RFIDdirect and SolutionsWeb collaborated to create a Near Field Communication GPS locator!
People from all corners of the world gather for Ale Trails, a journey through traditional and modern pubs tasting all the flavours of the different Ales and other alcoholic beverages. These trails can easily cover up to 20 pubs. With thousands of guests, the only way to move such a group is via buses.
And there is the challenge!
Whilst the many guests enjoy their day out, they might wonder when the next bus is due to continue their journey. Do they buy another drink or go outside and patiently wait?
Finding a bus company which will offer their services for Ale Trails is difficult. It’s not always easy to keep to strict schedule when there are so many people you can’t tell where they will all start, congregate or the time that they will even join the journey. As a result, buses can take easily twice as long to reach the next destination than intended and even omit a pub. This has caused some issues for Ale Trail organisers in the past, where customers have been left waiting due to too many people trying to board one bus or buses being delayed on the road. This causes great anxiety for people and the organisers, waiting for a bus and not knowing when its coming or if its full is a possible deal breaker for future events.
The Answer
We created an App and supplied software so organisers and customers are able to see where the bus is and they can prepare for its arrival.
How?
The bus conductor is given a NFC (Near Field Communication) chip provided with a NFC enabled phone. Every time a bus arrives at a pub, the NFC tag can authenticate the buses ID and the phone will transmit via internet a time stamp, the GPRS location of the bus and update a map which customers can open on their phone’s internet browsers to see the locations of the buses.
A record of the buses arrivals will also be stored on the database for evaluation and address delays or traffic issues.
Knowing where the bus is provides ample opportunity for not only the customers but the pub owners to know that they are next on the list and they can be prepared for the incoming business. Preparation such as stocking on glasses and pulling in extra staff will give them a great start to impress.
Find the Ale Trails:
Real Ale Trail Flintshire (10.09.2016)
Real Ale Trail Wirral (22.10.2016)
Real Ale Trail Dee Valley
Real Ale Trail Snowdonia
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