Sound Transit has a severe audio problem, with Link light rail stations transformed into an unwelcoming cacophony of announcements. Competing audio alerts flood the stations, making them impossible to individually comprehend. Alerts fire off in rapid succession as a robotic narrator declares that “Sound Transit does not tolerate harassment.” And a grating “you’ve got mail” style jingle warns exasperated riders that yet another announcement is coming.
It’s just too much. It’s a mess. And it makes Sound Transit look inexperienced and careless. These are not pranksters ruining the station experience; the agency is doing it to itself.
Last year, the agency restored real-time arrival information, launched new audio announcements, and promised to roll out new digital signage. For many riders, it was a godsend. Finally, Sound Transit was delivering on basic and long-awaited rider experience tools!
But while the new digital signs are unequivocally good, the announcement system has not improved beyond providing new types of information. That enhancement is lost in the awful sounds it produces, as stations turn into palaces of auditory horror. It doesn’t have to be this way though.
Sound Transit can change how it operates its station announcements and the passenger information management system (PIMS) that powers them in a variety of ways.
Firstly, the jingle has got to go. This isn’t the 1990s anymore; AOL is all but gone. Transit agencies the world over use more sensible and welcoming jingles. Sound Transit should take notes from places like The Netherlands and Switzerland that have lovely jingles.
