Urban Digital and Easy: Transforming Urban Mobility and Local Urban Commerce

A Pioneering Collaboration

Urban Digital, partnering with Easy — Israel's most comprehensive and regularly updated business directory app, serving over 2 million users — has developed a new interface that greatly enhances urban mobility and local commerce around our Smart Bus Stations in the city of Modi'in and urban information kiosks in Yehud.

Easy – Reinventing Local Commerce

Easy, with its advanced location-based search system, is more than a business directory. It's a platform that keeps its pulse on the dynamic Israeli market, connecting people with businesses, points of interest, and events while assisting business owners in managing their visibility and customer reach.
In collaboration with Urban Digital, this powerful tool has been tailored for the smart information screens at bus stations and urban kiosks, launching a unique user experience that provides essential information in a convenient manner.

An Enhanced User Experience

The interface offers various selectable categories for users to navigate and filter businesses and points of interest according to their needs. Each screen highlights businesses in the vicinity, presenting a comprehensive view of each business – from operation hours to distance from the station, reviews, and ratings.

A Seamless Interaction: A User Scenario

Imagine a commuter waiting for a bus at a Modi'in bus station. They notice an appealing bakery displayed on the interactive kiosk nearby. A quick QR code scan transports the commuter onto the Easy app, guiding them directly to the bakery's page. Intrigued by the rave reviews and the convenience of a 3-minute walk, the commuter decides to grab a bite before the bus arrives. This is Urban Digital and Easy in action, making city living interactive and convenient for everyone.

Interactive Advertising: Driving Local Commerce

The collaboration presents something more engaging than traditional posters — it's interactive advertising that effectively promotes local businesses, encouraging city dwellers and tourists alike to explore their surroundings while increasing visibility for the Easy app and boosting local commerce. The combination of wayfinding and public transport has proven to increase foot traffic and bring new revenue to local businesses, thus strengthening the whole community.

The Future of Urban Mobility

With this transformative project up and running in cities like Modi'in, where 50 active kiosks are serving the community, and in Yehud, where four centrally located kiosks are enhancing the urban experience, Urban Digital's mission of enhancing city life is coming to fruition.
We are enhancing the quality of life in cities, supporting local businesses, and paving the way for future digital innovations in urban mobility. This project is a great example of how technology, data, and partnership can lead to real change and improvement in everyday life for all of us.

We would like to thank our partners at Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut
Municipality and Yehud-Monosson Municipality

Revolutionizing Daily Commutes: A Look into Urban Digital's Smart Bus Shelter Project in Tel Aviv Metro

We're proud to be part of 'Fast to the City,' one of Israel's most significant public transportation initiatives in recent years.

Advancements in technology always carry the potential to significantly change our lives, and at Urban Digital, we're doing just that by transforming public transport through our smart bus shelter project in the Tel Aviv public transport metro system project named “Fast To the City” (in Hebrew: Mahir La’ir).

The Tel Aviv metropolis, officially referred to as “Gush Dan," is the busiest and most dense district in Israel. It is home to approximately 50% of the country's jobs and was the site of half of all journeys made in Israel in 2016. However, only 1.2 million of the 6 million daily trips were made by public transportation, leading to extreme traffic congestion. This congestion costs an estimated NIS 35 billion per year in financial damage, a figure expected to rise to NIS 70 billion per year by 2040. (1)

The inefficiency of the bus system, a significant component of public transportation, is a prime cause of this issue. The lack of public transportation routes on central traffic routes further aggravates it. The "Fast to the City" project responds to this problem. Managed under the Ministry of Transportation and a total estimated cost of 3.5 Billion NIS (roughly 1 Billion USD), the project that initiated in 2017. Fast to the city upgraded public transportation by paving hundreds of kilometers of public transportation routes in central streets, prioritizing public transit over private vehicles.

Urban Digital manages the part of upgrading the smart bus shelters and main terminals in this project, in which we have been involved since it’s inception. We are working closely with 17 municipalities and deployed 400 smart bus shelters stations.

So, what does this transformation mean for everyday individuals and commuters in Tel Aviv Metro?

It's simple: this massive project is bringing unprecedented convenience and connectivity directly to the daily lives of millions of commuters. Our innovative smart bus shelters play a significant part in the shift we see in Israel toward the use of public transport. The advancement in infrastructure in public transit finally caught up with the technological aspects and converted more passengers to use public transport and leave their private vehicles at home.

Our Smart Bus Shelters are a key example of this upgrade and shift in usage.Our modern stations offer real-time bus schedules and route information right at the fingertips of commuters, saving time and taking the guesswork out of their journey.

 

 

You may ask, how do we achieve this?

It's all about utilizing cutting-edge technology. Our smart bus stops extract real-time bus location data relayed via a central server. We apply the SIRI protocol for real-time data and GTFS for comprehensive travel information.

