The Transport Management Centre (TMC) monitors and manages the NSW State road network 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. During morning and afternoon peak travel times, major events and unplanned incidents, the TMC also monitors and coordinates Sydney’s public transport operations across trains, buses ferries and light rail.

Blue Sky was commissioned to design and engineer a workstation that would provide an upgrade in technology and a significant improvement in ergonomic and operational performance. The result was a custom workstation solution which has given operators a comfortable, ergonomic and versatile work environment.

The TMC’s new base in Sydney’s Eveleigh was designed by Blue Sky with ergonomics and efficiency in mind. Highly advanced IT and communication tools are integrated with advanced ergonomic workstations. The gas-articulated monitor arms can carry up to 32kg of screen weight and allow up to 8 monitors on the individual workstations to be adjusted at the touch of a fingertip. In certain configurations, the screens can be moved together as an array.

The height adjustable workstations allow operators to stand when they wish, enhancing their flexibility and reducing fatigue from sedentary seating. A simple tilt of the monitor screen ensures visibility at any position.

“It is vital for our operators to have a cockpit view of their areas of operations,” says Joe Morabito, Manager of Traffic Operations. “The advanced ergonomics of our workstation set up gives us optimal operational visibility; it simply means we can optimise our responses and provide better traffic management.”

The designs also include sophisticated lighting and acoustic systems to provide maximum comfort and control for operators who undertake long and stressful shifts in front of display screens. Various design stages were undertaken to achieve the best possible layout and ergonomic intent. Workstation were prototyped and tested before installation of the final units at the control centre.