Our Audio Beacons Guide the Blind and Visually Impaired at the Helsinki Subway

Our Audio Beacons Guide the Blind and Visually Impaired at the Helsinki Subway

by | 10 Mar, 2023

The inside of the Kivenlahti subway station with audio beacons outside and inside the platform door announcing the direction of the subway line and Glowway light emitting yellow tactile path guiding the right place of the train accessible door.

Our Audio Beacons Guide the Blind and Visually Impaired at the Helsinki Subway

Our audio beacons equip the new line of the Helsinki subway in Finland. They help blind and visually impaired people locate the points of interest of a station. 

For users with visual impairments and the subway alike, this new system represents quite a change. Before our audio beacons, a permanent  audio signage solution was in place. This means there was constant noise pollution.

We asked Juha Sylberg, Accessibility expert at Axessible and a member of the Finnish Federation of the Visually Impaired (FFVI), who developed the project, to tell us why using our audio beacons was necessary. And how it has improved the users’ experience.

For this solution to be adopted by blind and visually impaired people, Juha Sylberg worked closely with associations. Their feedback was essential to make sure our audio beacons truly met their needs.

What are the issues met by blind or visually impaired people when they use the subway in Helsinki? 

When you cannot see the signs, finding the route from the entrance of a new station to the platform is complex. For a blind rider to use the station, he must beforehand visit the station with a guide, learn the route and keep it in mind for the next time he visits the station. 

In wintertime, the tactile path outside the station is covered with snow. The audio signs are the only landmarks that help visually impaired people locate the entrance of a station.

The Helsinki subway ordered 50 of our NAVIGUEO+ HIFI audio beacons to equip its new stations. What was your role in this project? 

The new subway line from Helsinki to Espoo is fully equipped with those smart audio beacons. The guiding audio and tactile path is continuous from the entrance to the elevators and down to the platform for riders to go to the accessible door of the train. 

In the next station, the path is continuous from the same train door to the exit. The audio beacons at the exit announce the bus stops outside the station. 

My role was to work in close connection with the architect designing the accessible routes of the stations and find the right decision points like where audio information was needed. Together with the architect we designed a safe and easy accessible route from a bus stop to the train. After the route was planned, my role was to describe it in words and save the messages in the audio beacons.

The audio beacons have four levels of information in three languages. The level of information depends on the users’ preferences.

For a daily trip from home to school, a jingle, a short bird song, is enough to locate the door.

A person who doesn’t use the subway line everyday can also listen to the short message, the names of the door and subway line.

A person who visits the subway station for the first time can listen to the long message, a verbal turn-by-turn description from the entrance to the next audio beacon. The next audio beacon tells again the route forward until the person is at the right platform outside the right train door.

The fourth message tells the opening hours of the station and the possible exceptions for the night-time walking routes.    

Can you explain the standard audio beacons in Finland used before our NAVIGUEO+ HIFI audio beacons?

The standard audio beacons emit a sound night and day, always at the same volume when powered. That is the reason why their use was limited in areas with people living nearby. The neighbors are the most common reason the existing old beacons are shutting down. The old beacons are also often vandalized because the continuous sound irritates some people.

We wanted to increase the number of sound beacons but it was obvious no one was willing to use those old irritating beacons anymore.

You worked with associations of users with visual impairments. What role did these associations play in the implementation of these audio beacons?

It was a process of many years to convince our elderly members to accept a new system. At the beginning, they were against the system which requires an extra device for activation like a remote control or a smartphone app. 

But after Helsinki arranged for an evaluation and invited a number of visually impaired people to test the system, all the test users said it was better than the old system.

After that, it became obvious that all new beacons are a smart system thanks to on demand activation.

But for an easier transition, we’ve kept some beacons that emit a continuous jingle for the visually impaired riders who aren’t familiar with the new system yet. 

The Helsinki subway is a perfect example of a user-centered accessibility approach. Our audio beacons represent an efficient audio signage solution that can easily be implemented worldwide. They improve the mobility and the autonomy of blind and visually impaired users without disturbing other categories of users.

And for those of you who wonder, yes, our audio beacons can resist winter conditions. At the subway station of Kuopio, temperatures can go below 30 degrees Celsius.

Want to know more about audio beacons? Check out this article: 

7 Good Reasons to Install Audio Beacons at Your Public Transport Network

Published on March 10th, 2023

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The entrance of the Kivenlahti subway station with an audio beacon integrated in the platform door panel.

In wintertime, the tactile path outside the station is covered with snow. The audio signs are the only landmarks that help visually impaired people locate the entrance of a station.

writer

Carole Martinez

Carole Martinez

Content Manager & Copywriter

READ CAROLE'S BIO

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powered by okeenea

The French leading company

on the accessibility market.

ABOUT US

For more than 25 years, we have been developing architectural access solutions for buildings and streets. Everyday, we rethink today’s cities to transform them in smart cities accessible to everyone.

By creating solutions ever more tailored to the needs of people with disabilities, we push the limits, constantly improve the urban life and make the cities more enjoyable for the growing majority.

7 Good Reasons to Install Audio Beacons at Your Public Transport Network

7 Good Reasons to Install Audio Beacons at Your Public Transport Network

by | 17 Feb, 2023

A woman is getting down a subway station in New York City

7 Good Reasons to Install Audio Beacons at Your Public Transport Network

Have you heard of audio beacons? It’s probably one of the most effective solutions to help blind and visually impaired people find their way in a complex venue.

In a public transport system, audio beacons act as landmarks. Installed at different points of information, they enable the visually impaired to get down at a subway platform with more autonomy.

How do audio beacons work? What are their benefits? 

Let’s have a look at 7 ways this audio signage solution can help your riders and employees alike.

1. Audio beacons are an efficient audio signage solution

Hearing is the most used sense by people with vision disabilities. This means that in the U.S., around 12 million people with partial or complete vision loss rely on their hearing to find their way or apprehend their environment. 

And that’s where audio beacons step in. They emit information through a loudspeaker. Audio beacons are an efficient audio signage solution that enables blind and visually impaired people to:

⊗ Locate the entrance of a subway station.

⊗ Locate the elevator to get down the station.

