Displays provide bus customers with estimated arrival times, transfer information and service alerts; Pilot is latest initiative by CTA to improve bus customer experience
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) today began piloting new digital information screens on CTA buses. The new displays are the latest initiative under CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. to improve the customer experience by providing additional, real-time service information to on-board passengers to make taking public transit easier and more convenient.
“Ensuring our customers have timely, accurate and detailed information is key to providing a seamless transit experience,” Carter said “These new digital screens will make it easy for customers to make real-time decisions about their commute while on board the bus and without having to open up an app on their mobile device.”
The easy-to-read digital displays offer passengers real-time travel information, including estimated arrival times for multiple upcoming stops, transfer information for other CTA services, CTA service alerts including reroutes, persistent indication when a stop has been requested and more.
This new technology supplements the existing visual and audio service information already available on all CTA buses—large text announcing the next stop and audio announcements to assist those with hearing or visual impairments will remain.
The new digital screens, which President Carter recently previewed at the City Club of Chicago earlier this fall, have been installed in the front and middle section of two #20 Madison route buses. This placement allows for better readability of the screen by all bus passengers, regardless of where they are seated.
CTA will continue testing the screens on other bus routes and is actively soliciting public feedback about this new technology from both new and frequent riders. Customers who've ridden one of the test buses and wish to share their thoughts about the new digital screens can fill out an online survey at transitchicago.com/busdisplay
Modeled after digital screens utilized by transit systems abroad, CTA is testing this new technology to see whether customers will find the real-time updates and other service information useful when managing their commute and navigating the CTA system. The final design of these display screens may change based on feedback and suggestions received from bus customers.
The new screens mark the latest expansion of CTA’s digital customer information offerings, which include CTA Bus Tracker and Train Tracker signs at bus stops and rail stations.
