TriMet has been installing more digital information displays throughout the system at high ridership bus stops and transit centers, and in areas where there are higher numbers of riders living on a low income.
After starting with 75 stops and transit center last September, TriMet has continued adding the tablet-sized displays to more parts of the system and currently have 166 installed. TriMet says it is now on track to have more than 200 in place by the end of the year, most of which are located in areas that have not had this type of technology.
Arrival and departure information is important to riders, with 33 percent of respondents to the Customer Effort Score survey, saying it was the most important thing to make easier to understand. While TriMet publishes service information and schedules in multiple places, such as on the website and social media, the solar powered displays bring this information directly to where riders are.
Equity leads
Funding for the displays comes from HB 2017, the Keep Oregon Moving Act, an ongoing source used to improve and expand bus service. It’s the same funding source that helped launch the low-income fare program, which has already enrolled more than 30,000 people between the ages of 18 and 64 who live on an income up to double the federal poverty level. These efforts go hand-in-hand to improve transit access and create a more equitable experience across the three counties TriMet serves.
Along with locations of high ridership—such as bus stops serving multiple lines—TriMet is also prioritizing low-income neighborhoods using equity maps. TriMet created the maps using Title VI information, which uses U.S. Census data to know the percentage of people of color and low-income households in an area. TriMet uses that information to make a range of policy decisions around transit service and the introduction of new technology.
More locations coming
TriMet signed a five-year contract with Connectpoint, a company specializing in digital signage, for the displays as well as implementing a content management system. The company has also been assisting TriMet in conducting a solar evaluation to help decide where to put the displays.
Because the displays are solar powered, one consideration is making sure the locations are not under trees or other objects that could block the sun. During the next four months, TriMet will continue evaluating locations throughout the service area as the agency installs more than 30 the new displays.
