Boston transit agency tests new way to help blind find bus stops

Bus in Boston. Image credit: Flickr

Transit should be open and accessible to people of all abilities. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), the transit agency for the Boston area, is testing technology to assist visually impaired riders to know where to stand when waiting for the bus. Using Bluetooth beacons on bus stop signs, a smartphone app will alert users how close they are to the stop. The technology will be piloted on two routes which pass by the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown. The school is a partner in developing the app.

For more information about the app, read the article in the Boston Globe. More information about the MBTA is available at their website.