⊗ Locate any points of interest (ticket counter, restrooms, baggage lockers, shops…).

⊗ Reach the platform: audio beacons can tell users the line directions so that they can easily know what platform they need to use.

2. No noise pollution for users

Although audio beacons provide a high-quality sound to cover ambient noise, they know how to be discreet. 

These audio beacons work with on demand activation. This means they only state their message when a visually impaired user activates them.

No risk for other users to be bothered by constant noise.

3. Audio beacons are easy to use for blind and visually impaired people

Now you must wonder how people with visual impairments activate audio beacons. 

With 2 devices: a remote control and a free smartphone app. This means the remote activation of audio beacons is entirely in their hands.

They have these devices at all times when they use public transportation.

For you as a public transit network, this entails that you don’t have to provide the activation devices. You only need to set up audio beacons at the points of interest of your network.

And of course, you need to make sure the system works well to guide blind and visually impaired people.

4. Audio beacons are easy to set up

You can upload up to 5 personalized messages. Audio beacons can give temporary or permanent information like an elevator failure, a delayed train or the direction of a trainline and timetables.

It all depends on what blind and visually impaired people need to know for their trip to be comfortable. Keep in mind they need to have the same information as sighted people.

Plus, you can easily set up the volume of the messages. At night time, depending on how busy a station is, you can lower the volume for the comfort of all users.

5. An inexpensive audio signage solution

Audio beacons are less expensive than guide paths. And also a better fit for the architecture of the network. They’re more discreet but as efficient as another signage system.

Plus, audio beacons don’t need any maintenance. They’re robust and designed to equip complex environments like public transport networks.

6. More autonomy for people with vision disabilities thanks to audio beacons

With audio beacons, they can easily navigate your network by themselves, find the right bus, get on and off a subway train… 

This means your employees are just here to give them information if they need it. You don’t need to hire extra employees to guide blind and visually impaired people.

They get around with complete autonomy thanks to the audio beacons you set up. It’s a win-win solution.

7. A system praised by the blind and visually impaired and public transit authorities in France

More than 300 stations of the railway company SNCF (National society of French railroads) are equipped with audio beacons. 

At the RATP (Autonomous Parisian Transportation Administration) in charge of public transport in Paris, it’s more than 2000 audio beacons deployed in 302 subway stations and 65 train stations. 

Why do audio beacons represent such a success in French public transport? 

Probably because of a study by the Institute of Vision made in France. According to it, 80% of the blind and visually impaired people find that audio beacons are the most useful device for them.

The study also showed how efficient audio beacons are: 100% of users managed to locate the entrance of a building equipped with an audio beacon. Without this audio beacon, only 20% of users were able to find the entrance. 

To sum up, audio beacons enable people with visual impairments to:

⊗ Get around with autonomy in a complex environment,

⊗ Use public transport,

⊗ Access practical information,

⊗ Find their bearings with safety.

Is your public transit network the next one to implement audio beacons?

Want to know more about improving the mobility of people with disabilities on public transport? Check out these articles:

Paratransit Services for People with Disabilities: Yes You Can Reduce Their Costs

How Innovation Promises to Revolutionize Accessibility in the New York City Subway

How Can Multimodal Transit Centers Be Accessible for People with Disabilities?

Published on February 17th, 2023

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An audio beacon at Okeenea's entrance

Audio beacons can give temporary or permanent information like an elevator failure, a delayed train or the direction of a trainline and timetables. (…) Keep in mind the visually impaired need to have the same information as sighted people.

writer

Carole Martinez

Carole Martinez

Content Manager & Copywriter

READ CAROLE'S BIO

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powered by okeenea

The French leading company

on the accessibility market.

ABOUT US

For more than 25 years, we have been developing architectural access solutions for buildings and streets. Everyday, we rethink today’s cities to transform them in smart cities accessible to everyone.

By creating solutions ever more tailored to the needs of people with disabilities, we push the limits, constantly improve the urban life and make the cities more enjoyable for the growing majority.

How to Foster Inclusive Mobility at Public Transit?

How to Foster Inclusive Mobility at Public Transit?

by | 18 Nov, 2022

A train arriving at the JaySt-MetroTech subway station in New York City where tests are currently being held to foster inclusive mobility

How to Foster Inclusive Mobility at Public Transit?

Vous avez probablement entendu parler de mobilité inclusive, mais savez-vous ce que cela signifie concrètement ? Pour les transports publics du monde entier, cette notion prend de plus en plus d’importance et devient plus réaliste à mettre en œuvre, car de nombreuses solutions d’accessibilité permettent aux personnes handicapées d’utiliser les transports publics.

Car c’est précisément ce qu’implique la mobilité inclusive. Elle offre aux personnes en situation de handicap plus de liberté et de spontanéité pour se rendre facilement au travail, assister au récital de leur enfant, boire un verre avec leurs amis…

Voyons quelles solutions de mobilité inclusive vous pouvez mettre en place pour les transports en commun de votre ville. Vous pourrez ainsi offrir un service de qualité aux usagers en situation de handicap.

Qu’est-ce que la mobilité inclusive ?

Un concept dont vous avez sûrement entendu parler, mais que vous n’avez peut-être pas pris le temps de décrypter. Que signifie la mobilité inclusive ?

Il s’agit de créer un environnement sans barrières où tous les types d’utilisateurs, quels que soient leurs capacités, peuvent facilement aller et venir. 

Après tout, la mobilité est la capacité de se déplacer librement. Et l’inclusion représente l’idée que chacun devrait pouvoir se rendre dans n’importe quel lieu, profiter des mêmes activités ou expériences, bénéficier des mêmes services …

Bien entendu, cela concerne les personnes handicapées. Pour que la mobilité inclusive devienne une réalité pour elles, les transports en commun doivent être accessibles.

Plusieurs idées sont en jeu avec la mobilité inclusive pour les personnes handicapées :

 ⊗ Améliorer leur indépendance, leur autonomie et leur spontanéité dans leurs déplacements,

 ⊗ S’assurer qu’ils n’ont pas à s’adapter aux transports en commun . C’est aux transports en commun de s’adapter à leurs besoins et à leurs capacités.

