The pioneering product enables CalMac's operators to programme a series of general announcements during the day and also enter the timetable arrival and departure announcements to free up staff from having to make manual announcements during busy times.
CalMac currently owns and operates a fleet of 31 vessels providing passenger, vehicle and shipping services to the islands off the West Coast of Scotland and in the Clyde estuary. Two other vessels are retained on Charter. There are currently 26 routes within the network. In 2004, more than 5 million passengers and over one million accompanied cars were carried on the Company's services.
Based on Interalia's Trouncer, the passenger announcement system provides top quality announcements as well as enabling the company to pre-record and pre-time messages informing passengers of issues such as not to leave luggage unattended, not to smoke in the terminal, etc. It provides CalMac with the flexibility to quickly and easily change messages as and when required. Developed in partnership between T.G.Baker (Sound) Ltd and Interalia Communications the system can not only be used in transport termini but in any application where timetabled announcements and general announcements need to be programmed, i.e. schools, factories, shopping centres, etc.
"The service and advice offered by T.G.Baker (Sound) Ltd was second to none and the technical specifications of the Trouncer matched CalMac's requirements perfectly", says Kenny Boyd, Port Operations Manager. The system's ability to play the same pre-recorded message on any Trouncer unit, and to interconnect with our vessels' GPS systems, offers great future potential for geographic specific messages to be placed on board vessels, without the need for manual intervention, to ensure a consistently high corporate standard throughout our network".
Audio files are stored as .WAV files at any available sampling rate including full CD quality 44.1kHz. The Trouncer then plays back the messages under manual, automatic or computerised control. Messages are also stored in Flash memory so that in the event of a power failure they are not lost.
"The flexibility of the system means that advertising by local companies can also be downloaded into the unit and entered into the schedule, raising the profile of local businesses and a potential revenue generator for the system owner", says Brian Andrew, director of T.G. Baker. "The Trouncer not only broadcasts audio announcements but can also control and drive visual information displays."
(Lee Baldock)
