Tube (stylized TUBE), formerly called the Passenger Assist Railway Display System (PARDS), is a

passenger information system A passenger information system, or passenger information display system, is an automated system for supplying users of public transport with information about the nature and the state of a public transport service through visual, voice or other m ...

currently deployed on certain lines of the Manila Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Metro Rail Transit (MRT) systems. Developed by Filipino technology companies TrackMate Business Solutions and PHAR Philippines, the system was initially unveiled on May 5, 2017.

History

PARDS was created amid complaints from train passengers that they are unaware of what's going on while riding the system, with a lack of information displays among their major complaints. The system was unveiled on May 5, 2017, with the system being installed on one Line 2 train. By June 2017, all ten active train units were fitted with the system, with some 400

LCD A liquid-crystal display (LCD) is a flat-panel display or other electronically modulated optical device that uses the light-modulating properties of liquid crystals combined with polarizers. Liquid crystals do not emit light directly but i ...

monitors installed system-wide. Installed at no cost to the national government, PARDS is funded through

advertising Advertising is the practice and techniques employed to bring attention to a product or service. Advertising aims to put a product or service in the spotlight in hopes of drawing it attention from consumers. It is typically used to promote a ...

. Although initially deployed on the Line 2, TrackMate also presented the system to the Light Rail Manila Corporation, the operator of Line 1, and to the

Metro Rail Transit Corporation The Metro Rail Transit Corporation (MRTC), is a private consortium organized in June 1995. The consortium is composed of seven (7) Filipino-owned companies: Fil-Estate Management Inc (now Metro Global Holdings Corporation), Ayala Land Inc, Ram ...

, operator of Line 3, eliciting a positive reaction. TrackMate also claimed that there is interest in deploying PARDS internationally, as well as that there is potential in deploying it as a suitable low-cost alternative to traditional

railway signalling Railway signalling (), also called railroad signaling (), is a system used to control the movement of railway traffic. Trains move on fixed rails, making them uniquely susceptible to collision. This susceptibility is exacerbated by the enor ...

systems. On March 28, 2019, an event was held announcing the system's rebranding to TUBE. In contrast to PARDS, TUBE features a redesigned interface and advertisements, and during the event, Filipino Youtube personalities presented how the companies aimed to deploy the system to all three lines. PHAR and TrackMate have announced that Line 3 trains will be equipped with the system by April 2019, with the goal of having the system deployed on all three lines by July.

Technology

TUBE uses

GPS The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of the global navigation satellite sy ...

technology to determine a train's speed, location and other important information, which helps determine a train's arrival and departure time. Information from the train is uploaded to the

cloud In meteorology, a cloud is an aerosol consisting of a visible mass of miniature liquid droplets, frozen crystals, or other particles suspended in the atmosphere of a planetary body or similar space. Water or various other chemicals may ...

, which is then transmitted back to the train. Each TUBE-equipped train has been fitted with at least 40 LCD monitors which not only shows the train's location, but also news, public service announcements, passenger traffic and entertainment. The system is also capable of transmitting real-time information when circumstances require, such as in an emergency. TUBE also has a mobile component, where real-time train information can be accessed through a

mobile application A mobile application or app is a computer program or software application designed to run on a mobile device such as a phone, tablet, or watch. Mobile applications often stand in contrast to desktop applications which are designed to run on d ...

to be developed as part of the project's second phase, as well as a backend which allows the

Light Rail Transit Authority The Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) is a public transport operator that is responsible for the construction, operation, maintenance and/or lease of Manila Light Rail Transit System in the Philippines. It is organized as a government-owned ...

to monitor train performance and passenger loads in real time.

References

External links

*{{dead link, date=May 2021 Manila Light Rail Transit System Public transport information systems