AMT launches train delay notification system
Source: The
Montreal Gazette
Published: January 5th
2010
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 MONTREAL
- It won’t make the trains run on time, but Montreal rail commuters
can now sign up to at least be notified by email or text message
when trains are late or canceled.
The Agence métropolitaine de transport, lambasted last winter for
bad service and poor communication, launched its new Alerte-train
service on Tuesday. It’s free.
“It’s something our customers asked for,” said AMT spokesperson
Martine Rouette. She said commuters will appreciate the real-time
info, which allows them to make alternate plans when problems arise.
The AMT’s website has a page on its website (www.amt.qc.ca/outil_avis/avis.aspx)
that lists train delays and cancellations but this is the first time
it will transmit the data to commuters on the go.
But the new service is limited. Users can only sign up to be
notified of problems on one train line, two stations and six
departures.
That limits its usefulness to users at Montreal West and Vendôme
stations, for example, which are served by three lines.
“They seem to have forgotten Montreal West users, as well as people
who travel at varying times during the day,” said train user Alex
Tipaldos.
Rouette said the service offered corresponds to the needs of the
vast majority of AMT commuters.
An alert service not affiliated with the AMT was launched in
November, providing updates on multiple train lines.
The Montreal Commuter Train Alert Service (www.consultxg2.com),
which has about 200 subscribers, was created by train user and
computer expert Bob Gervais.
He is expanding the service, which is to soon also provide alerts
via Twitter.
Last year, the AMT signed a $550,000 contract with Grey Island
Systems for a real-time train-delay-info system that will feed
alerts to customers via the Web, email, text messages and electronic
screens on platforms.
Within the next few weeks, electronic screens will display real-time
info about train delays at 14 of the AMT’s 52 stations, Rouette
said.
Rouette said the AMT has also corrected problems with public-address
systems on trains and platforms after complaints about garbled
messages and equipment that didn’t work.
Beginning later this month, the Société de transport de Laval will
begin giving passengers up-to-the-minute updates about bus arrival
times via rugged, weather-proof screens at 80 high-traffic bus
stops, as well as via the Internet and email. It spent $4 million on
the system.
The Société de transport de Montréal, which has 1,600 buses and
8,500 bus stops, has set aside $200 million for a similar system,
but it won't be in place across the network before 2013. |
