Nottingham Buses Now Feature Advanced Camera Monitors

Nottingham City Transport (NCT) has become the first bus operator in the UK to upgrade one of its buses with a Journeo CMS camera monitoring system, moving away from traditional wing mirrors to a digital system.

NCT already boasts one of the greenest and most modern bus fleets in the country, and this new device could make them one of the safest as well. The system, installed by Journeo’s subsidiary 21st Century, uses external cameras connected to monitors inside the driver’s cabin to improve visibility. These high-definition cameras give the driver a much clearer and wider view, even at night, in bright sunlight, or during heavy rain, effectively eliminating blind spots.

This retrofit solution allows operators to deploy the system across both their existing fleets and new vehicles. This ensures a consistent quality system and makes it easier for drivers to get used to the new technology. It also allows Journeo’s nationwide engineering team to oversee all systems under a single support and maintenance contract.

Because the cameras are smaller than traditional wing mirrors, they are less likely to hit trees, bus stops, pedestrians, and cyclists. Users of this camera system have reported a 60% reduction in accident costs and nearly a 40% drop in maintenance costs.

Liam O’Brien, head of engineering at Nottingham City Transport, said, “We are committed to making our transport network as safe as possible for passengers and other road users. This project is a big step towards that goal. The support from 21st Century in navigating legal procedures has been invaluable.”

Mark Johnson, director of fleet systems at 21st Century, added, “This is an exciting UK first. While CMS is required for all new buses in London, Liam and the Nottingham City Transport team are showing that operators outside the capital can also adopt this critical safety technology. We are dedicated to helping the industry implement this technology more broadly because of its significant safety benefits. Our expertise in homologation processes and our nationwide engineering team enable us to support any operator in implementing this technology seamlessly.”