 ⊗ Leur offrir les mêmes choix qu’à tout le monde : la possibilité d’utiliser les transports en commun s’ils le souhaitent. 

Quelles solutions permettent une mobilité inclusive dans les transports en commun ?

Équipements accessibles, applications numériques, il existe toute une variété de solutions pour rendre les transports en commun inclusifs pour les usagers en situation de handicap :

 ⊗ Ascenseurs,

 ⊗ Escaliers mécaniques,

 ⊗ Escaliers avec nez de marche, rampes et contraste visuel

 ⊗ Rampes d’accès,

 ⊗ Comptoirs abaissés,

 ⊗ Contrôle de validité des billettes réduites,

 ⊗ Chemins de guidage tactiles,

 ⊗ Pictogrammes,

 ⊗ Annonces visuelles et sonores… 

Toutes ces solutions vous semblent peut-être être familiales, mais d’autres méritent une attention particulière. Elles révolutionnent l’accessibilité des transports en commun.

 ⊗ Balises audio : une solution qui aide les personnes aveugles et malvoyantes à localiser l’entrée d’une station de métro, l’ascenseur, le distributeur de billets, le guichet et tout autre service disponible au sein du réseau. 

Les usagers aveugles et malvoyants ont besoin d’un système de signalisation sonore pour s’orienter et aux informations efficaces. Le message de la balise sonore peut indiquer le sens de la ligne ou les horaires.

Les balises audio sont très faciles à installer, à entretenir et économiques. Grâce à cet équipement, les employés ne sont plus sollicités pour guider une personne malvoyante. Ils peuvent se concentrer sur son aide en lui fournissant les informations ou les services dont elle a besoin. 

 ⊗ Applications de navigation : les applications de navigation intérieure accessibles et inclusives existent-elles vraiment ? La réponse est oui. Notre application de navigation Evelity prend en compte tous les types de handicap. Elle s’adapte ainsi à chaque utilisateur, quelles sont ses capacités.

Personnes aveugles et malvoyantes : Evelity fournit des instructions audio étape par étape grâce à un lecteur d’écran (VoiceOver pour iOS et TalkBack pour Android).

Personnes sourdes et malentendantes : instructions visuelles avec texte et icônes.

Personnes en situation de handicap physique : instructions visuelles. L’application propose des itinéraires personnalisés. Par exemple, un utilisateur de fauteuil roulant ne dispose que d’itinéraires sans marches pour une expérience optimale.

Personnes handicapées mentales : instructions et icônes faciles à lire et à comprendre.

Evelity est donc la solution idéale pour la mobilité inclusive d’un réseau de transport public. C’est pourquoi le métro de Marseille a choisi de la déployer sur l’ensemble de son réseau . Elle a également posé le pied sur le sol américain : Evelity est actuellement testé à la station JaySt-MetroTech de New York .

Quelle est la solution idéale pour rendre les transports en commun accessibles ?

 ⊗ Il s’adapte véritablement à tous les types de handicaps.

 ⊗ Sa technologie lui permet de donner des instructions précises, étape par étape. En effet, sa géolocalisation offre une précision de 1,2 m afin de guider les usagers en toute sécurité dans un réseau de transport en commun.

 ⊗ Il permet aux usagers de s’orienter facilement et en toute autonomie. Ils peuvent utiliser les transports en commun comme tout le monde.   

 ⊗ Une application de navigation intérieure est moins coûteuse que les travaux de rénovation pour rendre accessibles les anciens réseaux de métro. C’est précisément l’une des raisons pour lesquelles la MTA a choisi de tester des solutions numériques à la station JaySt-MetroTech. 

Le phygital est-il la voie vers une mobilité inclusive ?

La combinaison d’équipements accessibles et de solutions numériques permet aux transports publics d’être inclusifs et accessibles. Grâce au phygital, les usagers en situation de handicap peuvent mieux interagir avec les solutions accessibles mises à leur disposition au sein d’un réseau de transport public. 

Car c’est bien là l’enjeu : permettre aux personnes handicapées d’utiliser facilement les transports en commun pour gagner en liberté et en spontanéité dans leurs déplacements.

Une solution numérique associée à des équipements physiquement accessibles garantit une mobilité inclusive pour toutes les catégories de personnes. C’est ce qu’on appelle le phygital.

Mais pour qu’une application de navigation fonctionne correctement, un équipement physiquement accessible reste nécessaire. Car, bien sûr, une personne en fauteuil roulant ne peut pas utiliser Evelity s’il n’y a pas d’ascenseur ou de rampe d’accès aux transports en commun. 

Les transports en commun ont besoin du meilleur des deux mondes.  

Qu’est-ce qu’une expérience phygitale et comment peut-elle améliorer l’accessibilité de votre lieu ?

Pourquoi est-il si important de mettre en œuvre une mobilité inclusive dans les transports en commun ?

Conformément à l’ADA, les transports en commun doivent être accessibles aux personnes handicapées. Des services de transport adapté ont été mis en place lorsque des itinéraires fixes ne sont pas entièrement ou pas du tout accessibles afin d’aider les personnes handicapées à se déplacer. Mais ces services sont coûteux. De plus, ils ont toujours été conçus comme temporaires, le temps que les transports en commun soient accessibles.

Services de transport adapté pour les personnes handicapées : oui, vous pouvez réduire leurs coûts

Mais le problème est que le temps joue en défaveur des transports publics. En effet, un tribunal fédéral a récemment statué contre la MTA pour des raisons d’accessibilité.

La plainte a été déposée après que la MTA a rénové la station Middletown Road dans le Bronx où aucun ascenseur n’a été installé pour permettre aux personnes handicapées d’accéder à la station.

Cependant, l’ADA exige l’installation d’un ascenseur chaque fois qu’un réseau de transport public rénove une station d’une manière qui affecte sa praticabilité, quel qu’en soit le coût. La seule préoccupation demeure la faisabilité technique de ces rénovations. 

Il est à noter que seulement 25 % des 472 stations de métro de la ville de New York étaient accessibles en 2018, laissant ainsi de côté les personnes handicapées qui ne peuvent pas voyager avec la MTA.

