(16 Jan 2018, 6:50 pm)G-CPTN wrote A few weeks ago I rode on a TEN with NSAs, yet as a general rule they seem to be inactive.
Has there been a problem?

(16 Jan 2018, 8:39 pm)Michael wrote You'll just get the same answer as before, other routes are a priority before the TEN.... like its been said many times before.

(16 Jan 2018, 9:50 pm)Tyne_Traveller wrote 6077 is the only vehicle on Ten currently working with NSA's I've noticed however it doesn't work on either 10B or 10X but as I don't travel on the 10A I don't know about that one.

I'm disappointed it's taken this long for it to surface that we've heard the delights of Emma along the Tyne Valley again!

Not a problem, as such, and a different answer to the one that's been given previously. Some testing 'out in the field' is being undertaken on a couple of buses on the Tyne Valley Ten (6077 is one of them, yes). It's been ongoing since late November and the media is only programmed for the 10 service while feedback is received. It looks like the previous issues, which prevented the media going live all those months ago, have been sorted now, as there's been nothing in to suggest that this isn't the case.

Hopefully in the not-too-distant future, the announcements on the Tynedale Express and Tynedale Links 680 will be tested, and then once any amendments have been made, those two batches of buses along with the Tyne Valley Ten branded Volvo B9s and the Citylink58 Versas, can all be uploaded at the same time (in the same night). This will probably form part of a wider marketing campaign to promote Hexham's services, ahead of the return of the Hadrian's Wall AD122 service.

Much better progress has been made with the announcements recently as I'm sure you will agree; with the Quaylink Q1/Q2/Q3 being enabled again not so long ago, the new Angel buses having the announcements programmed from Day 1 of launch (for both 21 and N21), the cascaded Angel buses now on the Coaster having the announcements programmed from Day 1 of the launch (for both 1/1A), and more recently the Coast & Country having the announcements tested prior to being launched again too. There's been an issue on the indiGo Washington services since the media was programmed for the 81/82/83/84 and Hanover think they have managed to fix this problem now, and is in a position to be tested in the field today after a few months worth of development work, all being well, which will be another one to cross off the list.

Obviously these things take time but there's clear progression being made now, and, all being well, the new 9 and 26 will have the announcements tested and working for Day 1 of the launch later this month, too. The thing which takes the most amount of time is having to set aside a full day for testing before the media is publicly launched (which those of you who follow my Flickr will notice a lot of this has been done on Sundays recently, on my day off!) This is one of the things Go North East are good at doing, and there's a clear difference in quality in the end product compared to Arriva, who quite clearly don't test it before launching it (on some routes at least). I'd say it's better for it to be done correctly and accurately, given that the whole purpose of the system is to benefit those who are visually-impaired and rely on the system to boost their confidence when travelling on the bus, and there's no point racing it out if it's not going to be correct.