Countdown clocks at all M and W train stations are slated to go live on Friday, bringing the MTA ever closer to its goal of adding the beacon technology to all lettered subway stations by the end of this year.
The rollout is part of the agency’s Subway Action Plan, a two-part initiative unveiled by MTA Chairman Joe Lhota in July that aims to modernize, stabilize and improve the aged subway system.
Bring the real-time train arrival technology to all stations is “a vital part of our aggressive and immediate efforts to improve the customer experience through increased reliability and capacity, enhanced stations and safety and clear and accurate communication,” Lhota said in a statement Wednesday.
The clocks will not only inform straphangers when their trains will arrive, they will also offer real-time alerts of service, delays or any emergencies.
Riders of the C, E, G and R lines have already seen the countdown clocks deployed. With the rollout on the M and W lines, 326 of the system’s 472 stations will have the technology. This includes 156 numbered line stations and 24 L train stations.
