Buses equipped with GPS devices feed real-time bus arrival times at the Great King St public transport hub into the new display.
Otago Regional Council transport manager Lorraine Cheyne said transport staff hoped bus users would welcome the new signage, part of the introduction of the council’s new real-time information programme.
"We updated the technology to improve communication to passengers waiting at the bus hub," Ms Cheyne said.
"The information feeds to the signs to show the time of arrival of the bus, rather than the bus and its scheduled departure time."
There were also new screens in Queenstown, Ms Cheyne said.
The council had this week switched to a new real-time information software provider, which enabled the displays to work properly.
The signage complemented the Transit app, as well as new tracking information on the council website, she said.
There were instructions for passengers on how to use the new website bus tracking information on the website.
"It works differently to the Transit App, in that it shows the times of live departures from any bus-stop in the city.
"You can easily choose the one closest to you.
"It’s new technology and so we have new instructions available on the page. However, because it is new technology we are keen for any user feedback that can help us make continual to make improvements."
Further roll-outs were likely to include new solar powered digital signage with real-time information at bus stops around the networks and at Queenstown Airport.
The council was also working to improve the Transit app, she said.
"We hope this will be greeted as a positive change and be a pleasant surprise for customers.
"In Queenstown where we have previously had real-time information at the Frankton Hub, we have installed new screens which staff observed were well-received by waiting passengers."
Ms Cheyne could not say the cost to the council as it was commercially sensitive information, but she said the signage represented a lower annual operating cost than the system that was previously in use.
