Improving the passenger experience is of paramount importance, especially in a post-pandemic world. It is essential to offer a system that is not only safe and reliable, but also simple, seamless, intuitive, and ultimately, enjoyable for all customers. It is no secret that the past few years have been challenging for public transport passengers. The transport sector has been struggling, not only with declining ridership but also with passenger concerns regarding safety and cleanliness.
Given these concerns, now is a particularly important time to focus on the passenger experience. If transit is not only to recover from the blow it suffered during the pandemic, but also to increase ridership, efforts must be redoubled to ensure that passenger needs are being met now. This is achieved by exploring ways to improve rides in the future.
The new vision for the passenger experience is to provide a reliable, safe, clean, and readily available transit experience for informed passengers, while striving to create an experience that is simple, seamless, and intuitive. Even though achieving this vision has been a struggle in recent years, having a robust system for travel service will aid in the recovery to surpass pre-COVID-19 levels.
That's why we're placing a special focus on improving the passenger experience in 2023 with a series of initiatives, as we continue to welcome passengers back to the system. These initiatives aren't just about getting things up and running again. We're looking at ways to take things to the next level, with new technology that will help passengers plan journeys and travel throughout the system.
Also prioritizing the needs of drivers
Some of the changes we are implementing directly address the safety and cleanliness issues that passengers have been raising. One of the most visible changes is the introduction of additional station agents at select locations. These agents will be available to answer questions, provide directions, and generally offer additional assistance and support to both drivers and passengers as needed.
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In-depth focus: Mobility as a service and as sustainable transport
The benefit of having multiple providers is that a single provider isn't the key to ensuring the necessary security of having full staffing 24/7. Even though we have a station attendant at our station, for several years now, passengers have expressed their preference for having someone on-site to assist them (at all service stations).
Station agents also provide another pair of customer-focused eyes at the station, enabling issues to be resolved quickly. These additional passenger touchpoints will provide an opportunity to assess how the role will function in busy stations where we see regular passengers more frequently.
Station staff aren't the only new faces passengers will see. Civilian security officers will also be deployed at stations and on board trains. This means passengers should expect to see more security officers throughout the travel service.
Staff are important, but so is the condition of the stations and trains. Station cleaning protocols must be intensified, and trash cans should be provided. Instead of waiting until passengers disembark for trains to be cleaned, they should be swept as soon as they arrive at the end of the line. Furthermore, improving station lighting is also essential.
Technology also plays a significant role in improving the passenger experience. Especially in recent and upcoming years, the web will assist passengers with trip planning and provide real-time notifications.
Accessible navigation will also be available, designed to offer passengers a fully accessible mobile application that allows them to navigate from a station entrance to a platform (and vice versa), selecting the route that best suits their mobility needs. Investing in technology that benefits the transportation service is thinking about customer comfort, driver efficiency, and company quality.
