How start-ups are helping solve New York transit challenges

Eighteen start-ups have completed working with New York-area transit agencies to test their new technology solutions to create a more adaptive transit system, including maximising the use of kerb space on New York City streets.

The Transit Tech Lab—a public-private initiative created by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and the Partnership Fund for New York City to accelerate innovation in public transit—published a report detailing results from its 2024 programme, which was the lab’s largest effort to date.

“New York City’s Department of Transportation [NYC DOT] is always looking to take advantage of new technologies to make our streets safer and more efficient,” said the department’s commissioner, Ydanis Rodriguez. “Through the Transit Tech Lab, we’ve been able to identify promising solutions that could help NYC DOT better manage our kerb space and provide reliable, real-time bus arrival information at bus stops.”

Over the course of eight weeks, the start-ups worked on three challenges identified by the lab – resilience, customer experience, and kerb activity – with one or more of the participating agencies.

The resilience challenge finalists, including companies like Advanced Rail and Transit Solutions and AlphaRoute, collaborated on projects like repurposing excess heat at a subway station, installing environmental sensors to protect infrastructure, and identifying locations for retrofitting lamp posts with EV charging capabilities.

The customer experience challenge finalists, including BusPas and Convo Communications, worked on enhancing service communication, reducing delays, and improving safety and cleanliness. Projects included real-time passenger information to reduce wait times, launching American Sign Language translation services for deaf customers, testing a rewards platform, and creating augmented reality-enhanced indoor navigation for better station transfers.

While those working on the kerb challenge including AIWaysion and Appyway, collaborated on projects to evaluate LiDAR and Edge AI sensors for automating kerb data collection and assessing data management systems to improve kerb management through software solutions.

Maria Gotsch, President & CEO, Partnership Fund for New York City, said: “We established the Transit Tech Lab, as well as our other lab programmes, to ensure that government has access to transformative technologies. We believe the 18 technologies demonstrated during this year’s proof-of-concept period provided valuable insights for our transit partner on how technology can enhance their operations and in doing so hold immense potential to improve our city.”

Full results from the cohort can be found here: https://transitinnovation.org/2024-proof-of-concept-results

Image: Nataliia Porkina | Dreamstime.com