Heureusement, la MTA s’engage à faire de l’accessibilité et de la mobilité inclusive une réalité pour eux en se concentrant sur des solutions numériques comme Evelity.

Comment l’innovation promet de révolutionner l’accessibilité dans le métro de New York

Bear in mind that in the United States, 45% of Americans have no access to public transit. This means that what happens in New York City could set an example for other major cities in the country. 

With phygital solutions, inclusive mobility is within our grasp. Public transit can truly be accessible and inclusive for all users. The question now is: are you ready for more accessibility?

Want to know more about the accessibility of public transportation? Check out these articles:

MBTA: a Global Model of Accessible Public Transportation

Le métro de Montréal en route vers l’accessibilité universelle

Comment aider les personnes handicapées à vivre une meilleure expérience dans le métro ?

Publié le 18 novembre 2022

© Okeenea

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A blind woman uses Evelity in the Lyon metro for inclusive mobility

The combination of both accessible equipment and digital solutions enables public transit to be inclusive and accessible. With phygital, riders with disabilities can better interact with the accessible solutions at their disposal within a public transit network.

writer

Carole Martinez

Carole Martinez

Content Manager & Copywriter

READ CAROLE'S BIO

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Evelity, the first wayfinding solution for all types of disabilities in public and private facilities

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powered by okeenea

The French leading company

on the accessibility market.

ABOUT US

For more than 25 years, we have been developing architectural access solutions for buildings and streets. Everyday, we rethink today’s cities to transform them in smart cities accessible to everyone.

By creating solutions ever more tailored to the needs of people with disabilities, we push the limits, constantly improve the urban life and make the cities more enjoyable for the growing majority.

Paratransit Services for People with Disabilities: Yes You Can Reduce Their Costs

Paratransit Services for People with Disabilities: Yes You Can Reduce Their Costs

by | 21 Oct, 2022

A man in a wheelchair in the streets

Paratransit Services for People with Disabilities: Yes You Can Reduce Their Costs

En tant que directeur général d’une société de transport, vous savez combien il est difficile de fournir un système de transport public fiable à tous les usagers. Et combien il est coûteux de mettre en place des services de transport adapté pour les personnes handicapées.

Mais vous pouvez réduire leurs coûts tout en maintenant un service de qualité pour tous les usagers. Comment ? Grâce à une application innovante capable de guider les personnes en situation de handicap au sein de votre réseau de transports en commun. 

La technologie, combinée à des équipements physiques accessibles, peut apporter des changements significatifs dans la vie quotidienne des personnes handicapées. Vers une mobilité inclusive. 

Après tout, les services de transport adapté n’ont été mis en place que pour permettre aux réseaux de transport en commun d’être plus accessibles. Et il semble que ce moment soit venu.

Attachez vos ceintures et découvrez ce que l’avenir des transports vous réserve. Vous verrez, cet avenir n’est pas si lointain…

Quelle solution peut être plus rentable que les services de transport adapté ?

Jetons un œil aux technologies innovantes, plus précisément à une application de navigation intérieure conçue pour les personnes en situation de handicap : Evelity .

Une application unique qui peut aider les usagers handicapés à naviguer dans votre système de transport en commun en toute autonomie :

⊗ Evelity est conçu pour s’adapter à chaque type de profil :

     ⊗ Un utilisateur aveugle ou malvoyant dispose d’instructions audio grâce à VoiceOver et TalkBack.

     ⊗ Un utilisateur sourd ou malentendant dispose d’instructions textuelles.

     ⊗ Une personne à mobilité réduite comme un utilisateur de fauteuil roulant bénéficie d’itinéraires optimisés et sans marches.

     ⊗ Une personne ayant une déficience intellectuelle dispose d’interfaces simplifiées.

⊗ Il offre plus d’autonomie aux usagers en situation de handicap : il leur suffit d’utiliser leur smartphone pour être guidés au sein de votre réseau de transport en commun. 84 % d’entre eux utilisent un smartphone au quotidien.

⊗ Ils bénéficient également d’une plus grande spontanéité, ce qui est impossible avec le transport adapté, car ils doivent réserver leur trajet au moins 48 heures à l’avance. Grâce à une application, fini le transport à la demande ! Ils peuvent utiliser les transports en commun comme tout le monde.

Mais pourquoi cela vaut-il la peine pour vous ?

⊗ L’augmentation du nombre de passagers handicapés dans votre métro ou votre bus signifie une réduction du nombre de services de transport adapté à gérer. Par conséquent, le simple fait de rendre Evelity accessible à vos usagers réduit les coûts liés à ces services.

⊗ Moins d’émissions de carbone : plus de personnes utilisent les transports en commun, moins de véhicules de transport adapté circulent sur les routes. C’est vraiment bon pour l’environnement. 

⊗ Vous avez un impact positif sur la vie des gens : grâce à un transport en commun plus accessible, les personnes handicapées bénéficient des mêmes choix que les autres usagers. Elles peuvent choisir de se rendre au travail en bus ou en métro. Elles peuvent se déplacer avec plus de liberté.

⊗ Vous pouvez favoriser l’inclusion : vous donnez à votre système de transport public un caractère universel. Tous sont les bienvenus, quelles que soient leurs capacités. 

⊗ Vous pouvez améliorer un service existant, et pas seulement pour les usagers en situation de handicap. Evelity ne leur est pas réservé. Les personnes âgées, qui peuvent se sentir anxieuses dans un environnement complexe, les touristes qui ne parlent pas la langue, les personnes qui n’ont jamais utilisé votre métro…

Evelity est actuellement testé à la station de métro JaySt-MetroTech de New York. La MTA s’engage à offrir un réseau de métro accessible et inclusif. Elle a parfaitement compris qu’améliorer la mobilité des personnes handicapées dans son métro est essentiel pour améliorer leur expérience et leur qualité de vie.

L’application de navigation est désormais pleinement déployée sur l’ensemble du réseau de métro de Marseille, en France. C’est le premier réseau de métro à miser sur cette solution innovante. Une technologie centrée sur les usagers pour mieux répondre à leurs besoins. 