But that's not all. Our stations also feature "Search Destination," a powerful route-planning tool. With the help of innovative third-party software, this tool generates multi-modal route plans that cover all forms of transport, even down to walking. It seamlessly integrates information from buses, trains, and trams to provide a comprehensive travel plan.

The integrated smart ticketing service streamlines the fare payment process, while the interactive maps aid tourists and new residents in navigating our wonderful city.

The dynamic digital signage system provides valuable city information and event updates, turning idle waiting time into an opportunity to stay informed. The Gush Dan area in Israel is a bustling city with culture, food, music, and more. Using the bus transport infrastructure, the city informs residents of events it wants to promote. And this isn't just a local initiative. Mahir La'ir is part of a national project stewarded by the Ministry of Transportation in Israel. Successfully collaborating with these major entities and implementing large-scale projects from start to finish is part of what makes us excel at Urban Digital.

Moreover, the residents of local authorities in Gush Dan have seen a more vibrant, connected community emerge around these digital hubs, as they facilitate social interactions, boost local businesses via business directories and promotional advertisements, and serve as modern landmarks, enhancing the city's aesthetic appeal. At some point, one can consider the bus station as a comforting shelter; at others, the station turns into an informative billboard and smart communication channel. This project has not only improved individual commutes but also contributed to building a smarter, more connected community by implementing smart bus stops.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtHsARS3sZA&t=3s

 

What’s next for infrastructure in Mahir La’ir?

A project of this magnitude creates strong relationships with the respected authority. While infrastructure maintenance continues, we consistently contact our partners to get feedback, work on improvements, and upgrade our software and production process.

The Mahir La'ir project is a prime example of Urban Digital's mission to enhance people's quality of life through innovative technology solutions. From the outset, our products have made a significant impact, and we are determined to continue upgrading public transportation infrastructure. We're passionate about this cause, and it motivates us to push ourselves constantly. We're thrilled to be making a meaningful impact, and we're always striving to do better.

Urban Digital is grateful to partner on this project with:

Ayalon Highways

Municipality of Ramat-Hasharon

Holon Municipality

Hod Hasharon Municipality

Bat Yam Municipality

Rishon Le-Zion Municipality

Kfar Saba Municipality

עיריית הרצליה | Herzliya Municipality

Kiryat Ono Municipality

Bnei Brak municipality

The Municipality of Petah Tikva

Givat Shmuel Municipality

Lod Municipality

Ramla Municipality

Urban Digital – Urban Time Table

Explore how Urban Digital's Urban Timetable transforms bus stop signage management in Israel. Our solution promotes precision and efficiency in bus signage production. To learn more about the role of Urban Timetable in this change, visit our latest article. We value your input and shares.

 

“We First launched Urban Timetable in Israel last quarter and the reaction from our partners has given us the confidence that we are on the right track – simplifying the every day tasks of public transport infrustcrutre managers. ”  Ramon, VP of Sales at Urban Digital.

First Published Here

Urban Timetable – Breakthrough Solution for Public Transport Precision and Efficiency

Consider every bus stop – each requires a timetable poster and, most often, a specific city map. Each sign carries specific information and is usually made from paper. These signs frequently require replacing. This task is labor-intensive and time-consuming, not to mention the frequent need for updates due to the dynamic nature of public transport. We're talking about special days, route changes, and so on… and sadly, there are times when the information isn't accurate, leading to confusion for passengers.

Traditional methods involving manual processes struggle to keep pace with these frequent changes. It's clear that the industry can no longer afford to maintain this manually. The need of the hour in public transport is an efficient, automated solution.

Urban Digital’s Cloud-Based Solution – Urban Timetable provides an innovative answer.

Currently available in Israel, this project is for the local bus operator and has significantly improved their quality of work. It helps keep track of public transport line routes and schedule changes that need to be updated. It also streamlines the whole process of alerting of needed changes, producing the signs, and assigning them to teams to physically update the sign on the station.

Urban Timetable leverages General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) data (the blueprint of public transport information) to simplify and automate the production of static bus stop signage. It essentially takes the data directly from the source and transforms it into accurate, timely signage. But it's more than just an automation tool.

 

 

The software handles the entire process, including the "ticketing" to address sign changes. The application alerts teams of locations requiring sign updates and manages the routes of technicians tasked with the updates. This level of operational management is a game-changer for public transport.

Our strategic value is to ensure passenger satisfaction while drastically reducing the time it takes to produce signage and ensure information accuracy. By leveraging data directly from the GTFS source, the software is always updated, resulting in updated signage, which enhances passenger trust and improves the overall riding experience.

We notice this in every project we handle for our clients; when the signage on the bus stop is accurate, it increases public transport usage. It also ensures compliance with local regulations while maintaining the transportation provider’s brand identity across all signage.

The future of public transport management is here! It's automated, efficient, and smart, ensuring we all get where we need to go.