People are trolling the TTC’s new on-board signs

Thanks to the endless construction projects that are plaguing the city this summer, chances are you’ve probably spent quite some time aimlessly looking around a TTC bus or train just to pass the time. 

One particular feature on TTC buses that is aggravating some commuters is the network’s large information displays, which recently replaced the smaller dot matrix LED displays. 

A Reddit thread discussing the detested signs went completely viral over the long weekend, having amassed over 1,200 upvotes and more than 140 comments. 

“Does this design drive anyone else crazy or is it just me,” the original poster asked, with many agreeing that the basic design presents a number of challenges for readers, including the lengthy lines of text that can be difficult to track on a moving bus. 

“Every time I see these I think that maybe I should apply for a job at the TTC head office or wherever did that. It’s evident that you don’t need any skills or qualifications, and that there’s no oversight or anyone to answer to. It’s so obviously bad, and so obviously easy to fix,” one person responded. 

Does this design drive anyone else crazy or is it just me?

byu/delaware intoronto

“It’s the result of someone spending maybe 20 minutes in the signboard’s software. They picked a logo, they set the frame border color, they set two fields worth of text, and said I’M DONE,” one user wrote, while another called the design “okay,” but ineffective in using the space properly. 

“What design? You mean it wasn’t just randomly slapped together?” a comment under the thread reads. 

The TTC’s frustrating bus information displays even prompted one Toronto-based UX/UI designer to propose transforming signs in an effort to enhance their overall effectiveness and address some of the usability challenges. 

The talent behind the sign’s proposed redesign, Shaban Mohammed, noted that the displays have the capability to show more information— including upcoming stops, estimated times of arrival and transcribed announcements — but there are untapped opportunities to offer even more value to commuters. 

One key flaw with the current system highlighted in Mohammed’s study is the display’s stop button signal. The designer found that passengers found themselves pressing the stop button multiple times, even after hearing the confirmation chime due to delayed visual feedback. 

In redesigned bus displays, the stop request could use more visually appealing designs to capture the passenger’s attention in an effort to provide clear confirmation and enhance noticeability.