Bus-based rival to the ubiquitous sat-nav

摘要

Maps, timetables and real-time information are widely available on the internet, but it is only recently that they have started to be combined to give a seamless service to potential bus passengers. You probably will not have heard of some of the names behind these moves, which are being driven by technology as much as by customer desires. And sometimes you will not even be able to spot the join as you are switched from website to website.rnA major player is Kizoom. It says that it 'uses live and timetabled public transport data to build intelligent travel information products'. In other words, it joins together the disparate elements to create a whole service. It is behind some large applications, including PTI Cymru, Buckinghamshire County Council, Trent Barton and the Star Trak system in the East Midlands, as well as Transport for London and National Rail Enquiries. What you see on the screen is most typically a Google map, often with the ability to switch to aerial photography.