A new transit information tool – one that looks a lot like the devices people use to read e-books – is being tested at a few busy bus stops.
The tablet-sized displays, attached to the poles holding bus stop signs, provide real-time departure information and route maps.
The solar-powered displays could be a good option for bus stops where there are lots of boardings, but where larger real-time signs aren’t practical because of costs and the need to run electricity and network connections.
The displays could also be used as a replacement for some static signage, like route maps, that appears at some locations and need to be replaced when there are service changes.
Two digital displays were installed last spring, on Como and Franklin avenues, and two more will be installed this month at stops on Nicollet and University avenues. Customers who see these displays are invited to provide feedback through Customer Relations.
In addition to customer feedback, Transit Information is testing the displays to see how durable they are and how well they hold up in different weather conditions.
More than 230 real-time signs can now be found at bus stops throughout the region, primarily at Bus Rapid Transit stations, transit centers and along the Marq2 corridor in downtown Minneapolis.