Digitally Enhanced Commuting

Simplicity is king

Dan Roche, Vice President and Public Sector Lead at Publicis Sapient, says effective design of services and interfaces is at the heart of urban digital transformation. He argues travelers should be exposed to the minimal amount of data to help them make smarter decisions or feel better about the commute. But anything excessive might backfire and create more stress.

There’s a difference between data for their own sake and useful information, between the frivolous and actionable. One compounds headaches. The other comforts and aids in decision-making.

“What does the user have to be aware of? And what data help them make better choices? Beyond that it’s actually destructive. It’s no longer of any use,” Roche said.

Gimmickry might create small endorphin rushes but doesn’t have staying power. For instance, he said, it would not be helpful to have a digital subway map with every train’s location at any given point in time. This technology may be alluring at first but would get old quickly.

A lesson from graphic design

Roche invoked Washington, DC’s metro map as an example of good, user-focused visual design that’s attuned to transmitting information efficiently (even if the system is plagued with other problems). The map is comprised of mostly straight, boldly colored lines, heading north, south, east, west, or perfectly diagonal--without letters or numbers. The stylized map also shows each station equally spaced apart. None of this accurately conveys what’s actually happening.

“If you get in the orange line, there are big and small gaps, left and right turns, up and down,” Roche said. “Is the map accurate? Is it geographically pure? No. But does it need to be? You need to get tourists in and out of the city, many of whom don’t know English very well. This gets it done.”

The London Tube map designed by technical draftsman Harry Beck in 1931 pioneered this clean and sleek technique–clearly influencing DC, as well as Madrid, Paris, and Moscow. The differently stylized New York subway map, on the other hand, is more geographically accurate and could even double as a walking map if necessary. But critics argue the added accuracy and information resulted in a cumbersome design that’s difficult for tourists to navigate.

A study conducted by Google and psychologists at the University of Basel in Zurich, Switzerland on internet-user experience in 2012 found that people dependably rated simple websites as more beautiful than complex alternatives. And these conclusions were reached within the first 50 milliseconds of seeing the design.

Learning from the best

It’s difficult to praise subway systems because pleasant experiences rarely make good stories. Despite the Herculean task of transporting millions of people every day, we mostly complain whenever things go wrong but seldom express gratitude when things go right–even on the best subways.

Although it’s difficult to definitively rank the world’s greatest subway systems, some routinely appear toward the tops of these lists, such as Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong, Seoul, London, and Paris.

What catapults these systems toward the top? The basics done well. Reliable. Fast. Punctual. Clean. Well-lit. Comfortable. Safe. Easy to navigate.

Dataful solutions

In order to create beneficial digital experiences, transit authorities should consult data on the travel patterns of their customers and the technological shortcomings of their current systems to meet these demands.

Effective digital transformation of metro systems should focus first-and-foremost on seizing the space between here and next–developing dataful digital solutions to help struggling systems improve their fundamentals.

Improving the customer experience and collecting data for further developments can be done simultaneously. For instance, the Minneapolis Institute of Art’s Journeys App, developed with Publicis Sapient, allows users to curate their own tours based on which artworks they most want to see and learn as they go. All the while, the data collected tells staff how visitors are using the museum so they can adjust their communications and programs to give visitors exactly what they need. Similar apps for metro travelers could provide comparable benefits.

Free Wi-Fi and cell phone service could help the time pass quicker and climate-controlled cars could make travel more comfortable. But using foot traffic numbers to determine which subway lines need more trains or installing digital arrival signs could truly elevate the subway experience.

Advanced fare collection

Another way subway systems are improving rail travel is by streamlining the purchase process.

Unlike most mass transit systems, which operate at a deficit that requires government subsidies, Hong Kong’s Mass Transit Railway (MTR) Corporation is completely self-sustaining in part thanks to its “rail plus property” model. The corporation, which reported a net profit of more than HK$16 billion in 2018, makes money from its real estate investments as well as transit operations. MTR’s financial stability enables bold moves and advancements in the services it provides. 

In the mid ‘90s, MTR pioneered advanced contactless smart cards with the Octopus card, which has a built-in microchip that can now be used on all public transport in the region. This advancement inspired similar systems around the world including London’s Oyster smartcard.

Since 2014, travelers on the London Underground were given an additional option with the Future Ticketing Programme, which allows travelers to use contactless credit and debit cards. This transition coincided with the overall adoption of contactless purchases throughout London.

Shashi Verma, the chief technology officer at Transport for London (TfL), the government body responsible for Greater London’s public transit, said in a statement that they are delighted with how popular the contactless option has become.

According to a 2019 report from TfL, customer satisfaction on the London Underground has been consistently high–fluctuating around 85 percent–since 2014. Annual surveys have shown an overall rider satisfaction increase this century.

“We are also now working with other world cities to share our experience and knowledge to help them introduce a similar ticketing system in the coming years,” Verma said.

But digitizing private transport in London recently hit a roadblock. On Nov. 25, TfL announced it would not renew ridesharing company Uber’s license, citing a “pattern of failures” that placed passenger safety and security at risk, such as letting passengers get into cars with drivers who are “potentially unlicensed and uninsured.” According to TfL, a change to Uber’s system had allowed unauthorized drivers to upload their photos to other drivers’ accounts. 

Although New York never adopted smart cards and still uses the MetroCard, a magnetic stripe card introduced in the early ‘90s, the city is in the midst of rolling out the same contactless technology that’s already available in London. With this new system, OMNY, New Yorkers can use contactless bank cards or smartphone digital wallets to travel at select stations in Manhattan and buses on Staten Island.

“Our customers have adopted OMNY at impressive levels during the public pilot and I expect that to continue now that we're beginning to roll out to the rest of the system," Al Putre, the OMNY program executive, said in a statement on Nov. 12.

“We are working relentlessly to deliver this new fare payment system effectively through meticulous and continuous testing and monitoring,” he continued. “We are excited to start this next phase to bring all MTA customers the ease and convenience of tapping at the turnstile.”

Time will tell if these changes improve the overall subway experience for New Yorkers. Earlier this year, City Council Speaker Corey Johnson’s office released a survey of roughly 10,000 subway riders. Sixty-two percent of participants said they were either “not satisfied” or “highly unsatisfied” with the service. The most common complaints were delays, overcrowded trains, and frequent route changes.

Future of subways

The key to digitally transforming subway systems throughout the world is making the traveler's experience easier. That’s it. New technology can help transit systems achieve this goal, as long as it’s not superfluous or more trouble than it’s worth.

Digital solutions can help advanced metro systems hone what’s already there and developing systems close the gap.

Data can help guide these developments to offer a user-focused, digitally enhanced transit experience. But taking a cue from design strategy, we don’t need to burden travelers with these data–just their benefits.