Public Transporation
Thank You
Overview
Summary
This is a campaign for Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) in San Francisco. There's an estimated average of 432,000 trips taken on BART daily. A portion of these riders are disabled, seniors, or individuals that require additional assistance. Despite priority seating being meant for these individuals and required made under federal law, priority seating in public transportation is not a guarantee for priority passengers.
Year
2019
Methods
Campaign Design, Ecosystem Mapping, Storyboarding, Intercept Interviews, Synthesis, Storyboarding, Visual Design
Links
Intercept Interviews: Unseen Disabilities
My partner Jessica and I began our research conducting intercept interviews with BART passengers. We learned that there is a lack of recognition for disabilities that are not obvious or visible.
Insights: "I have a brain tumor but you can't tell."
Issues around priority seating stem from passengers being unaware of their surroundings and lacking empathy towards people requiring priority seating.
The current priority seating sign fails to advocate for all priority passengers.
It can be difficult to ask for priority seating because of language barriers, fear of causing conflict, and not wanting to draw undesired attention.
Change ultimately lies with the passengers, not the regulations.
It's Harder for Priority Passengers
Compared to the mostly linear path of non-priority passengers (top), priority passengers (bottom) divert often from the happy path of using the public transportation system, making it a straining journey.
How Might We…
..ensure priority seating is always accessible to those who need it?
...foster empathy and awareness around issues of priority seating?
...expand the perceived scope of who needs priority seating?
Pivotal Turn
Our initial idea was a bluetooth imbedded transportation cards that would light up a nearby priority seating. However, one week left to the deadline, I suggested a non technological solution which Jessica was gladly open to.
