# Public Transport Seating Maps Transport for London is Testing Tech for Finding a Seat on the Bus By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2014-06-24 | World Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/finding-a-seat-on-the-bus References: [engadget](http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/23/tfl-smart-london-buses/) & [techdigest](http://www.techdigest.tv/2014/06/london_buses_ar.html) Finding a seat on the bus will now be a lot less of a hassle, thanks to a new technology from Transport for London. To save commuters the trouble of venturing to the second level of a packed double decker bus, [TfL](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/public-transport-safety) is testing new screens that show a seat availability map, as well as ones to show the exact position of the bus in real-time, plus future stops and estimated arrival times. Interestingly, the seat map is not connected to sensors, but a camera that makes a visual analysis based on photos snapped by CCTV cameras. Now, as well as monitoring for safety, the cameras will serve a handy second purpose and hopefully, make bus rides in London that much more pleasant. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.3/10 - Popularity: 15% | Activity: 47% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [World](https://www.trendhunter.com/world) > [Travel](https://www.trendhunter.com/travel) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Smart Public Transport:** The use of technology to enhance the efficiency and convenience of public transportation, such as seat availability maps and real-time bus tracking. - **Camera-based Analytics:** Using cameras and visual analysis to gather data and provide useful information, like seat availability, in public spaces. - **Data-driven Commuting:** Leveraging data collected from CCTV cameras to optimize commuter experiences and improve services, like providing real-time bus updates and estimated arrival times. ### Who This Affects Most - **Public Transportation:** The sector responsible for providing transportation services to the general public, which can benefit from implementing smart technology to improve customer satisfaction and efficiency. - **Technology and Software:** Companies that develop and provide software solutions for analyzing visual data and creating user-friendly interfaces, which can be applied to various industries including public transport. - **Surveillance and Security:** The industry involved in the development and application of camera-based surveillance systems, which can be repurposed to collect useful data for improving services in public spaces. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Pendulum Public Transport Seats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/siemens.md) - [Autonomous Interactive Shuttle Buses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/coach-atoz-shuttle-bus.md) - [Recycled Material Bus Seats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/isle-project.md) - [Real-Time Transit Updates](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/moovit-1.md) - [Accessible Train Interior Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/proteus-rail-interior-system.md) - [Transportation Network Wayfinding Technologies](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bee-network.md) - [Cooling Bus Shelter Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cooling-bus-shelter.md) - [Convenience-Focused Transportation Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/transportation-apps.md) - [Multifunctional Transport Buses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bubblic-public.md)