Android-based Public Transport Infotainment System in Uganda

Abstract

Typically, in Uganda, information about public transport such as departure time and destination is passed through oral communication. However, the use of both static and real-time passenger information systems for public transport have in the last few decades been widely adopted in most of the developed world. Therefore, this paper proposes a practical implementation of a real-time passenger infotainment system for a public transport system such as a fleet of buses in Uganda. An android development board based on Rockchip’s former flagship RK3399 was used to develop the proposed system. The resultant prototype has been tested on 64 informal bus-stops along the Kampala-Soroti route in Uganda. Journey information such as destination, next stops and off-route notifications are shown on a televison inside the bus. At designated bus stops, arrival and departure information are also displayed. The proposed system further gives the bus managers the ability to monitor the locations of all their buses in real-time on a map. This is promising for sustainable transportation development for modernization of public transport management systems in Uganda.