The Bus Stops Here: Driving Changes for CATA

When Capital Area Transportation Authority (CATA) of greater Lansing needed help routing bus riders through the complex information on its site, Artemis was happy to take the wheel.

Problem:

While CATA’s former site was full of information, it often led visitors down an unnecessarily long and winding path from Point A to Point B. What the organization needed was a more powerful, user-friendly site that would welcome people to the bus system by helping them find stops, learn about services, and plan their routes to work, errands, and play. The site had to track routes and schedules, integrate new technology like interactive maps, comply with WC3 accessibility standards, and present itself as attractive, friendly, and easy to use.

Solution:

CATA has been voted #1 in America, and it was important for the new site to adhere to the brand guidelines the Lansing public already knows and trusts. Within that framework, we reenergized the site by re-engineering the information architecture and adding exciting new online tools. For example, we teamed with the client to edit, regroup, and focus information around key points users need to know, including riding CATA, schedules and maps, fares, services, and information about CATA. Key information, such as a trip planner and route reference, are now front and center on the home page, along with rider alerts and updatable CATA news. Simple navigation system and keyword searches help users track other details quickly and intuitively. Integrated into the new site design are powerful new tools to help CATA riders get the most out of their public transportation experience. The trip planner mentioned above allows users to input their starting point, destination, and time of departure or arrival, and then receive detailed trip plans based on fare type, trip time, walking distance, and number of transfers. Other high-tech tools include rider alerts delivered via email or SMS text, searchable routes and maps, online bus pass purchases, and RFP opportunities for vendors. Finally, since the site was planned for public use, we subjected it to heavy testing at MSU’s Usability & Accessibility lab. See the results for yourself at www.cata.org!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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