The design does not rely on existing automated delay notification systems and can be integrated with public information displays to ensure consistency of information to commuters."

Telecommunications Review - 15/11/2004