NextBus is a

public transit Public transport (also known as public transportation, public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) is a system of transport for passengers by group travel systems available for use by the general public unlike private transport, typical ...

vehicle tracking system A vehicle tracking system combines the use of automatic vehicle location in individual vehicles with software that collects these fleet data for a comprehensive picture of vehicle locations. Modern vehicle tracking systems commonly use GPS or G ...

which uses global positioning satellite information to predict when the next vehicle will arrive at any given transit stop, which attempts to reduce wait times and reliance on schedules. NextBus is developed by Nextbus Information Systems, Inc., a subsidiary of

Cubic Transportation Systems Cubic Corporation is an American public transportation and defense corporation. It operates two business segments: Cubic Transportation Systems (CTS) and Cubic Mission and Performance Solutions (CMPS). History Cubic Corporation was founded i ...

, for

bus A bus (contracted from omnibus, with variants multibus, motorbus, autobus, etc.) is a road vehicle that carries significantly more passengers than an average car or van. It is most commonly used in public transport, but is also in use for cha ...

es,

tram A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are ...

s, light rail operations and other

public transport Public transport (also known as public transportation, public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) is a system of transport for passengers by group travel systems available for use by the general public unlike private transport, typical ...

vehicles. The company was founded by Ken Schmier, Bryce Nesbitt and Paul Freda in 1997 in Emeryville, California with U.S. Patents 6,006,159 & 6,374,176. As of 2013 the company systems were operating in over 130 locations. NextBus Information Systems, Inc. was previously a subsidiary of Webtech Wireless, Inc. and was acquired by Cubic Transportation Systems in January 2013.

Overview

Each vehicle is fitted with a

Global Positioning System The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of the global navigation satellite sy ...

(GPS) receiver, which transmits speed and location data to a central location. There, a computer running proprietary software calculates the projected arrival times for all stops in the system using this data, along with configuration information and historic travel times. These times are then converted to a 'wait time' and made available via the NextBus website and electronic signs at

bus stop A bus stop is a place where buses stop for passengers to get on and off the bus. The construction of bus stops tends to reflect the level of usage, where stops at busy locations may have shelters, seating, and possibly electronic passenger ...

s and

tram stop A tram stop, tram station, streetcar stop, or light rail station is a place designated for a tram, streetcar, or light rail vehicle to stop so passengers can board or alight it. Generally, tram stops share most characteristics of bus stops, bu ...

s as well as cell phones, and other wireless devices via the

Internet The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a '' network of networks'' that consists of private, pub ...

Usage

NextBus provides a real-time passenger information system for all routes for several major transportation agencies including the

San Francisco Municipal Railway The San Francisco Municipal Railway (SF Muni or Muni), is the public transit system for the City and County of San Francisco. It operates a system of bus routes (including trolleybuses), the Muni Metro light rail system, three historic cable ...

Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA), commonly branded as Metro, LA Metro, and L.A. Metro, is the state agency that plans, operates, and coordinates funding for most of the transportation system in Los Angele ...

, the

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (abbreviated MBTA and known colloquially as "the T") is the public agency responsible for operating most public transportation services in Greater Boston, Massachusetts. The MBTA transit network in ...

, and the

Toronto Transit Commission The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is the public transport agency that operates bus, subway, streetcar, and paratransit services in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, some of which run into the Peel Region and York Region. It is the oldest and largest ...

. The system is also available in many other smaller universities and public transportation agencies for a total of approximately 100 systems.

References

External links

NextBus company homepage
Wireless locating Companies based in Emeryville, California Scheduling (transportation) Public transport {{transport-stub

Overview

Usage

References

Further reading

External links