How transit tech is addressing NYC transportation challenges

Customer Experience Challenge – How can we improve customer experience by better communicating service changes, reducing delays, and augment safety and cleanliness initiatives?

Finalists include BusPas, CloudMonitoring/Rems Plus, Convo Communications, GoodMaps, Urban Solar, and Velocia.

The companies worked with agency partners to:

• Demonstrate how real-time passenger information can improve customer experience and lessen perceived wait times at three NJ Transit and NYC DOT bus stops
• Launch an American Sign Language (ASL)-translation service for deaf customers at four MTA and Port Authority facilities to improve accessibility of subway and bus stations
• Test a rewards platform with the MTA and the Port Authority to incentivise engagement and to encourage positive behaviour changes with hard-to-reach customer segments
• Prepare an augmented reality (AR)-enhanced indoor navigation experience to help customers navigate transfers at the Port Authority and NJ Transit’s Hoboken Terminal.

NYC DOT’s Kerb Activity Challenge – How can we maximise the city’s kerb space to serve the multiple and varied needs of New Yorkers?

Finalists include AIWaysion, Appyway, Populus, and Sevond. The companies worked with the NYC DOT to:

• Evaluate lidar and edge AI sensors as potential solutions to help automate the collection of kerb data
• Perform an assessment of existing data management systems to identify how a kerb management software solution could augment and digitise existing kerb data inventories.

“Through the Transit Tech Lab, we’ve been able to identify promising solutions that could help NYC DOT better manage our kerb space and provide reliable, real-time bus arrival information at bus stops”

“We established the Transit Tech Lab, as well as our other lab programmes, to ensure that government has access to transformative technologies,” said Maria Gotsch, president and CEO, Partnership Fund for New York City.

“We believe the 18 technologies demonstrated during this year’s proof-of-concept period provided valuable insights for our transit partner on how technology can enhance their operations and in doing so hold immense potential to improve our city.”

“NYC DOT is always looking to take advantage of new technologies to make our streets safer and more efficient. Through the Transit Tech Lab, we’ve been able to identify promising solutions that could help NYC DOT better manage our kerb space and provide reliable, real-time bus arrival information at bus stops,” said Ydanis Rodriguez, commissioner, New York City Department of Transportation.

“We look forward to exploring the use of these technologies further and thank the Transit Tech Lab for helping lay the foundation for a more resilient, adaptive, and accessible city.”

The partner agencies, which included the MTA, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, NJ Transit, and the NYC Department of Transportation (NYC DOT), rated the Transit Tech Lab with a Net Promoter score of 9.0, citing the expanded access to tech expertise and creative solutions as a major benefit.