The award-winning, all-electric *Universal bus service, which connects students, staff and members of the public to key locations in Cambridge, unveils a new, personalised voice system as part of a collaborative project called ‘Voices of Universal’.
This update replaces the robotic sounding announcements previously in use with recordings by University students, adding a unique touch to the service.
The 'Voice of Universal' project was a collaboration with the Cambridge University Railway Club (CURC), the University’s amateur dramatic community and the Transport Working Group and saw students volunteering to record a wide range of announcements.
Some of the successful voice actors attended a special event on 13 February to celebrate the installation of the voices and the success of the project.
Ed Cameron, a Director at Whippet who operate the Universal was delighted with the response to the call for auditions adding, “We were expecting three or four audition tapes and were overwhelmed when 40 came in! It was nice to listen to their stories about how the U Bus plays its part in welcoming students and enabling them to get around the city.”
This collaboration is a testament to the power of community, creativity and innovation, enhancing the daily experience for commuters and ensuring that these new announcements are not only functional but more engaging and personable.
Bolin Dai, one of four winning voices commented on the experience, “I've had so much fun doing this, from sending in the audition recordings to meeting so many new people, from those who work on the buses to those who work behind the scenes.”
A video (see below), celebrating the project, features some of the winning voices and the many people involved in the collaboration. Those who have since moved on will continue to be heard by passengers on their daily commute, leaving behind a legacy on the local transport system.
*The Universal bus service, operated by Whippet, runs every 15 minutes between Girton and Eddington in West Cambridge to the historic city centre, the rail station, and the Biomedical Campus in the south. The buses help passengers easily access key destinations across the city. Subsidised by the University, but open to everyone, students and staff can enjoy travel for £1 per journey, while members of the public can ride for £2. The U bus has been operating for over 20 years and is thought to be the only privately funded all-electric bus service in the UK.
For more information on the Universal bus service, including timetables and route details, visit Whippet.