Bus Schedule Display: Real-Time Arrival Board

Real-time bus arrival displays reduce waiting anxiety and improve the commuting experience. With Indian cities expanding their smart transit initiatives, there is growing opportunity for DIY and community-built bus schedule displays. This guide covers building a bus arrival board using LED dot matrix or e-paper with ESP32 connectivity.

Smart Transit Displays in Indian Cities

Cities like Bengaluru (BMTC), Delhi (DTC), Mumbai (BEST), and Ahmedabad (BRTS) are deploying smart bus tracking systems. While official displays are installed at major stops, many neighbourhood stops lack information displays. A community-built display using open data fills this gap.

Display Technology for Bus Stops

• LED dot matrix (MAX7219): High visibility, works well in sunlight. Best for outdoor bus stops.
• E-paper: Ultra-low power, perfect for solar-powered installations. Good for sheltered stops.
• TFT display: Full colour with route maps. Best for enclosed shelters.

Data Sources for Bus Arrival Times

• Open transit APIs: Google Maps Transit API, OpenTripPlanner
• City-specific APIs: BMTC Intelligent Transport System, Delhi Open Transit Data
• GTFS feeds: General Transit Feed Specification data published by transit agencies
• Crowdsourced: Apps like Chalo and Google Maps contribute real-time bus positions

Building with ESP32 and Dot Matrix

A practical bus arrival display:

• 8x cascaded MAX7219 dot matrix for scrolling route information
• ESP32 fetches arrival data via WiFi every 60 seconds
• Display format: Route number + destination + ETA (e.g., ‘335E Airport 5min’)
• Cycle through multiple routes automatically

Solar-Powered Standalone Design

• Solar panel (10-20W) charges a 12V sealed lead-acid or LiFePO4 battery
• ESP32 deep sleep between updates conserves power
• E-paper display consumes power only during refresh
• System can operate indefinitely without grid power

Multi-Route Display Layout

For busy stops with multiple routes:

• Line 1: Route, destination, next arrival
• Line 2: Route, destination, next arrival
• Cycle through additional routes every 5 seconds
• Show ‘No data’ or scheduled timetable when live data is unavailable

Vandal-Proofing for Public Spaces

• Mount display high (2.5+ metres) to prevent tampering
• Use polycarbonate cover instead of glass (shatterproof)
• Secure enclosure with tamper-proof screws
• Enclose electronics in a locked metal box

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