Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Bus Schedule Program

DATE: 2013
CLIENT: MBTA

The Challenge
To create a new process and product for the quarterly printing of the MBTA bus schedules. 

History (see image below)
Until the mid 1990s the MBTA quarterly bus schedules were a double-side card with a "stick map" on one side and an abbreviated schedule on the reverse. In 1995 I created new maps based on the MBTA System Map. I redesigned the card size to a tri-fold piece of paper, which made the usable area 300% larger but allowed the schedule to fit into the existing display racks. The other side (full bus schedule) was created by the MBTA from a program called HASTUS. These separate elements were combined by a commercial printer.

Issues
The bus maps were created in an Illustrator-like program called Freehand (defunct). They were limited because the nature of the drawing program did not allow for significant changes. Maps often had to be recreated, making for a time consuming and expensive process. Furthermore, forcing the commercial printer to combine separate files from two sources created many consistency problems and took control away from the MBTA.

The Solution
I was hired to create a new the product/process and train MBTA staff to maintain the quarterly bus schedules program going forward.

Step One–created new maps in Illustrator based on the MBTA System Map removing the color and leaving "loose edges" so MBTA staff could adjust the map in InDesign if needed.

Step Two–created new layout in InDesign for every bus route. Layout included map, front cover, and schedule on reverse.

Step Three–designed process to import HASTUS data directly into InDesign.

Step Four–trained MBTA staff on how to use Illustrator and InDesign.

Lessons Learned
The six-month process produced an excellent, smooth running system. The trained MBTA staff has needed very little follow up assistance. It has been over three years and the process has proceeded smoothly with no significant hiccups.