The Future of Wayfinding Signage In Toronto’s Public Transit System

Written by Minrui Wen

Image of using augmented reality on a smartphone

Many of you might have faced challenges when you use Toronto’s public transit to travel to a new place. The lack of consistency, inclusivity and sustainability in public transit’s wayfinding signage increases the difficulties of people’s travel. As we are in the digital era, digital wayfinding come in place to shape the future of public transit. With digital wayfinding, travellers can get interactive, real-time and personalized help to reach their destination.

In TTC, they have implemented displays showing real-time information about the train and bus’s arrival. They also support apps that show the estimated bus and train arrival times. In addition to that, they provide digital static wayfinding, which can easily be found online. Recently, TTC has also implemented a new technology that allows people to access the elevator buttons without contact. This involves downloading a free Contactless AccessTM app from the App Store(iOS) or Google Play (Android). The app controls the elevator buttons using Bluetooth Low Energy technology and allows control up to four feet away from the elevator. The increase in accessibility decreases frustration, especially for people with disabilities.

As we are in the digital world, digital wayfinding can significantly enhance a commuter’s navigation experience, especially with real-time updates of transit conditions like route changes. More importantly, digital wayfinding provides a more interactive and personalized experience. For example, interactive maps break down complicated information and allow users to access data visually. In addition, users can filter preferences according to their needs, and this customization increases navigation accessibility.

The future of public transit can be implementing augmented reality technology, which creates a seamless navigation experience. AR permits overlaying digital information, which means the information is laid on top of the physical environment the traveller is pointing at. AR wayfinding app allows travellers to access real-time directions, approximate wait time and platform information by pointing their device at the corresponding setting. Step 1: Download software to proceed to the scanning. Step 2: The cell phone must be pointing at a bus stop pole. The information needed is then displayed on the screen. In addition, directional arrows, paths and texts can be laid on top of the real-time environment for indoor environments. All the user has to do is choose their destination and point their device at the surroundings instead of the floor.

Public transit is widely used, and technologies are evolving. Making developments on what is currently available can significantly impact our daily lives. The simplicity of augmented reality technology opens up navigation options for everyone, more importantly for people with disabilities. AR should come in place to take the public transit system to the next level.

References

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) in Transit Ads: Creating Immersive Advertising Experiences. (n.d.). Retrieved November 14, 2023, from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/augmented-reality-ar-virtual-vr-transit-ads-creating-george-barbakis/

Contactless Elevator Access. (n.d.). Retrieved November 14, 2023, from https://www.ttc.cahttps://www.ttc.ca/accessibility/Contactless-Elevator-Access

Hasbrouck, C. (2019, January 7). Enhancing Chicago’s public transit with Augmented Reality: Sign Detection and Route Visualization. Medium. https://blog.truthlabs.com/chicago-cta-augmented-reality-sign-detection-visualization-bus-data-application-design-7f8fe2f2f6b7

Kupathil, K. (2016, December 12). Augmented Reality in Public Transport: An Effective Channel to Deliver Information the Traveler Needs. Mass Transit. https://www.masstransitmag.com/technology/article/12265322/augmented-reality-in-public-transport-an-effective-channel-to-deliver-information-the-traveler-needs

What is Digital Wayfinding: Top 10 Benefits. (n.d.). Retrieved November 14, 2023, from https://www.arway.ai/post/what-is-digital-wayfinding