SFMTA MUNI
Transit Trip Planner
Reduce Congestion by Increasing Ridership
THE CLIENT
San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA)
DATE
April 2015
THE PROBLEM
SFMTA wants to increase MUNI ridership during off-peak hours to alleviate congestion & increase revenue. They believe a new web app could help.
Riders and potential users are deeply unhappy with Muni service and how unpredictable it is.
Their frustration and disappointment stem from poor service, the mystery of muni timing, and the lack of control to manage the trip time.
THE SOLUTION
Empower riders with info and control
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Giving users more control will give them a better experience.
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Empowering people to plan their trips better will give them a greater sense of control.
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Focus on what happens before they get on the bus.
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Wait times will feel shorter, and they will actually be shorter with better planning.
MY ROLE
Interaction Designer
Participatory Design
Lead workshops
Developed personas
Sketch noting and whiteboarding
Storyboarding user flows
RESEARCH AND REPORTING
User research
Market and competitive analysis
User interviews
ITERATIVE DESIGN
Rapid prototypes
Testing
Peer reviews
Stakeholder reviews
INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
Web app design
Microinteractions
Wireframes
PRIMARY TOOLS
Hand sketching
Sketch App
Invision
"I’d rather ride my bike in the rain"
THE SOLUTION IS MORE CONTROL
NEXT LEVEL SOLUTION
INTERACTIVE BUS STOP MAP
Leverage and scale up the mobile app
Connect with Local Businesses
Use data visualization to better inform the users' expectations
Real-time geotracking for all Muni Vehicles for up-to-date location of the next bus
Trip planner for multiple stops and multiple means of transportation
INTEGRATE SFMTA STOPS WITH
LOCAL BUSINESSES
Local businesses can offer discounts targeted at passengers waiting at nearby bus stops.
MORE ACCURATE REAL-TIME DATA
Riders will feel more confident that they will arrive at their destination safely and on time.
With accurate arrival times of the entire bus line, passengers can even decide to skip the next bus in order to get a coffee or run errands.
DISCOVERY
WE INTERVIEWED DOZENS OF PEOPLE
INTERVIEW’S KEY QUESTIONS
- Who are non-riders and why do they not use Muni?
- How does SFMTA draw new riders?
- How does SFMTA encourage off-peak ridership?
REASONS PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO TAKE MUNI
Unreliable
I'm too impatient to wait
It's confusing
Crazy people + dirty
Slow; Faster to bike
Always Disappointed
I'd rather walk
It feels dangerous
Waited 40 minutes
Uber is instant
SYNTHESIS AND INSIGHTS
Perceived wait time can feel greater than actual wait times.
Many riders feel they wait about 50% longer than they actually do.
Wait times will feel shorter, and they can actually be shorter with better planning.
People want to know the last minute they can leave and still catch the bus.
Empowering people to plan their trips better will give them
a greater sense of control.
People prefer riding their bikes even though it may be much more difficult because it's still a better experience.
By focusing more on what happens before people even board the bus, you can significantly improve their experience on the bus.
SORTING, GROUPING, AFFINITIES
"People feel a deep lack of control when taking Muni"
Common Concerns
before even getting on the bus
At the center, people need more control
TEST THE SOLUTION
EARLY PROTOTYPES
Allow people to plan multiple-stop trips
Allow the use of multiple means of transportation
Allow them to see real-time location of the next bus
Create a safety rating system so people can determine which routes are best to take at night
Multiple-stop trips
Choice of multiple means of transportation
Real-time location of the next bus
Safety rating system
TESTING PAPER PROTOTYPES
Test prototypes to see if leveraging new technologies and integrating them with older technologies will improve the public transport experience
EARLY WIREFRAMES
HIGH RESOLUTION PROTOTYPES
BUS STOP SOLUTIONS
REAL-TIME UPDATES AT ALL BUS STOPS
Install the same interactive mobile app at all bus stops to dynamically communicate system-wide information
Live GPS locations of multiple bus lines, indicating bus distances by intersections with delays and news updates
Giving the rider up-to-date schedule information will remove anxiety and allow for better planning
INTERACTIVE TRIP PLANNING ON DYNAMIC TOUCHSCREEN DISPLAYS
Input multiple start and endpoints and get back a route and schedule recommendations
Allowing the rider to plan multiple-stop routes right at the stop will give them better control
Provide estimates of walking and biking times between stations, avoiding hills and high traffic areas
Bus routes that sync with bike routes
ADS FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES
SURROUNDING THE BUS STOPS
Displaying local businesses can bring in ad revenue and allow users to make a quick purchase while waiting for the next bus
Businesses can offer discounts targeted at passengers waiting at nearby bus stops.
THE CURE FOR BUS STOP BOREDOM AND THE LACK OF CONTROL
But that won't solve the deeper problem.
People need even more incentive if they are going to give up their cars.
They need:
FAST - AFFORDABLE - ENVIRONMENTALLY GREEN TRANSPORTS
Muni's outdated infrastructure has been riddled with delays for decades.
The vehicles have to use the streets, so traffic makes the trips slow, and delays are an epidemic.
OUT OF SCOPE / FUTURE SOLUTIONS
BRANDED MONORAILS
Large tech companies can help fund the train system in exchange for branding the cars.
With monorails, users can rely on a system that does not touch the streets and therefore is not affected by traffic.
Express trains can run along Van Ness and Geary's wide medians
Cheaper to build than subways
Less disruptive during construction
The system will become a tourist attraction similar to the vintage trolleys
COLOR-CODED BUS LINES
Recognize your bus from blocks away
Reduce anxiety when figuring out if that bus down the street is yours.
Color can create excitement
ONBOARD VIDEO DISPLAYS
Provide trip information, entertainment, and advertising
Letting people know where they are on the route, with all stops, cross streets, and ETA information reduces anxiety.
Entertainment can distract people, helping the time pass faster and making them feel safer, thus providing a superior experience.
