Two Twelve
Associates
902 Broadway
New York, NY 10010
212 254 6670
shaun@twotwelve.com
TWO
TWELVE'S DEVELOPS INNOVATIVE DESIGN AND PRODUCTION STRATEGIES FOR NJ TRANSIT
CUSTOMER COMMUNICATIONS
New Timetables Design and Production Process Expected to Save
Public Transit System $150K Annually
New York,
NY, 15 June, 2005—Two Twelve Associates Inc. the New York City-based
public information design firm, has designed a new timetables system for
NJ TRANSIT, the nation’s largest statewide public transportation
system. The new design is being debuted today in hundreds of trains and
stations in New Jersey and New York City.
"Over the years, our timetables had become overloaded with information
and difficult for customers to read," said NJ TRANSIT Executive
Director George D. Warrington. "We needed to simplifiy them, allowing
customers to easily identify trains, fares, and other information critical
to their travel plans. Two Twelve has given us a design that serves the
interests of both customers and employees, and advances the image
of NJ TRANSIT as a progressive, customer-focused agency.”
“This was a classic case of information overload,” says Two
Twelve principal Ann Harakawa, “Our solution was to focus on the
primary user need: fast, easy access to key facts. Through our information
design and print production expertise, Two Twelve not only met this
basic goal, but also helped NJ TRANSIT streamline in-house production
methods, reduce expenses by one hundred and fifty thousand dollars per
year, be more environmentally responsible, and upgrade its organizational
identity.”
In 2004, NJ TRANSIT had its most riders ever: 64 million rail passenger
trips that led to expanding services by nearly 200 extra trains. Accommodating
this additional information presented challenges both in terms of
design and cost control. To develop the design solution, Two Twelve collaborated
with Lou Millan, NJ TRANSIT’s director of geographic information
systems, and NJ TRANSIT staff in Graphic Design, Policy & Strategic
Planning, Market Research, and Customer Communications & Interactive
Services departments.
Using input from the internal team as well as findings on best practices
on timetable design around the world, Two Twelve produced alternate prototype
designs. These were tested for usability in a series of customer and employee
focus groups, and refinements were made in response to their feedback.
The final result is a system of timetables with symbol- and color-coded
covers, a new folding format, clear schedule information, simplified language,
and a concise fare table.
Cost savings comes from redesigning the largest timetable, for the Morris
& Essex Lines, from a 32-page booklet into a single sheet of paper
folded into 9 panels. This saves $.06 per piece in printing and production,
for a total savings of more than $150,000 annually.
Additional savings will come from a new internal production process that
Two Twelve has helped NJ TRANSIT develop and implement. In collaboration
with representatives from Adobe, Two Twelve transitioned NJT’s internal
design department to use Adobe’s InDesign® layout application,
and developed an automated JAVAScript process for formatting the hundreds
of thousands of numbers in each train schedule. This is key in terms of
time savings on layout tasks, because the numbers have to be changed,
quickly, every time a train schedule changes. Automating this process
increases accuracy, reduces production time, and improves the workflow
between Rail Planning and Print/Graphics departments.
Some of the cost savings has been put into specifying a high quality recycled
paper stock, a choice that reflects the agency’s effort to be more
environmentally friendly.
“In the end, the timetables are easier to read, clearer to understand
and more efficent to produce,” reported NJ TRANSIT’s EnRoute
employee newsletter, “The result is a new design that looks great,
provides all the essential information our customers need and advances
the agency’s image.”
About
Two Twelve
Two Twelve Associates (http://www.twotwelve.com)
is a New York City-based graphic design firm specializing in public information
branding: designing to communicate with the broadest possible audience;
finding the hidden logic in complex situations; and developing branded
systems and communications that improve human experiences and understanding.
Two Twelve contact: Sarah Haun, 212-254-6670 x236 shaun@twotwelve.com
About New Jersey Transit
NJ Transit (http://www.njtransit.com)
is the nation's largest statewide public transportation system providing
more than 779,200 daily trips on 240 bus routes, three light rail lines
and 11 commuter rail lines. It is the third largest transit system
in the country with 162 rail stations, 52 light rail stations and more
than 17,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and
Philadelphia.
NJ Transit contact: Dan Stessel, 973-491-7078 dstessel@njtransit.com
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