Que devez-vous mettre en œuvre pour Evelity afin d’améliorer l’accessibilité de votre réseau de transport en commun ?

Connaissez-vous le terme « phygital » ? Les mots « physique » et « numérique » se conjuguent pour combiner les deux mondes.

Le phygital peut être considéré comme un pont reliant la technologie et les équipements physiques. L’objectif est d’offrir aux utilisateurs une expérience unique et interactive. 

Comme vous l’aurez deviné, Evelity représente le monde numérique. C’est une application qui guide les usagers en situation de handicap. Mais pour que cette application soit utilisable, vos stations de métro ou arrêts de bus doivent être accessibles.

C’est là que se trouvent les équipements physiques accessibles. Les personnes handicapées doivent compter sur des rampes d’accès, des chemins de guidage et des balises sonores pour localiser l’entrée du métro…

L’accessibilité physique complète la technologie. Phygital offre le meilleur des deux mondes. C’est ainsi que votre réseau de transport en commun peut être accessible. En effet, s’il est plus accessible, les personnes handicapées n’auront plus besoin d’utiliser les services de transport adapté. Et, à terme, les coûts qui y sont liés seront réduits.  

Combien coûtent les services de transport adapté ?

Selon la Base de données nationale sur les transports en commun (NTD), les opérateurs de transport dépensent 5 $ pour un trajet en bus à itinéraire fixe. Pour les services de transport adapté, le coût varie de 60 $ à 90 $. 

Au fil des ans, les coûts des services de transport adapté n’ont cessé d’augmenter en raison du vieillissement de la population. 

En effet, le coût moyen par déplacement en transport adapté a augmenté de 20 % entre 2015 et 2018. Cela représente des dizaines de millions pour les sociétés de transport, ce qui signifie qu’une part importante de leur budget est consacrée à garantir aux usagers des services de transport adapté. 

Mais le problème est que cet argent n’est pas destiné à résoudre les problèmes d’accessibilité des transports publics. Il sert plutôt à maintenir un service créé pour être temporaire.

Pourquoi les services de transport adapté sont-ils si coûteux ?

⊗ Les opérations quotidiennes des services de transport adapté sont extrêmement coûteuses pour les autorités organisatrices de transport : l’essence des véhicules, les véhicules eux-mêmes et leur entretien, les salaires des conducteurs…

⊗ Les services de transport adapté privilégient les déplacements individuels plutôt que collectifs. Ils ne peuvent pas regrouper efficacement les déplacements, sinon les personnes handicapées devraient attendre trop longtemps et manquer leurs rendez-vous.

⊗ Selon la zone à couvrir, un seul trajet peut être coûteux car il est difficile de transporter plusieurs passagers dans un véhicule.

⊗ Les personnes gravement handicapées peuvent avoir besoin de plus de temps pour monter et descendre du véhicule, ce qui affecte la productivité des véhicules de transport adapté.

Pourquoi votre réseau de transport en commun a-t-il besoin d’un tel service en premier lieu ?

Lors de son adoption, l’ADA a également mis l’accent sur les transports publics. Cela signifie que les transports publics doivent offrir aux personnes handicapées un réseau accessible leur permettant de se déplacer facilement : une chaîne de mobilité fluide .

Tout comme Rome ne s’est pas faite en un jour, il en va de même pour l’accessibilité des transports en commun aux personnes handicapées. Après tout, nous savons qu’il n’est pas simple d’assurer l’accessibilité d’un métro. Les rénovations nécessaires à un système très ancien et aux stations tentaculaires peuvent être colossales.

C’est pourquoi l’ADA a établi des exigences pour les services de paratransit : ils ont lieu dans un rayon de ¾ mile de tous les itinéraires fixes de transport en commun pour les personnes qui ne peuvent pas utiliser le système de bus public ou pour celles qui ne peuvent pas se rendre à un point où elles pourraient y accéder. 

Mais l’objectif ultime est de disposer d’un système de transports en commun entièrement accessible à la population vieillissante et aux 61 millions de personnes handicapées aux États-Unis, afin qu’elles puissent se déplacer en ville. C’est d’autant plus frappant quand on pense aux 45 % d’Américains qui n’ont pas accès aux transports en commun. 

C’est pourquoi une application de navigation comme Evelity, associée à un équipement accessible, peut s’avérer utile. Grâce à elle, votre réseau de transports en commun est plus accessible et inclusif pour tous. 

Les personnes handicapées sont prêtes à utiliser la technologie pour améliorer leur mobilité. Vous pouvez concrétiser ce souhait en mettant en place une application de navigation intérieure adaptée à leur profil. Les services de transport adapté peuvent être considérablement réduits, tout comme leurs coûts. La question est désormais : êtes-vous prêt pour une mobilité plus inclusive ?

Vous souhaitez en savoir plus sur les transports publics accessibles ? Consultez ces articles :

MBTA : un modèle mondial de transport public accessible

Le métro de Montréal en route vers l’accessibilité universelle

Comment les centres de transit multimodaux peuvent-ils être accessibles aux personnes handicapées ?

Publié le 21 octobre 2022

Homme en fauteuil roulant : © Unsplash

Station de métro JaySt-MetroTech : © Okeenea

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The entrance of the JaySt-MetroTech subway station in New York City with turnstiles

But the ultimate goal is to have a fully accessible public transit system for the aging population and the 61 million people with disabilities in the United States to navigate in their city. This is even more striking when we think about the 45% of Americans who have no access to public transportation.

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Carole Martinez

Carole Martinez

Content Manager & Copywriter

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powered by okeenea

The French leading company

on the accessibility market.

ABOUT US

For more than 25 years, we have been developing architectural access solutions for buildings and streets. Everyday, we rethink today’s cities to transform them in smart cities accessible to everyone.

By creating solutions ever more tailored to the needs of people with disabilities, we push the limits, constantly improve the urban life and make the cities more enjoyable for the growing majority.

