Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority Installs First Connectpoint® Dashboard
Santa Barbara, California (July 20, 2016) – CHK America, the leading best practice provider of customer information and wayfinding solutions for the U.S. public transportation industry, has officially launched its latest product under its new Connectpoint® Digital Division, the Connectpoint Dashboard, an interface that provides real-time data for transit options on existing or newly installed infrastructure. Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is the first transit agency to utilize the new Connectpoint Dashboard, installed at the reception area of their headquarters for staff and visitors.
The Connectpoint Dashboard displays rail and bus services, BikeShare, a local map and features real-time alerts. Uber and Lyft information can also be added, together with any additional information an agency may need.
“We’re excited that VTA has deployed our ConnectPoint Dashboard product in their lobby,” commented Rick Wood, CHK America’s President and CEO. “VTA is always on the cutting-edge of technology and together we are providing VTA staff and visitors with real-time travel options at a glance.”
“The Dashboard product is a powerful platform for communicating real time service information to our customers,” added Gary Miskell Chief Technology Officer at VTA. “Displaying location specific information provides all customers, even those without a smartphone, greater certainty about their travel plans.”
The new Connectpoint Dashboard complements CHK America’s previously announced Connectpoint Digital suite of products that appeal to today’s tech savvy riders, providing a higher level of customized information to meet their “on the go” planning needs. Products include:
- The web-enabled Connectpoint® Interactive Touchscreen Kiosks, recently installed by Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), Pittsburgh’s Port Authority of Allegheny County (Port Authority) and the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC).
- The solar or battery powered Connectpoint® Digital Bus Stop, has been deployed by Port Authority of Allegheny County and is pending installation at agencies throughout the country as well as in private industry.
About CHK America
Established in 1999 as a subsidiary of The Cook Hammond & Kell Group, one of the largest independent cartographic production companies in the world, CHK America is the premier best practice provider of customer information solutions for the U.S. public transportation industry. Providing award-winning wayfinding solutions to transit agencies for over 15 years, the company’s 8 Second Rule has set the standard for communicating complex public transit information to customers quickly and efficiently after CHK America’s research revealed customers become frustrated with any service that takes longer than eight seconds to convey pertinent travel information. Under the leadership of CEO Rick Wood, a recognized authority in wayfinding strategies, CHK America now engages over 2 billion people throughout the United States, fully 20% of America’s public transportation customers. Between customized information design and purpose-built hardware fabrications, CHK America is providing solutions for many of the largest multi-modal transit agencies in the US from WMATA in Washington DC to DART in Dallas Texas, to LA Metro in Los Angeles, California. For more information, visit www.chkamerica.com
About VTA
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is an independent special district that provides sustainable, accessible, community-focused transportation options that are innovative, environmentally responsible, and promote the vitality of our region. VTA is responsible for bus, light rail and paratransit operations and also serves as the county’s congestion management agency.
Connectpoint® Interactive Touchscreen Kiosk
The web-enabled Connectpoint® Interactive Touchscreen Kiosk integrates with tracking and location systems, scheduling systems and other agency information systems allowing agencies to provide comprehensive information to their customers. Touchscreen technology in the Connectpoint® Interactive Touchscreen Kiosks allows for intuitive interaction with the information to explore transit options and to create specific routes, including an overview of the entire route, next departure times for every stop in the system as well as detailed local mapping for each stop. The kiosks also provide trip-planning tools that include detailed travel directions for public transportation, cars, bicycling and walking. Texting and email options are also included for easy transfer to a mobile device. The kiosk also has the ability to push out route deviations as they happen, generate revenue via location-based advertising and leverages smart phones at the decision-making point (i.e. the stop). And CHK’s Connectpoint® Interactive Kiosk is just one of the company’s new digital solution tools.
Connectpoint® Digital Bus Stop
CHK America’s solar-powered Connectpoint® Digital Bus Stop, utilizing E-Ink technology, offers real-time departure and schedule information as well as service alerts delivered using simple battery power or solar power. For remote locations, the Digital Bus Stop can be updated remotely for every service change.
Media contacts:
Carol HoldsworthThree.Sixty Marketing & Communications
1-805-252-1848
carol@360-comm.com Michelle Orsi
Three.Sixty Marketing & Communications
1-310-418-6430
michelle@360-comm.com