RTD LIGHT RAILEXPERIENCE DESIGN SPRING 2015by LAUREN HICKOK

INTRODUCTIONDenver’s Regional Transportation District (RTD) features the nation’s 8th most ridden light rail train service, boarding 87,000 passengers a day. The light rail, also branded TheRide, has six lines across 47 miles and 46 stations. Union Station–a gorgeously restored train depot that houses a luxury hotel and a variety of local shops and restaurants–is the biggest and located at the heart of Denver. The most recent addition to the light rail, the W line, goes from Union Station to Golden, and future plans include a line to Denver International Airport (DIA). Overall, the light rail is a safe and reliable form of public transportation. It is not, however, without it’s design issues.

DILEMMAThe most issues I personally came-upon when riding the light rail was figuring out how to get where I wanted to go and purchasing a ticket. In purchasing a ticket, I discovered that the machines were extremely outdated, and in some cases outright broken. The interface was okay, and easy enough to navigate, but it’s 2015–there has to be a better solution. On top of that, I found there was no real effective way to navigate exactly how to get where I was going. The only help there is at the platform is a map and a list of times. The ticket that prints out from the kiosks were pretty much useless–no information about the location you select on the machine, only zones. What’s the point of having only zones printed on there?

SOLUTIONS

APP

TICKET VENDING MACHINE INTERFACE

While there are several apps already developed that serve certain aspects of RTD–scheduling, mostly–there isn’t one that completely encompasses all interactive oppurtunities. For instance, there is no option available to purchase tickets or passes via mobile.

The current kiosks that are located on light rail platforms are extremely old and out of date. Some of the touchscreens barely work if at all. An updated interface would make the process easier for customers to purchase their tickets, thus making the entire faster and more efficient for everyone.

TRAIN

C D E F H W

The Light RailTheRide

The Light RailTheRide

The Light RailTheRide

The Light RailTheRide

The Light RailTheRide

The Light RailTheRide

The Light RailTheRide

The Light RailTheRide

The Light RailTheRide

Fira Sans

Fira Sans

Bree Edmondsans

Proxima Nova

Junction Open Sans Adelle Sans

Enzo Facit

LIGHT RAIL LINE ICONSThe font used above, and for the rest of the redesign, is Fira Sans. It is clean and easy to read, with enough variation within the letterforms to keep interesting.

ALERTS

As you scroll down the home screen, the top section compacts and becomes static.

Alerts appear at the top of the home screen. They can be expanded by tapping the plus sign

Upon opening the app, you see the time and the closest station to you displayed prominently. From here, users can select any of the main menu options or view alerts.

HOME SCREEN

TRIP PLANNING

1 Choose your destination

2 Map

3 Route overviewOnce the user has chosen a location, the quickest route will load. They then have the option to pick another route or buy tickets.

If someone doesn’t know the closest station to where they want to go, they can use the trip planner to determine the best route. They also have the option to view their search on a map.

TICKET BUYING1

2

3

4

TICKETS

MENUAccessible at any time, the menu slides the screen out, revealing all the selections available on the home page.

Tickets and passes appear as they do in real life. They can either be bought on the app, or scanned in. Each has a barcode on it that can be scanned by fare enforcers or ticket machines.

TICKET VENDING MACHINE (TVM)Clunky machines with tired touchscreens are replaced with a new model. The process of buying tickets is streamlined, and the interface is now colorful and friendly.

TVM INTERFACEThe interface is based off the mobile app version, with the addition of big buttons that fit the bigger screen.

TICKET VENDING MACHINE - BUYING TICKETS PROCESS