New TransLink touch-screens aim to help commuters with trip planning
Posted May 22, 2019 6:39 am.
Last Updated May 22, 2019 6:41 am.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – TransLink has unveiled its newest tool to help commuters plan their routes with the touch of a finger.
The first of dozens of touch-screen transit kiosks is now be available for use. While you can’t order fries with it, you can find out when the next SkyTrain will arrive.
More than 50 of the kiosks are expected to be installed at stations along the Expo and Millennium lines, as well as at some West Coast Express stations, SeaBus terminals, Park and Ride lots, and many bus loops.
According to TransLink, the kiosks will offer people another way to plan their trips by viewing live schedules, see upcoming departure times, and see any important updates on the network.
TransLink will also be able to take over the screens and use them to alert people of any issues or delays in the event of a serious emergency.
“Commuters will be able to access the most up-to-date transit information and plan their trips using different modes around our network,” TransLink CEO Kevin Desmond said. “These high-tech devices come in addition to existing journey planning services already available.”
People at the Surrey Central SkyTrain station will be the first to use the kiosks.
According to the transit authority, the kiosks are just one part of a larger initiative to improve the customer experience.
Other initiatives outlined by TransLink include the addition or replacement of 140 “next train” signs on platforms, 140 new information signs outside SkyTrain station entrances and on platforms, and hundreds of new speakers along the Millennium Line.
Expo Line speakers will also be enhanced, and 1,200 CCTV platform cameras will also be installed for safety.
