26 new DFI displays will provide information at public transport hubs in future
03.06.2022 – The public transport company Offenbacher Verkehrsbetriebe (OVB) is gradually putting a total of 26 new dynamic passenger information displays (DFI displays) into operation at public transport hubs in the city. Some of the digital display boards have already been in use for some time at central stops such as Marktplatz or Offenbach Ost and have proven their worth there. Now the network is being significantly expanded.
"With the DFI displays, we are offering passengers an additional service and taking a further step towards digitalization in local public transport. In future, the display boards will provide real-time information on bus departure times and also take into account deviations from the timetable such as delays or bus cancellations," explains Mayor and Head of Mobility Sabine Groß.
In addition to the timetable, the electronic boards also display other important information about public transport - for example, they provide information about the obligation to wear masks on buses and bus detour or issue heat warnings on hot summer days.
DFI displays facilitate public transport access for people with visual impairments
"The DFI displays also offer great added value for people with visual impairments and make it easier for them to access public transport," says OVB authorized signatory Janine Mielzarek, who is responsible for the project. "They are equipped with automatic announcements for passenger information and the displayed information is read out at the touch of a button. An additional app is expected to be available at the end of the year, which will enable visually impaired people to have the departure information for all stops in the city area read out on their smartphone, as a kind of virtual DFI display."
Construction of the information pillars began in September 2021: They require a stable foundation and a power connection, so civil engineering work was necessary at the relevant stops. "In the meantime, we have been able to install a large number of the 26 ERI displays and start test operation," explains project manager Sebastian Peters. "Final work is still being carried out at some stops, but this will not affect operations any further."
All DFI displays in the city area from a single source
The new digital display boards will be installed at Kaiserlei and Marktplatz as part of the conversion work being carried out by the city of Offenbach - the time of commissioning will depend on the overall progress of the construction work.
The DFI displays are from the manufacturer Lumino, who also supplied the existing displays. This means that existing and new digital information pillars will be managed from a single source.
The project involves an investment volume of around 1.1 million euros and is part of the "Clean Air Immediate Action Program", which the federal government launched to support municipalities with particularly high levels of nitrogen dioxide pollution in designing sustainable and low-emission mobility. The project is being funded by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport with a funding quota of 50 percent under the title "Digitalization of municipal transport systems". This leaves the municipal utility company OVB with its own contribution of around 550,000 euros.