Service is live at North Station and Salem, with four stations being added soon

 August 29, 2024 (BOSTON) – Keolis Commuter Services, the operating partner for the MBTA Commuter Rail, has introduced a pilot to test NaviLens at North Station and Salem Station. This technology allows passengers who are blind or have low vision to navigate the stations with a smartphone app. When riders scan brightly colored QR-style codes posted in the stations the NaviLens app will then help them find the correct platform, provide real-time train information, and guide them to exits or other landmarks with audio navigation and haptic feedback.

"The MBTA welcomes and supports every opportunity to make our system easier to access, especially for riders who depend on it most,” said MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng. “I’m proud of the work by Keolis and our System-wide Accessibility team to provide the new NaviLens technology pilot for riders who are blind or with low vision. The ability to access our Commuter Rail stations with confidence further supports riders’ independence, and we look forward to the deployment of this innovative technology pilot in additional stations soon.”

“Ensuring that all passengers can safely access the Commuter Rail is a top priority for Keolis,” said Abdellah Chajai, GM and CEO of Keolis Commuter Services. “NaviLens has the potential to give riders who are blind or have low vision the confidence to independently navigate our stations. We’re looking forward to partnering with the MBTA to pilot NaviLens at several other stations in the system.”

The NaviLens pilot will soon add four more stops on the Newburyport/Rockport Commuter Rail Line at Lynn, Chelsea, Swampscott, and Beverly. Keolis will gather feedback from riders and work with the MBTA’s System-wide Accessibility team to better understand all of the ways that the technology could be used and implemented in support of accessible wayfinding.

Riders will have the opportunity to learn about the new tool during several pop-up demonstrations at North Station in the coming weeks. They will be held on August 30th from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.; September 17th from 7 a.m. until 11 a.m.; and on September 26th from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. All are welcome to attend. Passengers who cannot attend one of the pop-ups should feel free to reach out to Keolis Customer Service to learn more about NaviLens.

Keolis Commuter Services has marked its tenth year operating and maintaining the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s commuter rail system, the fifth largest commuter rail operation in North America. KCS is a subsidiary of Keolis North America (KNA), both headquartered in Boston, and employs approximately 2,400 people throughout the region. KCS and KNA are part of Keolis Group, an innovative global leader in transit services with more than a century of passenger transportation experience and operations in 13 countries.

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