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Waiting for the bus just got less of a guessing game, at least if you’re on the Upper West Side or in Queensborough Hill. The MTA and NYC Department of Transportation have rolled out slick new digital screens that display real-time arrival info right at the bus stop. That’s right: No phone, no app, no spinning wheel of death while you wait for the M11.
The touch-screen devices were installed at four locations citywide on June 25 as part of a year-long pilot program aimed at making bus travel smarter and less stressful. On the Upper West Side, you’ll find them at West 80th Street and Columbus Avenue and again between 74th and 75th on Columbus. In Queens, two additional screens are being tested in the low-key but lovely neighborhood of Queensborough Hill.
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The signs, created by Urban Solar, are battery-powered and pole-mounted. They show accurate, minute-by-minute wait times for upcoming buses—in this case, lines like the M7, M11 and crosstown M79. They're part of the 2024 Transit Tech Lab Challenge and represent a next-gen upgrade from the audio-based real-time updates currently available at more than 500 city bus stops.
“Providing bus riders with real-time information on bus time arrival is a powerful tool that will help New Yorkers to better manage their commutes,” a DOT spokesperson said in a statement. Translation: You’ll know exactly when to hustle or grab a coffee instead.
Two different screen types are being tested and the DOT is actively collecting rider feedback via user surveys over the next 12 months. Depending on how riders respond (and whether the tech holds up in winter), we may see more of these digital helpers across all boroughs in the future.
So next time you're standing on a steamy corner wondering if the M79 is ghosting you again, just look up—you might be standing next to your new favorite screen.