What can you do with a Micro-Fence: CTA Holiday Train

  • C436dc974a7ce10c47fc6defa0deb465 Micro Fence
  • Readingtime icon Read in: 2 mins
  • by: Alexis Prousis

Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is the operator of mass transit in Chicagoland, including the trains of the Chicago "L" and bus service. On an average weekday, 1.6 million rides are taken on the CTA, providing 83% of the public transit trips in Chicagoland. Most Chicagoans are familiar with the CTA’s holiday tradition unique to Chicago - the holiday train. This year marks 25 years of the CTA Holiday Train and the CTA will be introducing a new Elves’ Workshop Train to celebrate this special occasion. With Santa and the elves’ meet and greet, if the CTA worked with micro-fencing, they could certainly bring more joy to riders and deliver greater holiday spirits to Chicagoland.


CTA Holiday Train Santa.jpg

Micro-fences can be set up throughout the 140 train stops and 11,000 bus stops, delivering riders real-time traffic update and estimated arrival time for trains and buses. By integrating micro-fencing into the CTA app, customers can also be notified if their bus gets rerouted, or when their Ventra accounts are low in balance. With holiday trains running around town, CTA could let the riders know when the next Elves’ Workshop Train would get to the stop. For customers who want the full holiday CTA experience, they would certainly appreciate such helpful information.

Public transportation can be time-consuming and boring. However, CTA could transform the ride experience with the help of micro-fencing. In-app games could be built into the fence, so riders could have access to the games during commute.

CTA could also work with business inside or outside the train station to have their message delivered. When there’s a Dunkin Donut in the station, coupons or simply a holiday greeting could be delivered to users’ mobile devices. Retailers that are close by could also make an appearance on users’ mobile devices.

On October 1st, 2017, CTA will be celebrating 70 years of operation. CTA has always been the epicenter of the Chicago transportation system, serving millions of Chicagoans every day. If micro-fencing was integrated into the CTA app, CTA could certainly continue its iconic history of being one of the best public transportation systems in the U.S., not only this holiday season, but in the future, providing riders a more enjoyable riding experience.

Panel 4a Panel 4b Panel 4c
Panel 0a