By \By Daily Press staff
(Editor’s note: This is part of an ongoing series that tracks the city’s expenditures which appear on the upcoming Santa Monica City Council consent agenda. Consent agenda items are routinely passed by the city council with little or no discussion from elected officials or the public. However, many of the items have been part of public discussion in the past.) COUNCIL CHAMBERS — As upgraded buses hit the streets of Santa Monica, City Hall is expected to spend $140,200 tonight to ensure the Big Blue Bus is properly connected to its customers.
The money will allow for the Big Blue Bus to lease more land and provide more power for three new antennas over the next five years.
The communication systems expansion stems from a mid-2003 contract that will upgrade Big Blue’s operating systems to provide a more rider-friendly experience for bus patrons.
“The antennas enable us to expand our channels from one channel to three channels,” said Dan Dawson, Big Blue Bus spokesman. “It allows us to communicate better between the offices, the buses and the satellites, and for customers it means better safety and better customer service.”
One of the three channels will work with a satellite tracking system to automatically announce every approaching bus stop for passengers. The new data management system will make travel easier for tourists and the visually impaired who have trouble seeing street signs, Dawson said.
The other two channels will connect the bus headquarters to every bus driver and keep them updated on daily routes, deal with specific problems and even direct the drivers in emergency situations.
The three additional antennas are scheduled to be set up sometime between now and December.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 10, 2004. Read the original PDF.