Madam, - Your edition of November 28th reports that, "as part of an estimated €15 million contract due to be signed, up-to-the minute passenger information will be provided at major [ Dublin Bus] stops. The system, which uses GPS, will tell passengers when the next bus is due. Within two years the busiest bus stops will have screens showing exactly when the next bus on each route is due, based on a GPS system which will be installed in the entire fleet."
Over four years ago, in October 2003, you reported that, "Bus Éireann is to fit its fleet with an automatic vehicle location (AVL) system. Using satellite global positioning systems, the technology can pinpoint vehicles to within 10 metres." It did not happen.
Given that we shall have been waiting for up to seven years for any system actually to arrive, will two come along together? And will the screens be set to the same time-zone as Dart screens, where seven minutes can take 12 minutes or more to count down on a normal clock?
That €15 million will reportedly pay for fitting the system into only one in every five bus stops. Perhaps it would be better spent on more buses. - Yours, etc,
COLLUM KENNY,
Bray,
Co Wicklow.