Case study · Boston · Commuter Rail
Boston's commuter rail, in any language.
Keolis Commuter Services — operator of MBTA Commuter Rail — and consultancy Arcadis integrate NaviLens at North Station: faregates, accessible passages, departure boards and platform poles read aloud in 42 languages.
Boston
MBTA Commuter Rail — North Station
Keolis + Arcadis
Operator and accessibility consultant
12 lines · 140 stations
Massachusetts commuter rail network
42 languages
Multilingual voice reading
The client
Keolis Commuter Services
— Arcadis · MBTA
Keolis Commuter Services runs MBTA Commuter Rail — 12 lines and nearly 140 stations linking Boston with all of Massachusetts and Rhode Island — under contract with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). Arcadis brings the universal accessibility and urban design consultancy.
The project deploys NaviLens at North Station — shared with TD Garden, home of the Boston Bruins and Celtics — and around it: Tap/Scan faregates, ADA accessible passages, departure/arrival boards, platforms and pedestrian links to the T (subway). An accessible layer overlaid on existing signage with no civil works.
§ The challenge
Century-old commuter rail, riders from everywhere.
- 01
One of the oldest commuter rail networks in the US
MBTA Commuter Rail connects Boston with all of Massachusetts: 12 lines, nearly 140 stations and a terminal — North Station — shared with TD Garden, the Bruins and the Celtics. Historic platforms, raised walkways, mixed infrastructure, and lots of legacy signage that was hard to read for low-vision riders or non-English speakers.
- 02
Faregates, accesses and platforms with scattered info
LED departure boards, LCD platform screens, Tap/Scan to Enter machines, validation gates, shared Amtrak tracks, wheelchair-accessible passages… The information existed but came mostly through sight. There was no accessible, multilingual, at-a-distance layer to orient yourself before reaching the sign.
- 03
A tourist, multilingual city
Boston welcomes travelers from around the world, international students and fans heading to TD Garden games. Signage had to read just as well in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese or Arabic — and be usable by blind, low-vision, autistic or cognitively-disabled riders.
§ The solution
A NaviLens layer on every faregate and platform.
Keolis and Arcadis install NaviLens codes on faregate tops, ADA passages, platform poles and beside departure boards. Riders aim with NaviLens GO from several meters away and hear the info at that point in their language — no queues, no touchscreens, no fine print.
The layer lives alongside classic QR codes, ADA pictograms, NFC and existing LED/LCD screens. No construction, no wiring needed: just high-contrast NaviLens stickers branded 'KEOLIS · ARCADIS'.
§ Timeline
From the faregate to the platform.
- Aug 29 2024
Official NaviLens pilot launch
Keolis Commuter Services (MBTA Commuter Rail operator) and the MBTA officially announce the NaviLens pilot at North Station and Salem, with plans to add four more stations in the coming months. Covered by MBTA News, The Boston Sun, Mass Transit Magazine and Metro Magazine.
- Rollout
North Station as the flagship
NaviLens codes are installed at accesses and faregates in North Station (Causeway), on Tap/Scan to Enter machines, at wheelchair-accessible passages, next to MBTA/Amtrak departure and arrival boards, and on platform lighting poles. The layer coexists with classic QR codes, ADA pictograms and existing screens.
- Today
A commuter network you can listen to
Riders aim with NaviLens GO from several meters away and hear in their language the station name, line, platform, next train destination and exit or transfer indications. No touchscreens, no fine print.
§ Walkthrough
North Station, point by point.
North Station · Platform
Lighting pole with NaviLens code
On the outdoor platform next to the bridge over the Charles River, lighting poles carry a white card with the NaviLens code and the 'KEOLIS · ARCADIS' branding. Riders aim from several meters away and hear the track number, line and next train.
North Station · Faregates
Main concourse faregate row
The row of faregates in the North Station concourse, next to DraftKings and TD Bank stands, integrates NaviLens codes on the tops and on the accessible gate. The voice indicates 'Tap/Scan to Enter', the direction of travel and the location of the wide ADA gate.
North Station · Access
Overview of the fare control area
Before crossing to the platform, riders find the bank of gates: Tap/Scan readers, directional panels and the accessible gate marked with the blue ADA icon. Every element — including the emergency exit — has its own NaviLens code.
Detail
Faregate header with NaviLens code
The detail shows how the NaviLens code sits on the faregate top next to the ADA pictogram. High contrast and long-range reading let users line up their phone without having to approach the NFC reader.
Accessible access
Wide ADA gate with NaviLens card
The wide ADA passage ('Tap/Scan to Enter') is identified by a large NaviLens code next to the 'No toilets past this point' sign. The voice warns about available facilities before crossing the gate and offers the accessible route to the platform.
Card
NaviLens Accessible Code · Keolis · Arcadis
The cards installed by Keolis and Arcadis show the NaviLens code next to a classic QR and the partners' branding. The rider scans with NaviLens GO and gets the info for the exact point they're standing at.
Exit
Exit gates with NaviLens
In the exit area toward the passages connecting to TD Garden and the street, the 'Tap/Scan to Exit' gates integrate NaviLens codes and ADA pictograms. The voice guides riders to elevators, Ticketmaster windows or Causeway Street.
Departure board
North Station Train Information
Next to the classic 'NORTH STATION TRAIN INFORMATION' LED board (MBTA and Amtrak with destinations to Wachusett, Lowell, Haverhill, Brunswick, Rockport…) a NaviLens card has been installed in the top right. It lets you hear the next departure, the track and the train status.
Real use
Rider scanning with NaviLens GO
A user with a long cane and bone-conduction headphones aims their phone at the NaviLens code by the yellow platform edge. The app says 'Wait for elevation to platform' and the direction of the elevator.
§ What they said
What was said at the pilot launch.
“The MBTA welcomes and supports every opportunity to make our system easier to access, especially for riders who depend on it most. I'm proud of the work by Keolis and our System-wide Accessibility team to provide the new NaviLens technology pilot for riders who are blind or with low vision. The ability to access our Commuter Rail stations with confidence further supports riders' independence.”
“Ensuring that all passengers can safely access the Commuter Rail is a top priority for Keolis. NaviLens has the potential to give riders who are blind or have low vision the confidence to independently navigate our stations.”
§ Results
A commuter rail for everyone.
Accessible accesses
Every faregate and accessible door identified by voice in 42 languages
Readable platform
Line, track and next train read in the rider's language
No works, no screens
Just NaviLens stickers next to existing signage
§ And your network?
Your next station can also speak.
Tell us about your network, your pain points and the KPIs you want to move. We’ll show you how NaviLens would fit —with comparable cases.
