Transit agencies have begun a nationwide push to improve the ridership experience, investing in technology upgrades, modernized amenities and ADA compliance measures.
The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is among the latest to implement sweeping upgrades for its public transit systems through its Bus Stop Enhancement Program (BSEP). The department, in partnership with the city of Hartford, has installed 21 new bus shelters across the city, with 47 additional stops in the design phase.
These newly installed stops will serve around 360 passenger boardings each weekday, resulting in more than 131,000 passenger boardings annually. The bus stops are a milestone in the city’s Greater Hartford Mobility Program – an ongoing regional planning effort to connect Hartford and surrounding communities through shared, prioritized transportation priority initiatives.
The larger state-level BSEP is a $20 million initiative aimed at modernizing high-ridership bus stops, outfitting them with updated amenities such as shelters, benches, solar lighting and real-time information displays. With the goal of installing 600 bus shelters by 2029 and ensuring eligible bus stops comply with ADA standards, the program has already provided 36 bus shelters and four benches with lighting across the state.
CTDOT has opened the next round of applications after making more than 1,000 bus stops statewide eligible. The program will prioritize high-ridership locations, including areas where existing shelters need to be replaced, and expects to deliver 150 installations as part of the next round.
While some transit agencies focus on infrastructural improvements to optimize the passenger experience, others are looking for technology-centric enhancements to elevate connectivity, communication and transparency. Calgary Transit has opted to improve its wayfinding solutions by installing passenger information screens on buses and community shuttles.
The authority’s pilot project has already installed new screens on 100 service vehicles, with plans to expand integration across the entire 1,000-plus fleet by October. These screens provide travelers with real-time information about the trip, including:
- Route details.
- Route number.
- Requested stops.
- Upcoming stops.
- Estimated arrival times.
- Service announcements.
Calgary Transit paved the way for these improvements after modernizing its Computer-Aided Dispatch/Automatic Vehicle Location/Advanced Passenger Information (CAD/AVL/APIS) system. The system links the Transit Control Centre with all pertinent information available on fleet routes and operations. Investments in high-accuracy bus tracking enable operators and passengers alike to benefit from dispatching, safety, emergency response and communication centralization.
In similar investments, Milwaukee County officials in Wisconsin have announced that they will direct $13.9 million in state grant funding to enhance its public transit operations. Received through the 2026-2040 Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Cycle, the Milwaukee County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) will invest in bus fleet modernization and traffic improvements to enhance travel times, safety, efficiency and ridership along bus routes.
The lion’s share of the funding will be dedicated to fleet modernization, including the purchase of new buses reflecting modern design standards and improvements. Updating the fleet means that MCDOT will be able to maintain operations for an average of six to eight years while reducing overall maintenance costs in the process.
MCDOT will also take the opportunity to upgrade bus fleet technology across the board and add traffic signal optimization technologies to 77 buses. A small portion of the funding has been allocated to traffic signal equipment improvement efforts to reduce congestion and enhance travel times.
The Inglewood City Council, California, has also inked its own visionary agreements to expand the Inglewood Transit Connector and reenvision the city’s downtown areas in anticipation of the 2028 Summer Olympics. The city recently finalized a public-private partnership (P3) determined to develop mobility hubs, with plans to start construction this fall.
Using Los Angeles’ public transit success during the 2026 FIFA World Cup as a model, Inglewood plans to use a similar shuttle and bus-based system to manage crowd influxes. Plans call for event-day shuttle lanes connecting opposing ends of the city to the sports and entertainment district, utilizing synchronized signals for bus priority.
The holistic reenvisioning of the downtown area has a $261 million budget. The project calls for:
- Three mobility hubs providing more than 1,000 parking stalls.
- A pedestrian bridge over Florence Avenue.
- Right-of-way for a future high-capacity automated people mover system.
- New hardscape and landscaping.
- Irrigation.
- Traffic controls.
- Wayfinding.
- Street furniture.
- Pedestrian-scale lighting.
In Washington, the Okanogan County Transportation Authority (OCTA) has recently made progress on its efforts to build a transit facility in the city of Omak. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) recently released its environmental review of the project, finding that it had no significant environmental effects.
The report puts some wind in the project’s sails, overcoming a hurdle that might have otherwise delayed or shut down the authority’s transit facility plans. With the green light, OCTA is on its way toward breaking ground on the facility in spring 2027. Once completed, the building will become the center of operations for both TranGo and Okanogan County Transportation and Nutrition. The facility will include:
- Office space.
- Vehicle maintenance areas.
- A four-bay transit shop.
- A lobby.
- Restrooms.
- A covered outdoor waiting area.
TranGo’s capacity to serve the community is limited by its current location. Operating out of an abandoned bank building, buses can only be accessed through an alley, while transit officials must rely on local shops for maintenance and repairs. Access to its own dedicated spaces for operations and maintenance will enable OCTA to expand the line’s service area.
