Connecting Passenger Information and Video for a Smarter Kansas City Transit Experience

Smarter Passenger Information for Better Kansas City Experience

July 2019

As Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) prepared its third MAX Bus Rapid Transit line along Prospect Avenue, the agency continued its investment in technology designed to support operational efficiency and the passenger experience.

KCATA selected Luminator’s Infotainment system for the new 10-mile route. Two high-definition passenger information screens were installed on each new bus to provide route information, public service messages, news, weather, advertising and audio announcements.

A cellular connection allows KCATA to monitor the system in real time and gives staff flexibility to add urgent or unplanned messages. Geofencing also allows announcements and advertising to be associated with specific locations along the route.

Before deployment, KCATA tested Infotainment on an existing vehicle. The pilot helped KCATA and Luminator identify how Infotainment needed to communicate with the agency’s existing Intelligent Transportation System. Luminator completed the initial geofencing programming and provided onsite training for KCATA staff.

KCATA also worked with Luminator to implement the RoadRunner 4K Mobile Recording System on the new fleet. Integration between RoadRunner and Infotainment allows live onboard camera feeds to be displayed to riders.

The case study identifies three areas where Infotainment makes a difference for KCATA: route information, public information and revenue opportunities. At the time of publication, KCATA also reported positive early rider engagement around the MAX improvements.

Read the full case study here.