NYC Subway riders will soon have more information at their fingertips, as the On The Go Travel Station network of interactive kiosks expands to more subway stations across the sprawling network.
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MTA NYC Transit, which operates the subway and bus network in New York City, and its partners OUTFRONT Media (NYSE: OUT) and Intersection will add more of the digital screens as part of an extension of the current program – originally due to expire at the end of 2015, the current licenses have been extended to December 31, 2016.
To date, OUTFRONT Media has installed 52 Kiosks in 15 stations and Intersection has installed 93 Kiosks in 15 stations – combined, these Kiosks reach more than 1.5 million average weekday riders in Brooklyn, The Bronx, Manhattan and Queens.
The On The Go Travel Station is an innovative communications tool that provides NYC Transit subway customers with information about their complete trip, from trip planning, elevator and escalator status, train arrival information, bus arrival information, service status and subway and neighborhood maps.
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The Travel Stations offer customers an unprecedented amount of information accessible inside the subway system. The 47” interactive screen, which employs capacitive touch technology, is encased in a stainless steel kiosk located at subway station entrances, in station mezzanines and on platforms.
As part of this expansion, both OutFront and Intersection will add up to 90 more units each, bringing the potential total of machines up to 325 units from the current 145 units. As part of the program expansion Intersection, OUTFRONT Media and NYC Transit will work together to identify installation sites that would ultimately maintain current Kiosk fleet distribution ratios while prioritizing installation sites where Transit Wireless has completed installation of its cellular and Wi-Fi network.
Customer feedback to the digital screens has been favorable and the platform has won numerous awards for its innovative approach to incorporating way finding and other transit information in an interactive, digital signage format.
Commencing with the Q4 2014 edition, the On The Go Travel Station kiosk network is included in the Nielsen quarterly Place Based Video Report. Nielsen’s quarterly report measures audience impressions for video networks in out-of-home locations, offering agencies and networks an easier way to compare place- based advertising audiences to TV, Internet and Mobile. NYC Transit’s On The Go Travel Station network delivers the greatest number of gross-minute-impressions of any single market network included in the report, delivering a sizable audience with relevant messaging and advertising.
During this expansion, the parties will also work to refine the unique customer interface platforms, add new features, and explore the use of new interactive as well as mobile and other connective technologies.
NYC Transit installs and maintains the network of kiosks, working with each partner to correct any software or hardware issue in addition to assisting with platform upgrades. Installation of the additional units are expected to begin later this year.