On June 25, 2001 DART First State, Delaware's statewide transportation provider, announced the launching a "traveling companion" remote infrared Talking Sign system at its summer resort bus service in Delaware's southern beach area. The leading edge system, operating since June 15, 2001, provides Delaware transit riders, especially the blind and visually impaired, with more mobility independence.
The Talking Sign system acts as a "traveling companion." A compact, hand controlled receiver verbally tells the user the route number and destination of the bus as it approaches a bus stop from up to 100 feet away. The system was developed to aid the blind and visually impaired. It utilizes signals sent by infrared light beams from permanently installed transmitters installed in the buses. The receiver decodes the signal and delivers a voice message through its speaker or ear piece to the user.
The receiver is the size of hand held remote control device and has an on and off switch, volume control, and jack for an ear piece. It is powered by a 9-volt battery and it is ergonomically designed. The unit can be also be carried "hands-free" around the neck on a breakaway strap when the user is not scanning for bus.
At the June 25th public launching Talking Sign event, DART First State bus rider Bill McCafferty, who is legally blind, said, "The new hand held receiver will give me more independence and more confidence to travel on public transit." Mr. McCafferty, as the lightweight unit hung around his neck, demonstrated how the receiver was user friendly, and ease to just point, press a button, and listen.
The Talking Signs system has been installed on 17 of DART First State's resort service buses as the first pilot program in the world to be tested on buses. DART First State has 25 hand held remote sensing units available to resort bus riders. The sensing unit, which costs $255.00, is simply signed out for the day by the rider at DART First State Rehoboth Park & Ride Facility, its main bus hub at the Sussex County beach area.
The system is marketed by Luminator Company of Plano, Texas and manufactured by Talking Signs of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. In the United States, San Francisco is the first city to have installed Talking Signs to aid the visually impaired at its train stations. DART First State's introduction of the hand held Talking Sign remote system marks the worldwide launch of the system on buses with a public transit agency.
Dan Kelleher, Director of Sales for Luminator's bus products, stated, "We are very grateful to DART First State for affording Luminator the opportunity to be a part of this pilot program, and believe that The Talking Sign will be enthusiastically received."
The Talking Sign remote units are part of DART First State's leap into high tech and leading edge transit rider convenience and safety systems. Also this year, after a pilot program in the summer of 2000, DART First State also launched a "real-time" next bus satellite-based rider information system at the resort service. Additionally, DART First State is currently installing an Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) system to monitor and manage DART First State's over 60 route statewide bus fleet.
DART First State installed next bus real-time electronic display message boards for its resort riders at its Rehoboth Beach Park & Ride Lot, Ruddertowne stop, and on the Boardwalk at Rehoboth Avenue.
DART First State's AVL real-time vehicle location information system is delivered through the US government's Global Positioning System satellites. The AVL SmartTrack system consists of data processors and software, and interfaces with rider amenities already in DART First State buses, such as digital readouts and voice annunciation of stops. With the AVL system, DART First State managers and dispatchers will be able to use the AVL SmartTrack system to easily monitor the bus fleet operations in real-time and to determine a vehicle's location and status. With the AVL system, DART First State operators and vehicles will also have a leading edge silent alarm feature to provide greater rider and operator safety.
DART First State's Transportation Operations Manager Bill Hickox said, "Providing quality and convenient service to all of our riders is very important to DART First State. The Talking Sign units, coupled with our new AVL and next bus real time information satellite based systems, will allow us to provide a level of high quality service to all of our customers, especially visually and print impaired riders."
DART First State is Delaware's bus, train, and intermodal transportation provider. The Delaware Transit Corporation, a division of the Delaware Department of Transportation under the direction of Secretary Nathan Hayward III, operates DART First State. DART First State services include commuter rail, intercounty bus, fixed route bus, paratransit, seasonal resort bus, commuter assistance, Operation Lifesaver rail crossing safety, and the RideShare Delaware ridematching program. DART First State provides more than 8,900,000 passenger trips annually replacing more than 2,490,000 annual single occupant vehicle trips. For more information about DART First State services in New Castle and Kent Counties call 1-800-652-DART or 1-302-652-DART; for information on Sussex County service and statewide paratransit service call 1-800-553-DART; or visit our website at www.DartFirstState.com.