Goleta, CA – June 5, 2024 — Connectpoint and King County Metro have been named as the winner of the IoT Use Case of the Year Award in the Best of 2023 Awards from IoThinkTank, the premier hub for recognizing excellence in the Internet of Things (IoT) for the project “Improving Ridership with Real-Time Passenger Information. King County Metro and Connectpoint.”
From groundbreaking products to revolutionary use cases, the Best of 2023 Awards highlight the creativity, innovation, and dedication of leaders within the IoT ecosystem. One of 10 winners, Connectpoint and King County Metro share the spotlight with leading companies including the multi-billion dollar public IoT solution provider Quectel, connecting devices and people to networks and services; Thinxtra, the owner and operator of the only public 0G Network dedicated to the IoT in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Macau, transmitting two billion messages each month; Zededa, whose technology reduces the cost of managing and orchestrating distributed edge infrastructure and applications, while increasing visibility, security, and control; and Arable Mark 3, a leader in crop intelligence recognized as one of America’s top sustainability-focused companies for 2024 by TIME Magazine, in partnership with Statista for its work in transforming irrigation management and marking a pivotal advancement in sustainable farming practices.
In 2020, Connectpoint® was awarded a 5-year contract from King County Metro Transit, the eighth largest transit agency in the U.S., to provide them with hundreds of AC- and solar-powered ePaper displays for the agency’s RapidRide stations, transit centers and bus stops. Metro first deployed the new 32” ePaper RTIS at joint Sound Transit/Metro stations serving Northgate Link Stations and Northgate Transit Center starting in October 2021. And in early 2023, deployed over 100 32” and 42” RTIS signs at the new RapidRide H Line serving downtown Seattle through West Seattle and into Burien. Metro is currently working on upgrading all RapidRide Stations, A-F Lines, with over 350 new 32” ePaper displays. Additionally, Metro is planning to implement an additional 450 32” displays on the new RapidRide I, J, K, and R lines in the coming years.
“We are delighted to have been honored by the IoT Think Tank Awards alongside King County Metro,” commented Rick Wood, President and CEO, Connectpoint. “By every measure, the agency is one of the largest, most well used mass transit systems in the world with a long history of leadership and innovation, particularly in the Smart City category. They strive to lead the industry in service, connectivity and customer satisfaction. That is why when they were looking for new Real Time Information Signs, they selected Connectpoint’s suite of ePaper signage products. The Connectpoint signs are durable, eco-friendly, optionally solar powered and visually crystal clear. All the attributes needed for long term smart city development. As we all know, mass transportation is one of the fundamental backbones of every Smart City, King County Metro is leading by example in this area.”
According to the agency’s Scott Peterson, Transit Technology Project Manager, Capital Project Delivery, “Metro was using older LED technology to display our next departure times at our RapidRide stations. The LED technology has limits with real-time alerts. Metro wanted to improve the ridership experience by providing alerts to riders who don’t have access to smartphones or other technologies. Metro completed an Invitation-To-Bid, ITB, and solicited multiple vendors to learn of their real time alerts technology. Through a rigorous bidding process, Metro selected ConnectPoint’s ePaper solution. The Connectpoint Asset Management System (CPAM) allows Metro to provide real-time alerts to our riders.”
This is the second award for Connectpoint and King County Metro who in 2023 were Smart 50 Awardees for the same project; and the 8th award for Connectpoint, pioneers of the Digital Bus Stop®
About Connectpoint
Connectpoint’s ePaper digital signage, available in 5 sizes—13”, 23”, 28,” 32”, and 42”—is the most deployed ePaper digital signage solution within the U.S. transportation industry. Connectpoint also offers LED and LCD digital signage solutions.
Connectpoint designs, builds, and manages all product development, with content delivered and managed by CPAM™, our device and technology-agnostic content management system. Clients have input and control over all signage from desktop or mobile devices. Our diverse and talented team have specific software expertise to deploy ePaper and other digital signage solutions and are able to solve even the most complex issues and deliver on-time, challenging projects. In conjunction with our sister company, CHK America, we have helped power over 2 billion trips annually, allowing transit riders to make informed decisions. Connectpoint’s robust client list includes Pittsburgh Regional Transit, Pittsburgh, PA; King County Metro, Seattle; Tri-Met, Portland; VIA, San Antonio, TX; DASH, City of Alexandra, Virginia; GCRTA, Greater Cleveland, OH; SMART, SE Michigan; RTCSN, Las Vegas, NV; DART, Dallas, TX; FWTA, Ft. Worth, TX; GRTC, Richmond, VA; Seattle Streetcar, Seattle, WA; Sound Transit, Seattle, WA; and Portland Streetcar, Portland, OR.
AWARDS
Connectpoint Digital Bus Stop® Awards
- 2024 Smart Cities “Smart 20 Awardee” for “TriMet Improves Passenger Experience Providing 24/7 Real-Time Information with Energy Efficient Solar Powered Digital Signage from Connectpoint”
- 2023 Smart Cities “Smart 50 Awardee” for “Seattle’s King County Metro Improves Passenger Transit Experience with Connectpoint’s Smart City Signage” project
- 2022 IoT Breakthrough Award winner for “Overall Smart City Solution Provider of the Year”
- 2022 Digital Signage Award in the “Sector Specific Response to Covid-19” category
- 2022 Globee Gold Award in the “Information Technology Project or Initiative of the Year” category
- 2022 Golden Bridge Gold Globee Award in the“Information Technology Hardware” category
- 2021 Digital Signage Award winner in the “Technical Advances and Innovation” category for displays and other devices
About King County Metro
King County Metro is the largest transit agency in the Northwestern United States. Metro provides bus, on-demand, paratransit, vanpool and water taxi services, and operates the Seattle Streetcar, Sound Transit Link light rail and Sound Transit Express bus service. Every week, Metro connects well over 1 million riders to countless destinations across the Puget Sound region.
About IoThinkTank
IoThinkTank is the premier hub for recognizing excellence in the Internet of Things (IoT) industry. We are dedicated to celebrating innovation, applauding groundbreaking solutions, and honoring individuals and businesses shaping the future of connected technologies. Our platform brings together a community of visionaries, thought leaders, and industry trailblazers. We aim to spotlight outstanding achievements, foster collaboration, and inspire continued advancements in the dynamic world of IoT. Join us on this exciting journey as we champion those who push the boundaries of what’s possible in the interconnected era. Discover, celebrate, and connect with IoThinkTank – where IoT excellence takes center stage.
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