Press Release

TriMet’s Digital Signage Project with Connectpoint’s Award-Winning ePaper Products Receives Global Smart 20 Award

May 9, 2024

Santa Barbara, CA and Portland, OR – May 9, 2024 – TriMet and Connectpoint® are the recipients of a 2024 Smart 20 Award, honoring the 20 most transformative smart city projects in the world. The Smart 20 Awards—in partnership with Smart Cities Connect and Smart Cities Connect Foundation—recognize global smart cities’ projects, honoring the most innovative and influential work.  Projects from the 2024 Smart 20 Award recipientsspan all aspects of municipal communities, from Taiwan to Hong Kong, Canada, and across the U.S.

The project, “TriMet Improves Passenger Experience, Providing 24/7 Real-Time Information with Energy Efficient Solar Powered Digital Signage From Connectpoint,” involves the deployment of  hundreds of solar-powered ePaper displays for the agency’s fixed-route bus and light rail transit services. This 5-year effort provides passengers  with real-time arrival and departure times, emergency messaging and other real time alerts to improve rider information. 

Since 2020, TriMet has deployed over 400 13” ePaper displays throughout their greater Portland service area, with hundreds more yet to be deployed. TriMet, considered by other transit agencies throughout the country as a pioneer and leader in many areas, places a special focus on their rider experience. With Connectpoint’s solar powered signage, TriMet is once again leading the way in using smart technology to provide customers with an unprecedented level of information while, at the same time, providing the fundamental building blocks of smart city technology for the City of Portland.

“The digital information display project provides real-time information to our customers, enhancing accessibility and improving ease of use, highlighting TriMet’s commitment to continually improving our customer experience,” commented Nate Smith, TriMet Director of Customer Experience. “Making public transportation easier, and more efficient to use, will help us increase ridership and achieve our goals related to mitigating climate impacts, enhancing mobility, increasing opportunity, and lessening congestion.” 

“TriMet has a long history of leadership and innovation, particularly in the Smart City category-- they strive to lead the industry in service, connectivity, and customer satisfaction,” added Rick Wood, CEO, Connectpoint. “When the agency was looking for new Real Time Information Signs, they selected Connectpoint’s suite of ePaper signage product which are durable, eco-friendly, optionally solar-powered, and visually crystal clear--all the attributes needed for long term smart city development. As we all know, mass transportation is one of the fundamental backbones of every Smart City, TriMet is leading by example in this area.”

The benefits of real-time information in public transportation are endless and beginning to revolutionize how people commute. Real-time information can mean many things, whether it be the exact minute the bus will be arriving or departing, any service changes to a line, public service announcements, delays, etc. Having this information updated every minute allows riders to plan accordingly and be aware of situational changes which results in them building trust in the information and service they’re receiving. The direct result of that trust is increased ridership.

The Connectpoint® Digital Bus Stop® offers ground-breaking technology via solar-powered, real-time departure and schedule information as well as service alerts. These “smart city” digital signs are equipped with ePaper displays that provide crystal-clear readability any hour of the day or night. Connectpoint’s Digital Bus Stop® signs are easy to install, can be retrofitted to existing bus stops or shelters and managed remotely via their content management system, CPAM™.

System health, power, and content across digital signage is managed by a single cloud-based content management system, Connectpoint’s CPAM (Connectpoint Asset Management), the industry’s only device agnostic, content management system, which can be accessed from any mobile device for on-the-go changes and performance visibility and can be converted into an emergency message system.

Smart Cities Connect covers best practices, outstanding technologies, future trends and global projects. 

About TriMet

TriMet provides bus, light rail, commuter rail and paratransit service across a 533-square-mile district in the Portland, Oregon, region. TriMet's transportation options connect people with their community, while easing traffic congestion and reducing air pollution — making the region a better place to live. 

About Connectpoint

Connectpoint’s ePaper digital signage, available in 5 sizes—13”, 22”, 28,” 32”, and 42”—is the most deployed ePaper digital signage solution within the U.S. transportation industry. Connectpoint also offers LED and LCD digital signage solutions.

Connectpoint designs, builds, and manages all product development, with content delivered and managed by CPAM™, our device and technology-agnostic content management system. Clients have input and control over all signage from desktop or mobile devices. Our diverse and talented team have specific software expertise to deploy ePaper and other digital signage solutions and are able to solve even the most complex issues and deliver on-time, challenging projects. In conjunction with our sister company, CHK America, we have helped power over 2 billion trips annually, allowing transit riders to make informed decisions. Connectpoint’s robust client list includes Pittsburgh Regional Transit, Pittsburgh, PA; King County Metro, Seattle; TriMet, Portland; VIA, San Antonio, TX; DASH, City of Alexandra, Virginia; GCRTA, Greater Cleveland, OH; SMART, SE Michigan; RTCSN, Las Vegas, NV; DART, Dallas, TX; FWTA, Ft. Worth, TX; GRTC, Richmond, VA; Seattle Streetcar, Seattle, WA; Sound Transit, Seattle, WA; and Portland Streetcar, Portland, OR. 

AWARDS

Connectpoint Digital Bus Stop® Awards

¨     2024 Smart Cities “Smart 20 Awardee” for “TriMet Improves Passenger Experience Providing 24/7 Real-Time Information with Energy Efficient Solar Powered Digital Signage from Connectpoint”

¨     2023 Smart Cities “Smart 50 Awardee” for “Seattle’s King County Metro Improves Passenger Transit Experience with Connectpoint’s Smart City Signage” project

¨     2022 IoT Breakthrough Award winner for “Overall Smart City Solution Provider of the Year”

¨     2022 Digital Signage Award in the “Sector Specific Response to Covid-19” category 

¨     2022 Globee Gold Award in the “Information Technology Project or Initiative of the Year” category 

¨     2022 Golden Bridge Gold Globee Award in the “Information Technology Hardware” category

¨     2021 Digital Signage Award winner in the “Technical Advances and Innovation” category for displays and other devices

 About the Smart 20 Awards

For the past seven years, Smart Cities Connect (SCC) has awarded 50 top projects to showcase and celebrate the work being done in communities around the world. In 2024, we launched the Smart 20, choosing the top 20 award winners that span all aspects of municipal communities, including but not limited to: urban operations and digital transformation, public policy, community engagement, funding, inclusion, governance, data, AI, sensors, Internet of Things, cyber security, privacy, blockchain, mobility including public transportation, autonomous transit, rideshare, networks, 5G, utilities, energy, grid, lighting, water and wastewater, public safety, emergency response, and sustainability. 

The move to the Smart20 reflects how smart city projects have matured as sectors learn how to work together for the benefit of the communities they serve. It is an inspiring tradition to highlight the most innovative and influential smart municipal and regional-scale projects in the world. One of the prerequisites for even being able to submit an entry for the Smart 20 Awards is demonstrated collaboration across sectors. Over the years, there have been so many great examples of cities, utilities, universities, industry, startups, community advocates all working together to produce tangible, measurable outcomes. 

Communities submit projects that illustrate how they are thoughtfully designing and deploying smart technologies to address their city’s challenges. Award winners can span from full-scale infrastructure deployments to innovative pilot projects. While no two projects are alike, they are all focused on using data in meaningful ways to make a positive impact in their communities. SCC holds true to the mantra that smart cities put people first, and this criteria manifests in the project’s commitment to improve city service delivery and residents’ quality of life.