Monday, November 14, 2011

LECIP electronic destination signage (EDS) upgrades

As SBS Transit modernises its fleet with new buses, one of the older bus models in the fleet also underwent modernisation with an electronic destination signage (EDS) upgrade. This is due to the new fleet of buses using EDS systems, which renders the plastic signage used by SBS Transit obsolete.


Volvo Olympian 3 axles batch 3 with its LECIP sigange.
The Volvo Olympian 3 axles recieved the LECIP EDS system, which the size of the system fitted into the current desto board slots, without much modifications.


SBS7402D with its 98M plastic destination plate.

The sight of two light bulbs as off service will also be history.

The ComfortDelgro Engineering bodied (CDGE) B9TLs initially did not have EDS as standard.

But on August 2011, LECIP installation had started, with the first CDGE B9TL SBS7392Z recieving its LECIP EDS. More were soon installed on other CDGE B9TLs. the systems fitted on the CDGE B9TLs are more camera friendly then the ones on the VO3X batch 3s.

Oddly, the size of the LECIP system installed on the CDGE B9TL was the same as the ones on the VO3X batch 3, as the CDGE B9TL looks to be able to accomodate a bigger EDS such as a Hanover system used by its younger Wright B9TL cousins.

SBS7392Z : the first CDGE B9TL to recieve a LECIP EDS.
The rear EDS is bigger as compared to the ones fitted on the VO3X batch 3s. Note the defunct rear plastic plate slot in the advertisment.
Transition in progress : LECIP EDS CDGE B9TL side by side with a plastic signage CDGE B9TL.

And after the installation is complete for the CDGE B9TLs, the next to recieve a LECIP upgrade might be the Volvo Super Olympian fleet, as the oldest VO3X batch 3 recieved its LECIP upgrade due to it still having a long lifespan with SBS Transit.

Most of the Volvo Super Olympian fleet are also using plastic destination board.

SBS9810X with its factory-fitted Transit Media EDS system.

The drawback of LECIP signage system? It is too small to be seen clearly from far, with the route number still squeezed to the right hand side (kerbside) with most of the area dominated by the destination and scrolling route details. All of the font size are also quite small, given that everything is cramped into what used to be just a huge route number signage.


Though defintely, upgrading the older buses with EDS is a good move as part of modernisation, and it allows the bus captain to check and change his signage with a controller at the driver compartment without needing to open up the signage compartment to change the route details/numbers.

**On 30th Dec 2011, SBS9822L was the first in the fleet of Volvo Super Olympians to have the LECIP signage upgrade.

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