Turning Real-Time Passenger Information Into Better Service Across the WMATA Network

Boosting Efficiency With Real-Time Passenger Information

February 2019

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) needed a reliable passenger information solution that could replace outdated static information with real-time updates and scale across its large service area.

The system also needed to consolidate Automatic Vehicle Location information from six different transit jurisdictions. WMATA selected Luminator to provide a turnkey solution that included hardware, software, installation, training, hosted services and ongoing support. Installation of the bus shelter signs began in 2014.

Across WMATA bus stations, shelters and stops, arrival and departure information is distributed to hundreds of signs using multi-jurisdiction GTFS Realtime. When real-time information is unavailable, scheduled information remains available until the feed returns.

The displays provide information in written and audible formats and support multiple languages. Luminator content management software also allows WMATA to create scheduled or ad hoc messages for public safety, service announcements, news and advertising, targeted by time, location or route.

The IP-based system communicates with individual signs and receives health and diagnostic information. This gives maintenance personnel information about failures before arriving at a sign. Automation also eliminated the need to manually replace paper information, which the original case study identifies as a tangible cost savings for WMATA.

Luminator cloud hosting provides the supporting IT infrastructure, maintenance and support while allowing the system to scale as WMATA's needs grow.

Read the full case study here.