International. With a population now approaching nine million, more than 200,000 businesses and a destination for a record 65 million tourists last year, New York's reputation as one of the most popular and powerful cities on the planet continues to grow.
But with great power, comes great responsibility. With more than 6,000 miles of roads in just 783 square kilometers, ease of navigation around the city and access to local information are crucial for residents (New Yorkers) and tourists.
The New York City Subway, which was first installed in 1904, is the city's most popular mode of transportation, with nearly six million people boarding trains from its 472 stations each day.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), a corporation responsible for public transportation in the U.S. state of New York, is in the midst of a $19 billion station and signal update program.
Traditionally, static signals have been used to provide standard weather information and a basic map of the local area at the entrances to subway stations. However, as part of the upgrade program, the MTA wanted to take a more digital approach, providing a broader, more versatile and enhanced public service and experience.
London-based Trueform Digital – designers, manufacturers and installers of indoor and outdoor displays for over 40 years – has a strong presence in New York, having designed, built and installed more than 1,000 bespoke signage products across the city over the past eight years (including Times Square) and was a natural choice for the upgrade.
Jonathan Morley, CEO of Trueform Digital, commented, "Our relationship with New York City was established about eight years ago and during this time, Trueform has secured long-term contracts and provided significant infrastructure throughout the city. This latest project is another extension of this great relationship."
The solution
In just four months, the Trueform team in the United States created a range of specially designed digital totem kiosks. Each incorporates an outdoor digital display, which provides live travel information (schedules/train status), local maps, plus the flexibility to display a variety of other different content and messages, including advertising.
The kiosks are fully protected (IP), specifically designed to withstand extreme weather conditions and temperatures (hot and cold), and can be seen in direct sunlight. They have also been designed using materials to resist aggressive acts of vandalism and can be monitored and managed completely remotely, ensuring minimal downtime in case something goes wrong.
As part of the station upgrade program, 10 kiosks (referred to simply as "digital customer information totems") have been successfully installed throughout the city so far. The facilities have been instantly acclaimed by the public, providing higher levels of information and participation, while helping people get where they want to be. More built Trueform kiosks will be added as the upgrade program continues.
Jonathan Morley, CEO of Trueform Digital, added: "Trueform had a proven track record of successfully delivering products in transportation environments over many business years. We know what we are doing, and this experience makes the decision to choose Trueform over less experienced competitors clear.
"We are incredibly proud to have provided such an important piece of public transportation technology to one of the world's most iconic transit agencies in one of the world's most iconic cities."
