Use of digital signage and wayfinding in public transportation

¶ … new technology- digital signage & way finding for public transportation. Digital signage is a relatively new phenomenon used to advertise to the public in just about any arena, from airport waiting areas to the backseats of taxis. It is especially helpful in public transportation arenas, such as buses and subways.

Just what is digital signage? One expert defines it as, "Digital signage is any form of business communication where a dynamic messaging device is used to take the place of, or supplement, other forms of messaging" (Yackey 5). Digital signage is the wave of the future for public transportation, because it can provide necessary information, such as GPS signage that indicates when the next bus is coming to a bus stop and how long passengers have left to wait for that bus. In addition, digital signage can provide income for public transportation entities because they can sell advertising about local businesses located near the bus stops, adding advertising revenue to their income, which can be especially attractive during these dire economic times. An information Web site notes, "In some cases, advertising time is sold to marketers who want to reach travelers. For example, a restaurant in New York might advertise in airports nationwide, but only at the gates that have flights heading to New York" (Editors). This brings a new depth of advertising strategies to businesses and new income to public transportation entities.

The social aspect of digital signage deals with the social effects of the signage on public transportation riders. Usually, the people who ride the bus or the subway do not have much money, and they rely on public transportation to get them to their jobs, their homes, and wherever they need to travel. Everyone knows what a big role transportation plays in our society. Enjoying a useful transportation system lets us move freely around the city. As a public transportation rider, I often feel that the signs in the subway stations are not appealing and instead are confusing. It would be nicer to have digital signage system that can notify us of the next bus/subway arrival time, and it would be more efficient, too. Digital signage might be costly to install, but a public transportation entity could certainly do a cost analysis to see how much it would cost compared to anticipated ad revenue, and predict how long it would take for them to earn back their investment.