Nottingham City Transport is the first bus operator in the UK to retrofit a Journeo Camera Monitoring System (CMS) to a vehicle, replacing conventional wing mirrors with a digital solution.
The CMS is designed to increase visibility by using cameras on the outside of the vehicle which are connected to monitors inside the driver’s cab. The system works to improve the driver’s vision in all conditions, including at night, in bright reflective sunlight and in heavy rain. The high-definition cameras gives the driver a much wider, clearer view and eradicates blind spots, the partnership said.
Journeo added this first retrofit is a landmark for CMS technology and its solution, allowing operators to deploy the system to existing fleets as well as new vehicles. The move aims to ensure consistency in system quality and driver familiarisation, while it allows Journeo’s nationwide engineering team to manage all systems under one support and maintenance contract.
Mark Johnson, director of fleet systems at 21st Century a wholly owned subsidiary of Journeo, said: “As a UK first this is an exciting project. While CMS is mandated on all new buses in London, the Nottingham City Transport team are proving that operators outside the capital can add this important safety technology to their existing vehicles.
“Because of the huge safety benefits that it brings, we are determined to support the industry to roll out this technology wider. Our understanding of homologation processes for new and existing vehicles is second-to-none and, with a nationwide engineering team, we can help any operator roll out these solutions seamlessly.”
Furthermore, as the cameras are smaller than conventional wing mirrors, they are less likely to hit trees, bus stops, pedestrians and cyclists. Users of the Journeo CMS have reported a 60% reduction in accident costs and a reduction in maintenance costs of almost 40%.
Liam O’Brien, head of engineering at Nottingham City Transport, said: “We are determined to make our transport network as safe as possible for passengers and other road users and this project is an important step in achieving this.
“As with any significant change to a vehicle, there are a lot of processes to go through. 21st Century’s support in helping us navigate the legal procedures has been invaluable.”
