As thousands of our countrymen depend on the Light Rail Transit (LRT) each day to get to work, school, and their errands, the system’s reliability is of the essence. This is why having a real-time information system to know what’s going on wouldn’t be a bad idea. This is why the Light Rail Transmit Authority (LRTA), together with Filipino tech company TrackMate, have come up with a high-tech solution that aims to keep everyone in the loop about what’s going on with regard to train operation.
The Passenger Assist Railway Display System (PARDS) is a dynamic assistance platform that aims to help train commuters as they make their way in and around Metro Manila via the LRT. It utilizes real-time communications solutions that let everyone in on the status of the train, among other things.
The PARDS project will consist of two phases: an on-board display system, and a mobile app.
The former will be fielded on train sets of the LRT Lines 1 and 2, while the latter will be available for iOS and Android users. Either way, each one will have a wealth of features to make commuting via LRT much simpler and stress-free.
PARDS will, for instance, have such notable features as Train Location, Train Arrival and Departure, Train Emergency Communication and Notification, Infotainment and announcement of nearby establishments per station. The last bit is useful in letting riders know when they are nearing a hospital, school, government office, or other places of interest.
Besides these, PARDS allows the LRTA to keep track of passengers, again in real-time. This is useful in ensuring the security of commuters and and makes things like rescue efforts in emergencies a cinch.
The Passenger Assist Railway Display System is already being rolled out. Watch the video to see how it works. For more information, kindly visit LRTA's website.
