NY: Cubic Transportation Systems Expands Innovative Bus Hardware Subsystem for MTA Bus Time to Brooklyn and Queens

Cubic Transportation Systems has expanded its Bus Hardware Subsystem (BHS) for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Bus Time customer information system to Brooklyn and Queens. The expansion effective March 9 adds more than 9,000 bus stops to Bus Time, bringing the total to more than 15,000 that are covered by the system.

Cubic’s system, used on MTA and New York City Transit buses in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, enables new mobile and Internet services for customers to use Bus Time, the agency’s Customer Information System for bus location and arrival times. Riders can access Bus Time through an internet browser-based map, a mobile phone-based application or a text message-based service. Riders can:

• Click it: Enter a route, address, landmark, intersection or bus stop code via a smartphone or computer and receive a detailed map of applicable buses 

• Text it: Text an intersection or street address to ‘511123’ to receive a local bus route listing

 • Scan it: Use a smartphone to scan a QR code printed on Guide-A-Ride schedules to view data on buses approaching their stop

The MTA awarded Cubic a contract for nearly $27 million in February 2013 to support deployment across the three boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. MTA Bus Time began serving Staten Island bus routes in January 2012, Bronx routes in November 2012 and Manhattan in October 2013.

MTA Bus Time was implemented on the Staten Island and Bronx bus fleets last year by a different supplier, in keeping with the MTA’s decision to promote an open architecture and multiple supplier approach on the program.