Design of an information concept for travelers at a rural mobility station

Project objective

The aim of the project is to develop a user-oriented concept for digital passenger information at a selected rural mobility station. As part of the introduction of the Thüringen-Takt, this will support the development of mobility stations as transfer hubs in rural areas.

On the one hand, possible contents of an interactive passenger information system are analyzed based on the needs of passengers with different lengths of stay at the mobility station. On the other hand, the positioning of the passenger information is considered according to passenger behavior during the transfer at the mobility station.

 

Procedure

As a first step in the requirements analysis, an online survey was conducted with 36 participants about current challenges at bus stops.

During the conception phase, the needs of the passengers were iteratively integrated into design variants for the interactive information screen and the positioning of the passenger information.

The selected "central island" concept was then transferred to virtual reality as a prototype. The concept was evaluated with nine test persons in three different scenarios in the Use Lab at the TU Ilmenau and finally optimized.

 

Results

These considerations resulted in two concepts for positioning passenger information at a mobility station in rural areas.

“Outdoor Area” Concept

To ensure that at least three buses can stop simultaneously and allow for flexible arrivals and departures, the existing transfer area along the outer edge of the bus loop would need to be significantly extended. This not only results in longer walking distances for passengers but also creates various conflicting passenger flows.

The waiting buses severely obstruct passengers’ view of the other stops.

An interactive screen cannot cover the transfer routes for all passengers.

"Central boarding island" concept

If the transfer area is located in the center of the bus loop, transfer distances for passengers are shortened.

To ensure passengers can board and alight in the center, buses in the loop would need to drive on the left. All stops are visible as soon as passengers alight and from all positions on the central island.

A central interactive screen is accessible to all passengers during transfers.

Digital passenger information

The key functions of an interactive passenger display should include timetables, real-time data and live bus tracking, first- and last-mile mobility options, and an emergency contact option — all without relying on smartphones.

A digital, customizable display of bus stops also enables buses to arrive flexibly, adjusting to real-time data.

Project data

Project management: Aindrila Acharya, Tabish Khan,Md Riaz Khan, Tatiana Merkulova

Mentoring Prof. Dr. Matthias Hirth, Dr.-Ing. Cindy Mayas

TU Ilmenau, Human-centered Systems Group, Research Project 2025

 

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