Improving the Mass Transit Experience

This was sent to the Toronto Transit Commission via their on-line 'TTC Service Complaint/Suggestion Form':

Are you interested in improving the TTC passenger experience?

I have a suggestion for how you could improve the conditions for passengers for very little cost, and put the TTC at the forefront of social innovation.

Traveling is stressful, but the TTC could make it make it less stressful and improve the conditions for passengers and TTC workers alike with a very simple media campaign. Just put up posters in your subway trains, buses, streetcars and waiting areas with instructions on how to "meditate while-u-wait". It could be accompanied by a simple TV campaign with instructions on how to meditate, explaining how meditating on the TTC will improve your passengers' travel experience, and also how this improvement will be felt in other parts of their lives.

Please contact me if you would like more information on how to implement such a campaign.

Sincerely,

Andrew Epplett

Meditation in Airports

This letter is addressed to the GTAA's Customer Service Department, its Board of Directors and the Executive Team.

To whom it may concern:

Last year I remember reading that Pearson International was rated by travellers as one of the worst airports in the world. Please let me offer some advice on how to improve this opinion, and maybe even save the GTAA some operating costs.

This past month, as I was waiting for a flight out of Terminal 3, I was reminded of how ridiculous it is to have televisions in your waiting areas. Here are three reasons why you should consider removing them:

First of all, the last thing anyone wants to do while waiting for a plane is watch television.

Secondly, most people in waiting areas are absorbed by their own electronic devices and the noise from the televisions are nothing less than a nuisance.

Thirdly, when people are travelling they want LESS noise not more. The ambient noise levels in your waiting areas don't need the added chatter of newscasters blathering away in the background, delivering what is mostly bad news. If you were to take the time to observe what goes on in your waiting areas, I think you'll find that few people, if any, sit down adjacent to the televisions to watch them. If you were to do a poll, I'd bet you'd find most people are either indifferent to them, or would approve of their removal.

I would like to suggest that you remove the TVs, cancel your cable subscription, and take the waiting areas in another direction: silence.

Noise is stressful. Travel is stressful, for passengers and airport/airline workers alike. The stress levels most people are subjected to in an airport setting makes the whole travel experience a lot less enjoyable than it can be. Why not address these stress levels in a constructive way which will benefit not just the travellers but everyone who has to work at the airport?

I suggest you create noise-free zones, where electronic media are discouraged or wi-fi isn't even available, where people can sit and relax. You could even put up posters teaching people how to meditate (click here for details on how to Meditate While-U-Wait).

I cannot say exactly what kind of financial savings these changes would offer you, but I would be willing to bet you would not only save money, but also improve your standing with travellers and improve the airport's working conditions.

Sincerely,

Andrew Epplett