Cisco to Participate in Singapore’s Initiative to Create Next-Generation Public Transport System

SINGAPORE - Cisco has announced that it will collaborate with the Singapore Land Transport Authority (LTA) to explore the potential of technology to deliver innovative services to commuters and transform the country’s public transport system. The collaboration, under the Singapore Urban Transport Solution initiative, aims to promote Singapore as a centre for research into world-class urban transport solutions, promote collaboration with leading research and industry partners, and build Singapore’s capabilities in the area of urban transport solutions.

The other participants in this initiative include the Economic Development Board of Singapore, the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore, IBM, Singapore Technologies Electronics Limited and 3M Technologies (S) Pte Ltd.

Cisco brings to LTA several years of experience of working with Amsterdam, San Francisco, Seoul and other municipal governments to develop innovative urban communications infrastructures.

“Cisco is pleased to be selected by the LTA to participate in this landmark initiative. Singapore has been a pioneer in its adoption of information and communications technology, and the Singapore Urban Transport Solution framework is yet another area where the country could set the standard,” said Tom Cheong, Cisco’s managing director for Singapore and Brunei.

“With the Next-Generation National Broadband Network and the countrywide Wireless@SG, Singapore is using the network as a platform to change the way people work, live, play and learn. The end goal of it all is to establish Singapore as a great city with world-class infrastructure and services. This is a very strong message for the rest of the world,” he added.

Using the network as the platform, Cisco’s collaboration with Amsterdam, San Francisco and Seoul has resulted in some innovative applications for public transport. These are helping to deliver integrated services to residents, better manage traffic flow, increase efficiencies in public transport, and optimise real estate resources.

The Connected Bus, for example, a landmark prototype developed by Cisco and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Authority (SFMTA), is a hybrid bus with a mobile hot spot that allows citizens to work while they ride. The Global Positioning System gives commuters an updated status of bus routes and connections; LED displays provide information on emissions saved through public transit; and an automated system reduces the environmental impact of the bus through better maintenance.

Another application that Cisco could bring to LTA’s Singapore Urban Transport Solution Framework is the Personal Travel Assistant (PTA). Developed with input from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), PTA improves the transit experience within urban environments by empowering citizens to make more informed decisions on day-to-day transportation options based on schedule, financial and environmental implications. Accessible from any Web-based interface such as a mobile phone, PTA is the first service of its kind that provides green route options, integrates with other communication needs such as calendaring, and enables city agencies to predict and manage evolving citizen transportation needs more effectively. PTA is currently being considered by the city of Seoul for pilot testing.
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