Derby's new interactive Bus Signs - NextBuSigns - When's my next bus?

Derby When's the next bus?
Today I found one of those brand new interactive bus stop signs so thought I would give it a go.

Derby City Council are installing over a thousand of these new MOGO "Next bus signs" which interact with your mobile phone. By using your phone you can find out quickly when the next bus is due.

You can use one of many methods to find out. If you have a modern smartphone that has built in NFC then you simply place your phone within 2cm of the yellow circle and it will interact with the sign and show you when the next bus is due. NFC is available on smartphones such as the Google Galaxy Nexus,  HTC Desire C and Samsung Galaxay SIII.

If your smartphone is a bit older and does not support Near Field Communications then instead you can simply scan the QR Code with your QR Reader app and this will show you the next bus.
For example on an iPhone get a free QR reader by searching the app store for QR Reader, I used one by TapMedia Ltd which is free, there are many other readers available. You place the camera over the square pattern in the green circle and it will show you the webpage with the details for the next buses due at your stop.

This is a MOGO interactive bus sign as seen in Derby October 11th 2012 :

MOGO Interactive bus stop sign in Derby.

A third option is to simply type in the address www.nextbus.mobi then enter the code from the red circle such as dbyamtwp
A fouth option if you only have a basic mobile phone, is to text the code in the blue circle to 84268.

A close up view of the four options you can use.
Yellow for NFC smartphones.
Green for QR Reader smartphones
Red for older smartphones and WAP phones.
Blue for old mobile phones.

Interactive bus stop sign panel.

If your viewing this blog on your pc then you can actually try scanning the QR code on screen now. Just click the picture to mke it larger then launch your QR reader app and scan the pattern.

The first Bus routes in Derby to be fitted with the new signs are the 42/43 and 44/45 services to Alvaston run by Arriva. Trent will also be having them on routes, starting with the Sixes and the Allestree buses.

If you would like to get an idea now of what the information looks like when you use this interactive bus sign then click here : Typical when't the next bus info. This is the interactive code from Ivy Square on Osmaston Road, Derby.

This latest technology has been installed on several routes in Derby and will be extended throughout the city and surrounding areas in the run-up to Christmas. It gives direct access to the Traveline website when a phone is placed within touching distance of the signs. Passengers then receive information on when their bus is due.

For a list of NFC smartphones see HERE.

What do YOU think of these? good or bad idea?

Thanks
Andy

Sheffield beer festival 2012. The 38th Steel City Beer and Cider Festival, 3rd Oct to 6th Oct.

The 38th annual Steel City Beer and Cider Festival will take place from Wednesday October 3rd to Saturday October 6th at Ponds Forge in Sheffield city centre.

Around 150 real ales showcasing local breweries plus interesting beers from rest of the UK and a good range of real ciders and perry. Food available at all sessions, also features stalls and games.
Live music most evening sessions. Quiz Saturday afternoon.

The 38th annual Steel City Beer and Cider Festival in Sheffield.

Admission charges :
Wednesday 5pm-11pm: Entry £2.50
Thursday noon-5pm: Entry £2.00
Thursday 5pm-11pm: Entry £3.00
Friday noon-5pm: Entry £3.00
Friday 5pm-11pm: Entry £5.00
Saturday noon -11pm: Entry £5.00

Admission charges for Camra members :
Free entry Wednesday and Thursday
£1 entry Friday until 5pm and all day Saturday
£2 entry Friday from 5pm.

Glass rental is £2

Entertainment:
Thursday 5pm-11pm The Yorkshire Teabags
Friday 7:30 - Hummingbirds Blues Band + Amelia Carter Band
Saturday - Charity pub quiz (written) in the afternoon.
Live music in the evening - Natchez Burning + support

If your not a Camra member you can buy a package online :
Entry package sold online includes admission, souvenir glass, programme and some beer tokens to get you started at the bar. Further tokens can be purchased in the venue.
www.arenaticketshop.co.uk/whats-on/the-38th-steel-city-beer-&-cider-festival

Beer festival location :
Ponds Forge International Sports Centre
Sheef Street
Sheffield City Centre
S1 2PZ

Google Streetview of the venue.

45 degree Birds eye view on bingmaps.