How Innovation Promises to Revolutionize Accessibility in the New York City Subway

How Innovation Promises to Revolutionize Accessibility in the New York City Subway

by | 10 Dec, 2021

Riders on a platform are waiting for the train

How Innovation Promises to Revolutionize Accessibility in the New York City Subway

 

With more than 1.5 billion passengers per year, the New York City subway is one of the most used rapid transit systems in the Western world. And it’s also one of the oldest. It opened in 1904, much before accessibility for passengers with disabilities was a requirement. Despite the technical constraints relating to the construction of stations, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is committed to making the network accessible to all. It does not hesitate to involve technological innovation to achieve this objective. Let’s look at the strategy adopted by the MTA to offer a better passenger experience to all riders.

70 more accessible subway stations by 2024

The New York City subway system was built in the early 1900s, much before wheelchair access was a requirement under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). This partly explains that only 25% of the city’s 472 subway stations were accessible in 2018. The MTA is determined to dramatically increase this number by 2024. This is one of the goals of the Fast Forward plan, which was designed after New York governor Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency for mass transit in New York City in 2017. As part of the strategic upgrades, this plan includes adding accessibility facilities to 70 stations, which will improve the user experience for all riders. These 70 stations come in addition to the 100 priority stations already identified by the MTA, which have been or will be renovated according to ADA requirements. To select priority stations for ADA enhancements, the MTA relied on three criteria: high ridership, transfer points and service to major areas of activity.

Accessibility features in New York City subway stations

Fully accessible stations have facilities designed for all categories of people with disabilities throughout the travel chain:

⊗ To access down the station from the street level: elevators or access ramps, handrails and tactile indicators on ramps and stairs, accessible service entry gates,

⊗ To buy tickets: accessible MetroCard Vending Machines, accessible station booth windows with sills located no more than 36 inches (91 cm) above the ground,

⊗ To access transit information: audio and visual information systems, including Help Points or Public Address Customer Information Screens,

⊗ To facilitate orientation: large-print and tactile-Braille signs,

⊗ To access trains from the platform: platform gap modifications or bridge plates to reduce or eliminate the gap between trains and platforms where it is greater than 2 inches (5.1 cm) vertically or 4 inches (10 cm) horizontally,

⊗ And accessible services: telephones at an accessible height with volume control, and text telephones (TTYs), accessible restrooms at stations with restrooms, if a 24-hour public toilet is in operation.

Accessibility in the New York City subway over the long term

But accessibility for people with disabilities on the New York City subway has been a topic for a long time. In 1973, Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act made it mandatory to make all public transit systems accessible. The MTA refused, arguing that making the subway system accessible would cost more than $ 1.5 billion. The MTA advocated instead for a specialized transport service for people with disabilities. In 1984, after a decade of fighting between the associations and the MTA, an agreement was reached which amended New York State Transportation and Building Laws to require the MTA to install elevators at 54 stations. 

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law on July 26, 1990. It required all transit agencies to make their services and facilities fully accessible. They had to provide the list of priority stations to the Federal Transit Administration before July 26, 1992. This list was to be accompanied by the selection criteria used to designate priority stations and the work schedule. Transit agencies were granted a period of up to thirty years to make their stations accessible. The MTA’s plan provided for making 54 stations accessible by 2010. But in 1994, amendments were made to the New York State Transportation and Public Building Laws reinforced the obligations, increasing this number to 100 stations by 2020. The Capital Program 2020-2024 plans ADA-accessibility upgrades to 50 additional stations. This will allow disabled riders to always find themselves at most two stations from an accessible station.

In order to increase the number of elevators, the MTA endorsed the law “Zoning for Accessibility” in early 2021. This consists in pre-empting private land located near subway stations to build elevators. In exchange, the owner of the land obtains the right to increase the area of their buildings.

Between 2020 and 2021, there were 42% ADA-compliant stations in Manhattan, 21% in the Bronx, 21% in Brooklyn, and 30% in Queens. 

Information and communication with subway passengers

To coordinate the MTA’s accessibility plan and share with disabled riders, the MTA created the New York City Transit ADA Compliance Coordination Committee (CCC). The MTA attaches significant importance to the training of its staff. They should be able to handle specialized equipment and help riders with disabilities. But it also provides training for the riders themselves and their families, as well as for mobility specialists. The MTA trained 775 passengers between 1995 and 2019. These trainings allow them to use the subway system more independently and more safely.

The MTA is also working to improve information on the operating status of accessibility equipment. As early as 2007, it began to publish a list of broken-down escalators and elevators on its website. It has also allocated an annual budget of $ 1.3 million for their maintenance.

Innovation at the core of MTA’s strategy

The MTA is continuously innovating to improve the passenger experience on the New York City subway system. Jay Street-MetroTech station, located in Brooklyn, near the MetroTech Center, has served since the 1950s as a testing ground for many new developments: yellow raised safety disks as warning indicators at the edge of the platform, first automatic token dispensers, first fare cards, which became later the MetroCards, deployment of agents everywhere in the station, etc.

In 2019, this same station was used to evaluate new accessibility facilities. The MTA unveiled an accessible station lab. The lab comprised over a dozen features including Braille signs, tactile pads, wayfinding apps, diagrams of accessible routes, and floor stickers to guide passengers to the correct routes. 

The MTA is running in parallel the Transit Tech Lab with the Partnership for New York City. The Transit Tech Lab is an accelerator program for startups solving public transportation challenges. This initiative enables the MTA and other public transportation agencies to leverage innovative technology solutions to improve metropolitan area transit, with the aim to make New York the global leader in public transportation. Each year, the Transit Tech Lab launches a new startup competition to address top priority challenges. This initiative gives the selected companies the opportunity to pilot their solutions in real conditions and potentially deploy them. Accessibility was one of the challenges designated by the lab in 2020. Nine tech companies were selected to partner with NYC-area transit agencies. Among them was Okeenea Digital with its audio-based indoor navigation app Evelity. Evelity is a digital navigation system allowing people with all kinds of functional limitations to be guided, step by step, to the destination of their choice, according to their profiles and their abilities, within complex public transit networks. 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, user tests have been significantly delayed. The pilot is still underway at Jay Street-MetroTech station. One of the objectives of the pilot is to evaluate the service provided by Evelity for customers with disabilities, and to study the scalability of beacon-based technology.

