CTA to pilot ePaper real‑time displays with text‑to‑speech at select stops

Eric (recorded in the transcript as both Eric Johnson and later as Eric Benson) presented the Innovation Studio’s ePaper display pilots, describing two vendors (Global Display Solutions and Papercast) and a planned small-scale rollout of up to 18 low-power displays with real-time bus arrival data and text-to-speech accessibility features.

“Every single one of these displays is going to include Text to Speech functionality,” the presenter said, describing two button designs to test which users prefer. The pilot will place a mix of 13‑inch and 23‑inch displays in high‑ridership and transfer locations, prioritizing equity and geographic distribution while accounting for solar exposure constraints.

Eric said hardware supply‑chain issues pushed the earliest installs to late August 2025. The devices will draw arrival data from CTA’s real‑time feed (the same source that powers ctabustracker), and they will update roughly once a minute. CTA plans QR surveys and stakeholder outreach to collect usability feedback on font size, contrast and the audible interface.

Committee members asked whether the displays would show scheduled service or only logged real‑time vehicles; the presenter said the pilot will show real‑time vehicles only to avoid promising service that is not operating. Accessibility concerns—text size, braille placement and mounting heights—were discussed; the presenter noted braille baseline at 48 inches and approximate screen midpoints around 60 inches and committed to share exact mounting specs later.

CTA said demo units were available after the meeting for committee members to inspect and that the agency will track pilot performance before any broader deployment.