MP3 BASED DIGITAL AUDIO ANNOUNCEMENT FOR MASS TRANSIT SYSTEMS

More information available to passengers would make mass transit systems more user-friendly and better able to comply with the requirements of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). The use of audio compression algorithms based on digital signal processing, such as MPEG II Layer 3 (MP3) technology, combines excellent audio quality with only a moderate amount of storage. This technology would be an improvement over that commonly used in the area of systems designed to provide transit riders with clearly audible information regarding next stop announcements. This conference paper describes the history and development of announcement technology in transit vehicles, from announcements of operators/drivers to the newest MP3-based Digital Announcement System.