RATP and JCDecaux to develop interactive terminals
- Paris
Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens (RATP) and JCDecaux SA, a world leader in outdoor advertising and the largest outdoor group in Europe, have formed a partnership to install interactive terminals on RATP’s rail and underground network.
The new interactive terminal was unveiled by Jean-Paul Bailly, Chairman of the RATP, and Jean-Claude Decaux, Chairman of the Supervisory Board and founder of JCDecaux. The terminals, which have been developed by a joint team, will now undergo a series of trials.
The initial trial will involve a 30 terminal pilot scheme. During the course of the summer, 15 terminals will be installed on the underground network and a further 15 on surface rail network in the Paris region. The results of this trial will enable the two companies to develop the services to meet the needs of the users of the joint transport system in the Ile-de-France.
Based on the latest technology, these interactive terminals will give the people of the Ile-de-France access to a wide range of new services including: E-mail, free Internet access, guides to the city, practical information on transport, on-line administrative services, credit card payment, recruitment, printing, etc. All these services were demonstrated during the 6th Conference of the Association of Mayors of Ile-de-France.
As part of this agreement, the RATP and JCDecaux will produce an official report outlining the functionality and services an electronic information terminal for a joint transport system should incorporate.
- François Mahieux, the Director of ratp.net, said: "The development of these terminals symbolises our company's commitment to serving our customers and the local community by making it easier to gain access to the city.
- For us this means offering a personal service - Where can I find what I want? How do I get there? When is it open? - and improving our transport services by offering our customers practical information that will make their lives easier. We are seeking to improve local services for our 10 million daily passengers. This is also an opportunity to make online services more freely available.”
- Jean-Charles Decaux, co-CEO of JCDecaux, said: “RATP and JCDecaux are aware of the changing transport requirements of the city and are providing new technology that will enable enhanced services that will meet the future needs of the users of the joint transport system.
- This partnership utilises the innovation know-how which JCDecaux has built up over the last 20 years, particularly in the provision of information for transport systems. JCDecaux provides a range of services including variable message displays on the Paris ring road, electronic newspapers in bus shelters and real-time information on waiting times for buses (Infobus). These electronic terminals represent the next stage in the development of street furniture into a multi-service information platform.”