Other indoor navigation solutions have already been tested by the MTA, e.g., the Navilens app, which is based on colorful QR codes. This technology is still being assessed to inform riders at bus stops and track bus arrivals. These pilots show that technology has the power to improve the transit experience for all riders.

All of the MTA’s initiatives show a real willingness to improve the quality of service on the subway system despite the age of the infrastructures. While the road is still long, the progress is evident. And experience shows that technological innovation can solve many challenges for the accessibility of the New York City subway!

Discover more articles about accessible public transit systems:

How to Help People with Disabilities Get a Better Experience on the Subway?

How Can Multimodal Transit Centers Be Accessible for People with Disabilities?

A World Tour of Best Practices for a Subway Truly Accessible to All | Summary of a French Study

Published on December 10th, 2021

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An agent of the MTA on a train

The MTA attaches significant importance to the training of its staff. They should be able to handle specialized equipment and help riders with disabilities.

writer

Lise Wagner

Lise Wagner

Accessibility Expert

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Hearing Impaired People: a Multitude of Profiles for Different Needs

Hearing Impaired People: a Multitude of Profiles for Different Needs

Nov 12, 2021

Hearing Impaired People: a Multitude of Profiles for Different Needs  Did you know that hearing impaired people have several profiles and that the way they identify themselves is important? You may be familiar with deaf and hard of hearing people but for each of...

NEVER miss the latest news about the Smart City.

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powered by okeenea

The French leading company

on the accessibility market.

ABOUT US

For more than 25 years, we have been developing architectural access solutions for buildings and streets. Everyday, we rethink today’s cities to transform them in smart cities accessible to everyone.

By creating solutions ever more tailored to the needs of people with disabilities, we push the limits, constantly improve the urban life and make the cities more enjoyable for the growing majority.

How Can Multimodal Transit Centers Be Accessible for People with Disabilities?

How Can Multimodal Transit Centers Be Accessible for People with Disabilities?

by | 09 Apr, 2021

The hall of the New York Grand Central Terminal

How Can Multimodal Transit Centers Be Accessible for People with Disabilities?

Multimodal transit centers turn out to be major nodes of transportation in large cities that aim at improving transport efficiency. They can easily connect together different means of transportation, thus saving time for passengers who need to commute. Every day, transit centers enable millions of passengers to easily reach their destination regrouping several transport networks like buses or trains under one place. But how can such crowded and complex places be accessible to people with disabilities? 

Getting around spontaneously in a city implies being autonomous, an even more important notion for people with disabilities. However, mobility remains one of the most challenging issues for them. A lot of factors need to be considered for accessibility barriers to be removed. But it doesn’t mean it’s not impossible, even in a maze-like transport hub with connections to railroad and subway trains or city bus services.

Let’s take a look at innovative solutions that help users with disabilities safely get their bearings in multimodal transit centers! 

What are multimodal transit centers exactly?

Multimodal transit centers or transport hubs gather different means of transportation: railroad stations, subway stations, rapid transit stations, city buses, regional buses… Some have a high number of platforms located on ground level or deep underneath like New York Grand Central Terminal and its 44 platforms. Thus transport hubs accumulate a lot of possible combinations. Even airports can be considered as transport hubs since some include international railroad trains and public transit systems such as buses, shuttles and streetcars to connect them to the city on top of national and international airlines. 

The common goal is to provide multimodal and interchange transportation. Instead of having a point-to-point system, passengers who need to commute benefit from a hub-and-spoke system: they have at their disposal different possible combinations in one place to make their trips more simple. Thus they can easily reach their destination without spending unnecessary time going for example from a subway station in the city centre to a bus stop across. In a world that keeps moving faster and faster, a hub-and-spoke network represents the perfect solution for commuters in large cities. With so many options available, they can use the means of transportation that best suits their journey and their needs.

Penn Station in New York City is a perfect example of a multimodal transit center: it regroups intercity rail with Amtrak, commuter rail with Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and NJ Transit (NJT), rapid transit with New York City Subway MTA and PATH, and bus and coach services with New York City Bus and Intercity coaches. Penn Station results in being one of the busiest transportation hubs in the Western Hemisphere! As such, it sets an example of accessibility by providing accessible restrooms, high platforms, accessible parking…

What’s noteworthy with transit centers is that they’re not just about transportation. Thanks to shops, bars and restaurants, users can fully take advantage of these hubs. In a way, they provide similar services as shopping malls. For example, New York Grand Central Terminal has 60 shops and 35 places to eat. It can even welcome different types of events in the Vanderbilt Hall and contains libraries. This interchange service aims at offering the best possible experience to all.

For more information on transit hubs, you can read Arcadis’ report on mixed mobility: Improving Quality of Life Through Transit Hubs. The design and consultancy firm provides a benchmark with valuable insight on different transit centers across the world.

Even though there’s a constant flow of traffic passengers, transit centers’ infrastructures are designed to make passengers’ journey easier and pleasant. Indeed, architects and urban planners apply the principles of universal design for the comfort of all such as perceptible information, low physical effort and simple intuitive use.

Obviously, passengers with disabilities fully benefit from these principles. They can use any means of transportation that multimodal transit centers dispose of thanks to easy accessible solutions. 

 

How to remove accessibility barriers in transit centers?

As you can see, there are so many transportation combinations that it’s easy for anyone to feel overwhelmed. For people with disabilities, this may cause a lot of stress and anxiety. How can they easily find their bearings in a loud and busy transport hub? 

First things first: using public transit means having a seamless mobility chain to go from point A to point C. This means that point B needs to perfectly link together point A and point C. The mobility chain actually concerns any passengers, not just those with disabilities. Our article How to Guarantee a Seamless Mobility Chain to Users with Disabilities? will shed some light on this key notion. 

Obviously, removing accessibility barriers is what provides a seamless mobility chain. It implies being aware of the difficulties met by people with disabilities. This can happen at any stage of their journey. Let’s review the obstacles met by people with disabilities during each stage of their trips and the solutions that network operators can implement to help them get around!

