TRANSIT: Beacon technology offers CTA new way to connect with riders

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) may soon have a new way to share information with bus and train riders if an upcoming pilot test of beacon technology proves fruitful.

Smart beacons are a Bluetooth-based technology that send out a signal to communicate with nearby mobile devices. Many different types of information can be conveyed in this manner, from transit schedule delays to directed advertising. CTA and transit advertising partner Titan will be investigating possible applications in both arenas, including tie-ins to CTA’s Bus Tracker and Train Tracker software.

The Chicago pilot will utilize smart beacons at select rail stations manufactured by Gimbal, an offshoot of telecom giant Qualcomm. Participants in the pilot will need to download and enable a mobile app to allow their phones or other devices to communicate with the beacons. CTA and Titan assure that the beacons are transmit-only devices and will not collect or store any personal user data.

No timetable was given for the length of the pilot nor an exact start date.