SANTA MONICA—The Big Blue Bus will be standardizing all new buses with Wi-Fi and installing solar-powered real-time signs and LED lights for improved arrival time notifications by mid-2019

The company announced the retrofit of 190 high-volume bus stops. The advancements will be made on 166 bus stops in the city of Los Angeles and will also be completed on 10 large and 14 small bus shelters in the city of Santa Monica.

In addition to the announcement, 19 of BBB’s latest 40-foot buses currently provide free Wi-Fi to passengers.

The latest additions were suggested by more than 500 customers who participated in a online survey and voted on upgrades at their preferred bus stop locations. They also provided feedback on safety and performance.

“Through our community engagement efforts, our customers helped us prioritize investments, which included Wi-Fi, improved bus stop safety through lighting and the addition of real-time information,” said Ed King, Director of Transit Services, in a press release from the BBB. “We aim to enhance the customer experience by taking the guesswork out of riding transit.”

To enhance customer safety and provide better access to real-time information, BBB will be adding push buttons that activate audio recordings that inform customers when the next bus will arrive. Other improvements include: bus arrival information that is easier to read in the daylight, enhanced customer visibility in low light conditions and signs programmed to display timely information about detours and bus stop closures.