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One thing that makes deploying signage in transport different from other industries is the number of data sources that have to come together for the system to work as intended. A TSA report showed that 60% of agencies use signage for emergency alerts, and a 2022 customer experience study found satisfaction improves by 20% when signage is part of the network.
For transit screens to deliver that kind of value, they have to be tied directly into the IT systems already in place. This guide looks at how to make transport digital signage integration work so updates flow automatically, screens stay accurate, and the network can expand without extra manual effort.
Common Systems in Public Transport IT Integration
First things first, which systems are already in place in your transport network?
Flight Information Display Systems (FIDS)
At airports, FIDS are the large boards showing arrivals, departures, gates, and delays. They pull live updates from airline systems, air traffic control, and weather feeds. If you introduce new signage, it should tie into these same sources to avoid double entry of information and make sure the signs update automatically in real time from the FIDS.
Passenger Information Display Systems (PIDS)
In rail and bus networks, PIDS are used for real-time schedules, platform information, and service announcements. Many operate as part of a wider Computer-Aided Dispatch and Automatic Vehicle Location (CAD/AVL) system that tracks vehicle positions. Modern PIDS combine several data feeds such as timetables, GPS, and service alerts so passengers get an accurate picture. A city bus system, for example, may merge its GTFS schedules with live GPS data to show countdowns for the next bus. Your digital signage needs to connect to these feeds to keep information current and consistent across the network.
Real-Time Data Feeds
Many agencies publish their schedules and live updates in standardized formats such as GTFS (General Transit Feed Specification) and GTFS-Realtime. GTFS covers routes, trips, and stop times, while GTFS-RT provides vehicle locations, delays, and estimated arrivals. Some regions use other standards, such as the European SIRI format. A signage platform that can read these feeds will integrate more easily. More importantly, it ensures passengers see the same information whether they look at a website, a mobile app, or a station display.
Ticketing and Fare Systems
Smartcards and mobile tickets collect data every time someone pays a fare. That data isn’t as essential as schedules, but it can also support signage. For example, screens can warn passengers when a ticket machine is out of service, point them to the nearest working one, or display ridership stats like “5,000 riders today.” Usually this data reaches signage indirectly, but it’s another source agencies may want to connect with other systems later, such as dashboards that show total ridership.
GPS Tracking and AVL Systems
Almost every bus, train, and shuttle today carries GPS or AVL trackers. These send location data back to central systems, often every 30 seconds or so which makes real-time arrival predictions possible. Digital signage has to tap into these feeds so ETAs refresh according to actual vehicle movement. Accuracy here is important. If a screen shows a bus arriving in two minutes, passengers expect that bus to arrive in two minutes. Testing against dropped signals and edge cases is part of building a reliable passenger information system.
Data Flow and Transport Signage Integration Methods
Once you’ve identified the key systems, the next step is figuring out how data will flow between them and your new digital signage solution.
APIs
Whenever available, use existing APIs from your transit software. Many CAD/AVL or scheduling systems offer an API or at least a data export. If you’re evaluating a new digital signage platform, prioritize one that supports open API connections natively. Avoid closed systems that only work with their own data formats. In other words, your signage software should be a flexible “client” that can consume JSON or XML from any source (GTFS-RT feed, weather API, etc.). This will also future-proof your setup as new data sources (like IoT sensors or crowd density data) become relevant down the line.
XML and JSON Feeds
Many transit systems share data through APIs in XML or JSON formats. These are widely supported and can be read directly by most signage platforms. They’re flexible, easy to parse, and commonly used for general updates or custom data sources.
GTFS Integration for Real-Time Updates
Public transport agencies often publish schedules in GTFS (General Transit Feed Specification) and live updates in GTFS-Realtime. GTFS covers static information like routes, stops, and timetables, while GTFS-RT adds live vehicle positions, delays, and predicted arrivals. Because GTFS-RT uses a different format, signage platforms may need a middleware service to translate it into JSON or XML before it can be displayed. Using these standards keeps information consistent across apps, websites, and station displays.
Read also: Real-Time Travel Information on Digital Displays
Security and Reliability – Protecting Data and Ensuring Uptime
The connections between your signage and central IT systems should be encrypted, usually with TLS or VPNs, so schedules, emergency alerts, or ticketing information cannot be intercepted or changed. Access should be limited to authorized staff only, with strong logins and multi-factor authentication (MFA).
Even the media players connected to your screens can be a target for hackers, so they need to be secured by turning off unused ports, blocking unnecessary services, and using endpoint protection. Regular software updates are important to fix security gaps quickly, since transport systems are often attacked. The signage platform should also be linked with the agency’s wider security tools, such as firewalls, intrusion detection, and SIEM, so threats can be spotted and handled early.
To better protect your data and stay in full control of your signage system, you can opt for an on-premise setup. In this model, the software runs on servers managed by your own IT team. This allows you to set strict network rules, apply custom security policies, and keep sensitive information inside your environment. It also reduces reliance on internet connectivity, since the system can keep operating locally. The only trade-off is that updates, scaling, and system monitoring all become your team’s responsibility.
Why Local Server Digital Signage is Essential for Security in Certain Organizations
Centralized Management – One Platform for All Displays
The signage software can be considered the heart of your integration process because it’s where all the data, content, and screen control come together. From a single platform, you can manage every display in your transport network, no matter the location. Schedules, emergency alerts, wayfinding, or ads can be updated system-wide or targeted to specific stations without sending staff on site.
Key Features for Transit:
- Real-time monitoring – track the status of each player and screen, with alerts if something goes offline.
- Role-based control – give different teams access only to the content they manage
- Scalability – add new screens without changing the management process.
- Branding tools – use pre-designed templates so layouts stay consistent with agency standards.
Real-World Examples of Integrated Signage
BusTV in Guayaquil, Ecuador
What started in 2014 as three friends experimenting with makeshift screens on buses in Ecuador has since grown into BusTV, a transit media channel reaching thousands of passengers every day. In the early days, content was managed manually and updates were slow, but the team realized they needed a system that could bring together different content streams, such as entertainment, local updates, and advertising into one workflow.
After adopting Look Digital Signage software, they were able to integrate playlists, simple live data like weather, and advertising slots in the same environment. The change eliminated repetitive manual work, kept content current for passengers, and turned BusTV into a more scalable and professional network.
From Integration to Innovation
Transport digital signage integration makes it possible to make the systems you already depend on visible to passengers in real-time, everywhere they need it. Once those connections are in place, the signage platform simply becomes an extension of your existing IT.
At that point, you can move from planning to evaluating vendors that understand transport environments and can deliver on security, scalability, and day-to-day usability. The right choice is the one that plugs directly into your current feeds and makes integration as seamless as possible.
Learn how Look connects to your live transport data feeds in minutes without replacing your existing IT systems.
