A Sneak Peek at Bus Shelter Technology

Coming Soon! More Shade and New Features

The City’s bus shelters are operated under a contract that expires at the end of 2021, so StreetsLA is developing a successor program, the Sidewalk and Transit Amenities Program (STAP), which will expand and modernize bus shelters across LA. We envision a world-class, self-sustaining program that provides shelter, shade, safety, and comfort with furniture that supports an increased use of transit and alternative transportation, local economic activity and the shared use of City sidewalks.

In July 2021, we showcased new bus shelter technology and sample designs from the top two potential contractors who are competing to operate the new program. At six locations over a two week period, day and night, the public got to see and feel the bus shelters and learn about the features STAP could offer. Watch a 1 min overview of this event from LA CityView's LA This Minute.

Read about the STAP demonstrations in a story from Spectrum News 1.

What features do you want us to prioritize in our next bus shelter designs?

See photos and video from the demonstration event, below and then take the survey or email us your thoughts.  Find more information about the program as well as future information sessions at https://streetsla.lacity.org/stap.

Click here to see demonstration of digital image transition

 


Modern shelters offer panels that can change what’s on their digital screens. How fast these change is called the “flip rate.” What do you think about the flip rate in this video?

 


Find shade at any time of day by rotating the blade to follow the position of the sun.

In the race to modernize LA’s bus shelters, two companies displayed samples of their work to give the public the chance to see and feel proposed designs and possible new features.
The demo was at six sites across the City. Here it is at 85th & Vermont in South LA.
The public could talk to staff from both companies as well as StreetsLA.
It was part of the competition for a business partner to install, expand and operate modern “street furniture” in LA City.
Advertising pays for bus shelters and their maintenance and cleaning. It’s a budget conscious funding strategy to support public transit and the shared use of our sidewalks.
In this sample design, trash and recycling receptacles are visible immediately to the right of the shelter.
Councilmember Nithya Raman visited the demo outside City Hall and briefly unmasked for a photo with StreetsLA GM Keith Mozee.
One feature for consideration in future shelters is hand sanitizing stations.
Councilmember Raman tested the hand sanitizer.
Councilmember Bob Blumenfield got a first-hand look in Reseda.
The public was able to view the shelter designs in all kinds of conditions, day and night.
The event was open to the public from noon to 10 PM every day.
One company displayed a scooter docking station and rental lockers where package deliveries could be picked up on your commute home.
Mayor Eric Garcetti visited to see how the shelters match up to the program goals of shade, shelter, safety and comfort.
The North Hollywood location serves multiple bus lines that connect with the Red and Orange lines.
Commuters got some extra seating and shade in North Hollywood.
StreetsLA hopes to increase bus shelters from about 1,900 today to at least 3,000 in just a few years.
Wayfinding maps can serve commuters and visitors alike.
Seeing the shelter technology at night was an important aspect of the event.
Proper lighting provides security and visibility and must also be appropriate for the surroundings.
Each company’s displays automatically adjusted their brightness according to the ambient light.
Interior light for people using the shelter must be considered as well as the brightness of the displays.
Onc feature displayed was the ability to charge your phone while you wait for the bus.
Another potential feature is WiFi access.
Public Service Announcements and emergency info can be disseminated quickly via digital displays.
Real-time information, like bus routes and arrival times, makes for a less stressful ride. Here it’s available through a QR code for your phone.
Here’s a more traditional display of real-time info but paired with a PSA.
What information would make your commute easier?
Here’s yet another version of real-time info--this time in an interactive format.
Take a scooter to catch the bus and dock it right there. Is that a feature you’d like to see on our streets?
This informational panel is interactive.
This feature was proposed as way to bring shade to sites that have low ridership or that don’t have enough space for a full shelter.
Councilmember Raman found some shade.
Staff for one of the firms showed how different design elements might be laid out, including to fit in a narrower sidewalk.
Councilmember Joe Buscaino explored the bus shelters at our San Pedro location.
Making transit more accessible to all is one objective, but note that the ramps here are only needed for the mobile demo. Bus shelters will be installed flush with the sidewalk.
What would make a bus stop more comfortable for you?
In West LA, we set up modern shelter designs next to an existing bus shelter on Line 165.
Comment forms in English and Spanish asked what features we should try to prioritize in the new program.
Comments could be provided online as well.
We want to hear from you! There’s still time to tell us what you want to see in LA’s bus shelters.