NJ Transit launches pilot apps to enhance accessibility and communication for riders with disabilities
NEW JERSEY – NJ Transit is expanding its accessibility initiatives with the launch of two pilot programs aimed at helping customers with disabilities navigate stations and communicate more easily with staff.
Through a collaboration with the Transit Tech Lab, administered by the Partnership Fund for New York City, NJ Transit is introducing GoodMaps at Hoboken Terminal and Convo at Newark Penn Station’s Customer Service and Ticket Offices.
GoodMaps provides real-time indoor navigation assistance throughout Hoboken Terminal, using audio or text-based directions similar to GPS technology but designed specifically for indoor spaces. Convo offers on-demand American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting via a simple QR code scan, connecting customers instantly with a live interpreter for seamless communication with NJ Transit employees.
“GoodMaps and Convo are innovative applications that deliver practical solutions that help make our busiest facilities more accessible to all customers,” said NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri. “Whether it’s navigating a terminal or communicating with staff, these technologies give people more control over their journey and reflect our ongoing commitment to creating a more welcoming transit system.”
Luna Katbah, NJ Transit’s head of IT innovation, said the project demonstrates how technology can expand accessibility. “Our collaboration with the Transit Tech Lab shows how innovation and partnership can advance accessibility in public transit,” Katbah said. “By combining technology and inclusive design, this pilot empowers visually impaired and hard of hearing customers to travel with greater confidence and independence.”
The GoodMaps app allows customers to receive step-by-step directions for trains and buses directly from their mobile devices, offering enhanced support for those with low vision or mobility challenges.
Convo, meanwhile, allows sign language users to engage in live, two-way conversations with NJ Transit staff through an interpreter, improving accessibility and fostering more inclusive communication across the system.
The Transit Tech Lab connects transit agencies with technology companies to pilot innovative solutions for public transportation challenges across the New York metropolitan region.
NJ Transit said both pilot programs reflect its broader goal of building a more accessible and inclusive transit network. More information on these technologies is available at njtransit.com/accessibility.
