Accessible Technology

Status: Complete

In July 2022, we opened a Mobility Center on Mass Ave., where riders can get in-person and online help exploring accessible transit options. Additionally, we’ve been working to make our reduced fare programs more accessible by bringing the application process online. In September 2022, after multiple rounds of user experience research, we launched the remaining two reduced fares online applications.

As of September 19, 2022,the MBTA is able to service our approximately 50,000 eligible riders with disabilities, older adults, and young people with low-income with online applications for all of the MBTA free/reduced fare programs for the Blind Access, Senior, Transportation Access Pass, and Youth Pass CharlieCards.

With these online applications, riders can now:

• Upload photos
• Sign up for email communications to receive application status updates
• Submit requests for new, renewal, or replacement cards
• Access forms and application status updates in their preferred language including Spanish, Portuguese and Simplified Chinese

Note: Customers who prefer or require in-person support can still go to the CharlieCard Store to apply, renew, or replace their cards.

Learn more about the reduced fare programs

Status: In progress

We rely on station staff and riders to report elevator problems. Currently, we file three reports daily, and staff members post notices in affected station’s lobbies. We communicate elevator outages and alternate travel routes using our T-Alerts system, and on paper notices posted near affected elevators. However, these methods aren’t always enough to help riders avoid unexpected travel disruptions.

In 2022, we’re piloting the use of digital screens to inform riders of elevator problems. These screens will be posted on walls in areas riders pass before they get to fare machines (pre-fare screens) and on walls near elevators (elevator screens).

The screens will display real-time information about elevator outages, and key alternate route information. Their accessible features include ADA-compliant font sizes, high-contrast text, and push buttons with braille for audio equivalence.

Status: In progress

Since 2019, the MBTA has implemented accessibility features on new and existing digital signage screens at stations and bus stops, and on vehicles. These provide real-time arrival information and service alerts visually and sometimes audibly.

Digital signage projects from 2022 include the following:

• Solar-powered E Ink signs at Green Line stations and some bus stops are adding push buttons with braille to provide audio equivalence—audible versions of written signs
• Newer Green Line vehicles (Type 9) will have updated digital signs with ADA-compliant text that is two inches high or larger
• Two digital signs at Maverick and Roxbury Crossing are piloting an audio equivalence feature that can be used via a headphone jack
• Pre-fare screens at Tufts, Maverick, Government Center, Back Bay, Porter, Ashmont, and Forest Hills include audio push buttons and braille labels
• Elevator screens with audio equivalence will be installed at Forest Hills

Status: In progress

Unfortunately, people sometimes damage public spaces like elevators by using them as restrooms. This can render an elevator unsanitary or even unusable if riders find their mobility devices coming into contact with a dirty floor.

Another concern is that human waste is corrosive—it can damage structural elements of elevators over time. This presents a safety risk. Sometimes we have to take a contaminated elevator out of service for an extended period to return it to a safe state.

Automatic waste-detection technology helps collect data on the frequency and severity of this problem. It can also help us address a soiled elevator faster. We’re currently assessing the effectiveness of urine detection sensors in four frequently soiled elevators. These sensors also send messages to station ambassadors, so a cleaning crew can be quickly dispatched.

Call boxes are currently located in every station to connect riders to the Operations Control Center (OCC), so they can ask questions about their journey on the T. Call boxes don’t require that riders have Internet access, but they provide only audio assistance. Call boxes can be difficult to find, and older boxes provide lower-quality sound. We’re researching how call boxes are used today, and how we can improve them to make calling for help at a station more accessible for everyone.

In 2016, Perkins School for the Blind developed Blindways, an iPhone app that uses navigational clues to help riders who are blind or have low vision to find and navigate MBTA bus stops. While helpful, clues were provided by app volunteers, and did not always provide enough context to help riders find their way with confidence. 

In 2021, we started exploring ways to use emerging technology to upgrade Blindways. A strong contender is ultra-wideband (UWB) radio technology, which provides real-time micronavigation. This gives users more precise information about locations and directions, which could help them feel safer and more confident while traveling to bus stops. UWB beacons are significantly more accurate and reliable than Bluetooth beacons. Products such as Apple Airtag trackers use UWB to help people find things like keys by using an iPhone app.

We are continuing our UWB research, and investigating opportunities for potential future pilot programs.

Providing accessible wayfinding to blind and low-vision riders can be a challenge in indoor environments where GPS often doesn’t work. Luckily, new technology is emerging to help riders safely navigate from a station’s entrance to a subway platform, and from the train to the exit.

We're working with indoor wayfinding companies and considering piloting their technology at some stations. Once we determine the best approach for a pilot, we’ll seek feedback on these applications from blind and low-vision users, local community groups, and potentially from the general public. If feedback is positive, we’ll consider permanently installing the pilot technology, and expanding it to other locations.

The MBTA has an elevator and escalator outage hotline that riders can call to hear recordings of accessibility-related outages that may impact their travel. Because the outages are given in audio format, anyone with a telephone can call in, ensuring that riders without Internet access have the ability to make informed decisions about their travel.

TID recently automated this hotline to provide real-time, automatic updates. Previously, outage messages were manually recorded every two hours. The upgrade improved audio quality and timeliness of available information, and reduced the amount of work involved for the Operations team.

Aira is a visual interpretation service that connects blind and low-vision users with highly trained agents who provide real-time information about users' surroundings. In 2019, we launched a six-month pilot program to explore ways that MBTA riders could use Aira. We set up areas around MBTA stations and stops where riders could use the app for free to ask transit-related questions.

Here's what we learned:

• Participants enjoyed having access to a real-time agent who provided support for tasks like getting directions, reading signs, and finding seats
• Only a handful of participants accessed the app on a regular basis during the pilot
• Connectivity issues sometimes resulted in dropped calls
• Most calls were successfully completed quickly, and would be covered under Aira’s free five-minute call plan