Preparing your trip

Having a smooth trip strongly depends on this first stage. People with disabilities need to make sure they know everything about the route to take according to their needs, traffic…

ObstaclesSolutions
Not knowing the best route to take according to their needsUsing a journey planner online or via an app that calculates journeys including transfers
Lack of information on trafficAudio and visual real-time information 
Lack of information about elevators and escalatorsReal-time information about the location of elevators and escalators and their working order

The MaaS (Mobility as a Service) is a great innovative solution that integrates different means of transportation and can help users plan a trip. Our article Maas: a Solution for Tomorrow’s Mobility deciphers this technology perfectly suited for smart cities.

Finding the entrance of the transit center

Transit centers being a hub-and-spoke system, they can have several entrances and exits. This also demands good preparation. But once people with disabilities are in their vicinity, they may need extra help to find the exact location of the entrance.

Category of people with disabilitiesSolutions
People with a visual impairmentAudio beacons like NAVIGUEO+ HIFI: they can be activated on demand thanks to a remote control or the smartphone app MyMoveo
An efficient signage system with tactile guide paths, visual contrast and detectable warning strips
People with a mental disabilityUsing universal pictograms that are easy to understand


Going inside the transport hub

The implementation of elevators and escalators is crucial for people with reduced mobility such as wheelchair users, the elderly, parents with strollers… 

Category of people with disabilitiesSolutions
People with reduced mobilityElevators and escalators
Access ramps
Large automatic doors
People with a visual impairmentSecured stairs: handrails and contrasting non-slip stairs

Elevators and escalators need to be in enough numbers, perfectly located and visible to all of those who would like to use them. Plus, maintaining their working order is key to ensure a seamless mobility chain.

Buying a ticket

Even a trivial thing such as buying a ticket can be challenging for people with disabilities whether they use the ticket machine by themselves or they ask a staff member at a booth station. Nowadays, more and more people buy their ticket via their smartphone. Users can thus easily do it at home.

Category of people with disabilitiesSolutions
Wheelchair usersLowered counter
People with a visual impairmentEmbossed buttons or Braille on the ticket machine
Tactile guide paths and audio beacons to find the locations of the booth and the machine
People with a hearing impairmentAudio induction loops at station booth
People with a mental impairmentUniversal pictograms that are easy to understand
Accessible vocabulary (easy-to-read)

One of the most important things when assisting people with disabilities is knowing how to behave around them. A trained staff is key to ensure passengers with disabilities have the best customer service possible. That’s how transit centers can retain customers. 

 

Going through the turnstiles

This stage can be stressing since passengers with disabilities may lack time to cross the turnstiles. Sometimes, the closing mechanism is just too fast. Plus, other passengers behind them may be impatient. 

ObstaclesSolutions
Not enough width for wheelchair usersDedicated airlock for them
Ticket validity control too high for wheelchair usersLowered validity ticket control
Difficulties to insert a ticketContactless validation
No clear distinction between entry and exit gatesVisual contrast, universal pictograms and tactile guide paths
Fast closing mechanismPresence detector

 

Finding the platform

Depending on the transit center, passengers with disabilities may need to use a bus, a train or a subway train. In such gigantic transport hubs, finding their bearings can be difficult for them since they contain so many different means of transportation and connections. Going through the different concourses can feel like quite the expedition.

A clear audio and visual signage system such as the one previously mentioned remains essential for passengers with disabilities. 

But there’s also another solution that’s both simple and innovative: an indoor navigation app! The wayfinding app Evelity was developed by Okeenea Digital and especially created to guide people with disabilities step by step inside complex venues and public transit systems. That’s one of the reasons why the New York City subway chose Evelity for a test in real conditions! This solution is tailor made to fit any profile of disabilities and provides more autonomy and spontaneity to users with disabilities. In crowded and multimodal transit centers, this app is more than relevant!

Getting on the bus or train

For wheelchair users to get on a bus, bus drivers need to pull up to the curb or to lower or “kneel” the bus. Getting on a train means having an accessible boarding area at the centre of a platform with the smallest gap between the platform edge and the subway train. In New York City, MTA conceived a Guide to Accessible Transit on Buses and Subways that provides users with all the necessary information.

Accessible seatings aboard buses and trains enable wheelchair users to safely travel.

Getting off at the right station

The navigation app Evelity can of course alert users they’ve reached their destination. Even if their smartphone is in their pocket, the app still functions and gives them the necessary information. This enables vulnerable users to feel safe using their smartphone in a public space, without any risk of theft.

Visual and audio announcements allow passengers to constantly know where they are. Thus they have enough time to get ready to get off. 

 

Although multimodal transit centers may seem at first complicated to use for people with disabilities due to so many combinations of transportation, there are a lot of solutions that are implemented to make their trips easier. Getting around spontaneously and autonomously is essential for all passengers, regardless of their profile. Accessible transport hubs help them save time while having the best experience possible. 

 

For more information on accessible public transit systems, you can read the following articles:

How to Help People with Disabilities Get a Better Experience on the Subway?

MBTA: a Global Model of Accessible Public Transportation

Public Transport Information Accessibility: 5 Solutions for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Users

media

An airport that serves as a transit center

In a world that keeps moving faster and faster, a hub-and-spoke network represents the perfect solution (…) With so many options available, people can use the means of transportation that best suits their journey and their needs.

writer

Carole Martinez

Carole Martinez

Content Manager

READ CAROLE'S BIO

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Evelity, the first wayfinding solution for all types of disabilities in public and private facilities

more articles

Hearing Impaired People: a Multitude of Profiles for Different Needs

Hearing Impaired People: a Multitude of Profiles for Different Needs

Nov 12, 2021

Hearing Impaired People: a Multitude of Profiles for Different Needs  Did you know that hearing impaired people have several profiles and that the way they identify themselves is important? You may be familiar with deaf and hard of hearing people but for each of...

NEVER miss the latest news about the Smart City.

Sign up now for our newsletter.

Unsubscribe in one click. The information collected is confidential and kept safe.

powered by okeenea

The French leading company

on the accessibility market.

ABOUT US

For more than 25 years, we have been developing architectural access solutions for buildings and streets. Everyday, we rethink today’s cities to transform them in smart cities accessible to everyone.

By creating solutions ever more tailored to the needs of people with disabilities, we push the limits, constantly improve the urban life and make the cities more enjoyable for the growing majority.