Ciders and Perries on at the 2012 Sheffield beer and cider festival :

Producer	Product	ABV	Sweetness
Broadoaks	Bristol Port	6.0%	Sweet
Broadoaks	Moonshine	7.5%	Sweet
Broadoaks	Premium Perry	7.5%	Sweet
Gwatkins	Farmhouse Perry	7.5%	Sweet
Gwatkins	Kingston Black	7.5%	Dry
Gwatkins	Old Rats Tale	7.5%	Dry
Gwatkins	Squeal Pig Perry	7.5%	Sweet
Gwenty-y-Ddraig	Black Dragon	7.0%	Dry
Gwenty-y-Ddraig	Dog Dancer	6.5%	Medium
Gwenty-y-Ddraig	Fiery Fox	6.5%	Medium
Gwenty-y-Ddraig	Happy Daze	4.5%	Medium
Gwenty-y-Ddraig	Pyder	6.0%	Medium Sweet
Gwenty-y-Ddraig	Two Trees Perry	4.5%	Sweet
Hecks	Hendre Huffcap Perry	6.5%	Medium Sweet
Newton Court	Dabinett	6.0%	Medium
Orchard Pig	Explorer	4.5%	Medium
Rathays	Old Goat	7.4%	Dry
Ross on Wye	Alpaca Perry	6.5%	Medium Sweet
Ross on Wye	Rum Cask	6.5%	Dry
Ross on Wye	Whisky Cask	6.5%	Dry
Sam's	Devon Cider	4.8%	Sweet
Westcroft	Janet's Jungle Juice (JJJ)	6.0%	Medium
WM Watkins	Oak Barrel	6.5%	Medium Sweet
WM Watkins	Perry	6.0%	Sweet
Woodthorpe Hall	Owd Barker	12.0%	Dry
Woodthorpe Hall	Ruby Suzy	8.4%	Medium Sweet

Beers list : here.

Follow latest news on their Twitter feed :
twitter.com/SheffBeerFest38

Facebook page for the 2012 Sheffield Beer festival :
www.facebook.com/events/259474807489093

By the way there is an excellent free shuttle bus service in Sheffield city centre. Its called the FreeBee and yes it really is free every few minutes around the city.
Leaflet for the Sheffield FreeBee.

Detailed route map for the Sheffield FreeBee shuttle bus.

If you would like to visit Sheffield Beer and Cider Festival from Derby then its worth getting a Derbyshire wayfarer.

Hope you found this of interest.

Thanks
Andy

Video of a Saturday night Drive around Derby City Centre on 9th June 2012.

The drive starts at 00:01am (i.e actually Sunday Morning!)
Perhaps you were down town and were caugh on camera in my drive. Were you in the queues for the nightclubs down Wardwick or outside Coyote wild.

This is a real-time car journey around Derby, Derbyshire, UK. First time I have ever tried recording in the dark.


or click this link Saturday night drive around Derby City Centre in June 2012.

Points of interest
00:00 Cathedral Road
00:12 Left Cathedral Road continues
00:39 Ahead in Old Silk Mill pub
00:40 The Ye Olde Dolphin Inn (Derby's oldest pub)
00:42 Right onto Iron Gate
00:54 Right down St. Mary's Gate
01:05 On right here is Derby Cathedral Quarter Hotel
01:12 Bold Lane Car Park (Worlds safest car park)
01:20 Left onto Bold Lane
01:35 On the left side here is the bottom of Sadler Gate
01:45 Onto The Strand
02:03 white car looks like its going to hit the blue one!
02:09 Ahead is Coyote wild Derby, on the right is Revolution Bar
02:39 Right around onto Wardwick
03:11 Onto Friar Gate
03:45 Under Friar Gate Bridge
04:07 Right onto Bridge Street
04:17 Right onto Agard Street
04:40 Left into Ford Street (Derby Inner ring road)
04:56 BBC Radio Derby on the left
05:22 Right onto Cathedral Road
05:36 Left Cathedral Road continues
05:52 Full Street
06:25 Corporation Street
06:50 Morledge
07:06 On left is Holiday Inn hotel, Derby bus Station and Genting Casino
07:15 Westfield car park.
End

Driving route map


View Map for video - Saturday night Drive around Derby City Centre on 9th June 2012 in a larger map


This is a test of the "Low Lux" option on the camcorder, I think I should have selected manual focus though as the autofocus had problems, I had to do some serious sharpening to get it like this.

Hope you enjoyed the ride.
Thanks
Andy