Tait to showcase ground-breaking radio system at InnoTrans

Tait Radio Communications is attending InnoTrans to showcase its ground-breaking voice and data transmission system for the public transport sector.  The TaitNet Data System (TNDS) has been designed to enable public transport operators to meet not only current and potential future data transmission requirements, but also maintain voice transmission capabilities.

Vehicle location and passenger information (RTPI) systems are rapidly growing in popularity, but can be a business headache for transport operators and their RTPI suppliers and systems integrators because of the cost of suitable communications infrastructures - both in terms of hardware and networks.  By enabling all the operator’s requirements to be met within a single system, TNDS cuts both the cost and complexity for all concerned.  Existing trunked networks can also be upgraded with TNDS functionality, thus removing the need for a completely new system. 

Tait has a long history of supplying radio systems to bus operators, from London to Auckland and many places in between.  However, the recent advent of RTPI requirements, the need for traffic light priority and the demand for AVL data by both operators and regulators has increased the burden on radio systems, which are still also needed for voice applications.  TNDS alleviates these issues through its ability to handle voice and data with the efficiency which is required by the public transport industry worldwide.

Based on Tait’s respected trunking infrastructure, TNDS combines all the advantages of trusted MPT1327 and MPT1343 signalling standards with highly resilient data communications that provide data signalling between buses and the RTPI central servers.  It differs from other offerings on the market by virtue of the fact that voice and data are fully integrated and offer much faster polling rates.  Regular polling of data channels is automatic and has been designed to be compatible with existing RTPI solutions.  Additional features have been added to provide very high speed data from a central sign infrastructure to “at stop” signs, providing a real alternative to using the more expensive GPRS method of transmission and also providing a predictable and lower total cost of ownership.

Paul Gwynn, Business Development Manager for Transport Solutions at Tait Europe said “This is a significant step forward for the whole public transport sector.  Tait has applied its expertise in radio communications to the challenges and issues faced by this sector and produced a truly ground-breaking solution.  Despite the lengthy sales cycles in this industry, just 12 months after launch we have already sold a 1,200 bus TNDS system to Dublin Bus and have a number of other major contracts which are reaching fruition.  The fact that it is a truly flexible and scalable solution has made it highly popular with operators and integrators alike”.

Sarah Sanderson, Tait Marketing Communications Executive, said “Having received a lot of positive feedback from the trade shows that premiered TNDS, we have chosen InnoTrans as the perfect venue to expand on our promotion of TNDS. The functionality which we have added further enhances our offering to customers and should bring TNDS to the attention of an even wider public transport audience”.