InteractiveBetaVersion ofToolBlendsAccuracy and Simplicity, AllowsCustomerstoPlan Trips and Navigate System in Real Time
Digital MapReflectsService Changesin Real-TimeandWill Replacethe Static‘Weekender’
Map WasDevelopedProBonobyNYC-BasedWork & Co, via the Transit Innovation Partnership,is a First for a North American TransitSystem
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Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)officials todaylaunched the newdigital "Live Subway Map,”a first of its kind guide to navigating the subway system in real time. The new map, whichallowsriders toplantripsmore easilyby taking into accountservice changes andseeingtrain movementsas they happen, is the byproductofan18 month-long public-private partnership between the MTA, the Transit Innovation Partnership and Brooklyn-based global design and technology firm Work & Co. Currently in itsbetaphase, the mapwhich can beaccessed atmap.mta.info,willultimatelyreplaceTheWeekender andwillserve as the primaryinteractivemeansformoving around thesubway system.
The ambitious project marks the subway map’s first major redesign infour decades,replacing the iconic design byUnimarkInternational and Michael Hertz Associates seen widely on printed maps today. The Live Subway Mapbetamerges the best features of the existing printed map with the distinctive “Vignelli”approachofThe Weekenderby overlaying clear and detailed track routes atop a geographically-correct street grid thatbecomesmore detailed as the user zooms in.
Work& Co designed and developed the web-based digital tool on acompletelypro bono basiswith the goal of makingthe lives of New Yorkers easier.Highly customer friendly, the map allows customers to navigate thesystem in an intuitive and digital way. Customers will no longer have to read through printedstation signage to determine how they should travel throughout the system.
In another first, the Live Subway Mapbetashows the locations of trains as they move along the system in real time.
“Thisbetamapis part ofa variety ofeffortswe’re takingto provide ourcustomers withtoolsto helpensure their trips are as easy and dependable as possible,”said Sarah Feinberg, InterimPresident ofNew York City Transit.“We want rider feedback as wecontinue todevelop thisexcitingnew tool. Especially valuable at a time when the MTA is facing a fiscal crisis of unprecedented magnitude because of COVID-19, Iwant to thankWork& Cofor thisincrediblecontributionto the transit system and to all New Yorkers.”
“Every rider has had the experience where we get on a train one weekend, look up from our phones and see a place we didn’t expect to see. When New Yorkers use this map, that will no longerhappen,”said Sarah Meyer,New York City TransitChief Customer Officer.The map thatWork& Cohas generously donated to thepeopleof New York—willmake their lives easier.”
A key benefit ofthenew digitalmapisafeatureto customize for individual rider journeys. With just a few taps, a time filter allows users to decide if they view current train service or future servicewith“Now,” “Tonight”and“Weekend"options.
Byselecting “Tonight,”a user can see what the map will look like after 9p.m.to reflect nighttime service changes.An accessibilitybuttonhighlights accessible stations.
When userstap on a specific station,they’ll see informationthat lists the trains that arrive at that station, and the arrival times for any train scheduled to arrive within an hour. This is achievedusingexisting MTA data already feeding countdown clocks, theMYmtaapp and various third-party apps.
“Modernizing transitis integral to New York City’s recovery and the MTA Live Subway Map brings more information to transit customers at this critical time,”said Rachel Haot, Executive Director of the Transit Innovation Partnership.“We applaud our partners atWork& Co and the MTA for collaboratively developing a first-of-its-kind digital tool that transforms the transit experience and for their shared commitment to innovation.”
"We saw an opportunity to help New York City by building a tool appropriate for our time,”said Felipe Memoria, founding partner atWork& Co, whichworks with brands such as Apple, IKEA and Mercedes. "As designers we admire the history of the MTA’s legendary printed maps, but technology enables us to create something more powerful. The Live Subway Map design incorporates the geometric clarity of MassimoVignelli’sdiagram with the geographical and organic curves of the Hertz map. With this new tool, train lines are up-to-date, and servicechanges are represented visually.We are laying the foundation for transit systems around the world to adopt real-time maps that further encourage the use of public transportation."
The LiveSubwayMap’s first iteration is already robust,andthe map will continue to evolve based uponuserfeedback, which can be submittedthrough the map site.
Features of the MTA Live Subway Mapbetainclude:
- Automatically updating train lines:Train lines will redraw themselves using real-time data to illustrate current and accurate train service status.Sections of trainlines fade outwherea train line is not running and are denoted with dashes if trains are running in a single direction.
- Moving trains:The user will see trains moving that help signal to users that the map is live and also reflect real-time locations of trains throughout the subway system.
- Zoom-In features:Greater map detailisexposed as the user zooms in, including the ability to see individual train lines, subway entrances, station names,andstreetlocations andnames.
- Subway accessibility:The new map highlights accessible stations and provides updates to accessibility related equipment like elevators and escalators.
- Emergency alerts:The map uses the MTA’sdata feedto conveyofficial MTA communications for emergencies.
- Airports:The map visualizes both of NYC’s major airports and the primary means of accessing themvia the MTA system.The mapindicateswhich train lines connect withbuses and the AirTrain to be able to access the airports. Users can taporclick on an airport to learn even more about how to access the airport using public transportation.
- Add tohomescreenfor quick reference:iPhoneand Androidusers can add the map to theirhomescreento access the map more quickly. Theweb-basedmap then behaves like astandaloneapp. Future integration with theMYmtaapp may be developed.
- Dynamic and shareable URL:The URL will store the location a user is looking at, the zoom level they are on, the train line they've filtered by, and whether or not accessibility mode is turned on. This allows users to share exactly what they are looking at with each other, or, to saveor bookmarka uniqueURL based on their preferred train line.
About MTA
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is North America's largestpublictransportation network, serving a population of 15.3 million people across a 5,000-square-mile travel area surrounding New York City through Long Island, southeastern New York State, and Connecticut.
The MTA networkcomprises the nation’s largest bus fleet and more subway and commuter rail cars than all other U.S. transit systems combined. The MTA's operating agencies are MTA New York City Transit, MTA Bus, Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North Railroad, and MTA Bridges and Tunnels.
For more information, visithttps://new.mta.info.
About Transit Innovation Partnership
The Transit Innovation Partnership is a public-private initiative formed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Partnership for New York City with the mission to make New York the global leader in public transit. A board of leaders from academia, business, civic organizations and government guides the Transit Innovation Partnership, which brings together diverse stakeholders to realize public-private projects that address top-priority challenges.
Learn more athttps://transitinnovation.org.
AboutWork& Co:
Work & Co is a technology and design company that creates breakthrough digital products and experiences.It has over400designers,engineers, and productexpertsin the United States, Europe and South America,and its clients include IKEA, Apple, Epic Games, Mercedes,Mailchimp,Airbnb, Etsy, Gatorade, Planned Parenthood, and more.
Learn more athttps://work.co/.
View the presentation deck from the new conferencehere(Apple Keynote required).
