Op-Ed: TriMet revolutionizing the rider experience with solar-powered signage

At TriMet, we’re committed to improving the rider experience on our buses, trains and paratransit vehicles. 

As we all know, improvement often requires innovation. To provide high-quality transit service to the region we serve — Portland, Ore., and its outlying suburbs — we have to keep up with new technology and think outside the box. 

In January 2020, TriMet partnered with Connectpoint to begin installing ePaper digital displays at some of our busiest bus stops and transit centers. We’ve added more than 450 of these energy-efficient, easy-to-read displays so far, keeping riders up to date with important service information. 

To grow our ridership, we need to build trust with riders. When people leave their cars at home or at one of TriMet’s Park & Ride lots and entrust TriMet with getting them where they need to go, they have a few basic expectations. Among them is that their bus or train will show up when they expect it, and it will take them safely to their destination as planned. 

As much as we try to avoid them, service disruptions are a fact of life in the transit world. Heavy traffic can delay our vehicles. An elevator at one of our stations might need to be repaired. An operator might have to leave work unexpectedly, forcing us to shorten or cancel a scheduled trip. Whenever this happens, we want our riders to know as soon as possible so they can plan accordingly. 

Clear communication is key to building trust. When we share with riders the information they need to travel, they gain confidence that they can rely on us to get where they need to go, when they expect to get there. These new ePaper displays help us do that, now in more locations, with more to come in the months and years ahead. 

Creating a digital display system that works 

TriMet’s transit district encompasses over 1.5 million people and 533 square miles, covering parts of three counties. We have over 6,000 bus stops, most of which don’t have the electrical infrastructure we would use to power a conventional digital display. 

To overcome this challenge, we turned to a sustainable solution. Our ePaper displays are powered by solar energy. They’re durable and efficient, requiring energy only during updates. 

Thanks to solar power, our ePaper displays are cost-effective and support TriMet’s sustainability goals. They are e-readers, rather than bright LED screens, cutting down on light pollution and providing easy-to-read information for our riders. They even stay online when the power goes out, so we can communicate with riders in an emergency. 

Our system is powered by a cloud-based content management platform, which allows us to monitor the status, power and content of all of our displays remotely, including from a mobile device, in real time. We can update displays and roll out alerts and messages on a minute-to-minute basis. 

The transformative impact of real-time information 

Providing more real-time information at more locations is revolutionizing our service in several ways: 

• Boosting reliability and trust: Riders at stops where we’ve installed ePaper displays can have confidence in our bus arrival times, knowing they’re current and up to date. This reduces anxiety and builds trust in the service we provide. It also allows riders to adjust quickly to disruptions. 
• Empowering riders and reducing confusion: While we make it as easy as possible for riders to get in touch with our customer support agents, we know it’s more convenient for them if they can get the information they need without having to contact us. Using digital displays to share service information also helps us deliver a clear, consistent message and reduces the burden on our customer support staff. 
• Promoting public health and safety: During health and safety crises, like the COVID-19 pandemic, riders can find critical safety messages and guidance on our displays. Sharing messages like these helps to reinforce our rules for riding and protect our riders and employees. 

A new benchmark for public transit 

Equity is a core value for TriMet. In choosing where to roll out our ePaper displays, we’ve prioritized areas that have the greatest need. We know many people rely on TriMet to access opportunities. We know our riders take the bus or train to work, school, medical appointments, shopping and more. With these new displays, we’re bringing more information and resources to a broader base of riders, including people with low and limited incomes and communities of color. We can also share information about our reduced-fare options across our ePaper displays, breaking down barriers to transit access. 

We’re committed to delivering a world-class customer experience. Putting real-time information in front of our riders makes TriMet more accessible, convenient and reliable. Innovations like this drive ridership growth and support broader goals, like increasing access and equity, reducing climate impacts and connecting the communities we serve. 

The broader transit community has recognized TriMet’s efforts. In 2024, TriMet and Connectpoint received a Smart 20 Award, honoring our digital display rollout as one of the 20 most transformative “smart city” projects worldwide.  

I’m incredibly proud that TriMet is being recognized as a global leader in sustainable, technology-driven public transit solutions. I’m also excited about what this means for the future of transit, both in our region and beyond. We’ve shown there is real value in making real-time information more accessible, setting a standard other transit agencies can follow.