Papercast partners with Vix Technology to bring e-paper bus stop signage to UK transport authorities

Buckinghamshire and Cambridgeshire are the first UK County Councils to install Papercast’s solar powered e-paper displays for real-time passenger information at bus stops

Following Papercast’s partnership with Vix Technology, the global transit technology solution provider, Buckinghamshire and Cambridgeshire County Councils have been announced as the first customers, with positive feedback.

The collaboration sees Vix Technology offering solar powered e-paper passenger information displays to transport authorities across the UK. Vix Technology strives to provide a better journey experience for customers and their passengers through innovative solutions, while benefiting customers on a wider level through environmental and operational efficiencies. Papercast’s e-paper passenger display solution supports Vix Technology in delivering these benefits to their customers.

Justin Bloom, Solution Specialist at Vix Technology, says: “Papercast’s technical solution really stood out, in particular their approach to handling display updates by refreshing only a small part of the screen, thus improving the passenger experience. Their willingness to work proactively to support our customer needs has further reinforced our decision to partner with them.”

The ability to power Papercast displays via solar energy rules out any civil works for the customer, significantly reducing disruption as well as installation and ongoing running costs. It also allows the displays to be installed in more rural locations where the provision of power may have prohibited this in the past.

Buckinghamshire County Council is one of the first to implement the technology under the partnership, replacing roadside paper timetables and several older solar units that are reaching end-of-life.

Paul Goodwin, Head of Public Transport, Information and Infrastructure for Buckinghamshire County Council, comments: “Experience has shown that solar displays need low power usage for reliability during the winter months, e-paper displays meet the criteria and Papercast offers the lowest power solution on the market. Passenger feedback has been very positive so far and we are looking forward to extending this further with more e-paper bus stops”.

Using E Ink technology, Papercast’s e-paper technology is ideal for real-time information that can be easily powered via solar energy and compliment the rich media display types offered as part of the Vix RTPI solution.

Designed, developed and produced in its entirety in-house, Papercast was launched in March 2016 after comprehensive field testing. Now deployed in over 50 locations worldwide, the technology is under continual development to retain its status as the most advanced technology of its kind on the market.