09-03-03

CHK AMERICA DELIVERS PASSENGER INFORMATION DESIGNS TO AUSTIN'S CAPITAL METRO

SANTA BARBARA, CA (3 September, 2003)
Global transportation service company CHK America has completed a top priority passenger communications and design project for Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority of Austin, Texas. That announcement was made today by Frederick A. Wood, President and CEO, CHK America.

CHK America's in-house design, production and editorial experts commenced work in April of this year to re-design the passenger schedule information for the 32 Information Display Units situated throughout Capital Metro's 500 square-mile service area. Capital Metro's goal is to make taking the bus even easier for its riders. By conveying vital transportation information in a form that can be quickly interpreted, passengers can begin to determine the route and scheduling information they need in just eight seconds. Studies conducted by CHK America have indicated that passengers need to begin to understand the information within this time frame or they become frustrated, resulting in passenger dissatisfaction.

The newly designed information delivers passenger information in a clear and concise format for Capital Metro's extensive public transportation options. Capital Metro provides bus service on flexible, convenient schedule at more than 4,000 bus stops throughout Central Texas, providing rides with an average of nearly 130,000 one-way trips each day. Capital Metro's fixed route bus service includes 67 metro and flyer routes, seven downtown circulator routes, seven Express routes and 22 University of Texas shuttle routes. Capital Metro also offers 30 school routes, van and carpooling coordination, shuttles to special events and special transit services for the disabled.

"We are excited to have been selected by Capital Metro to work on this important project," explains Wood. "With an on-going national goal to increase passenger transportation usage, our expertise enables transit agencies to improve customer service and increase ridership by delivering clear, concise and effective information in just eight seconds."

"At Capital Metro, our goal is to make our service even more efficient and reliable, thereby encouraging more people to use public transportation," said Cynthia Lucas, Capital Metro marketing manager. "In using CHK's designs, we are providing route and schedule information that is quick and easy for our riders to digest."

CHK America has also recently been awarded Passenger Information Solutions projects for Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority, San Antonio VIA, Santa Barbara MTD and Nashville MTA.

Established in September 1999, CHK America provides passenger information solutions to the public transportation industry, in addition to delivering cartographic products and services across other business sectors. CHK America, a division of United Kingdom based Cook, Hammond and Kell, was established to expand the reach of its parent company's products across the US. CHK's products and services have been distributed extensively across Europe for over 140 years. Other companies in the group include Cook, Hammond and Kell, FWT Studios, Oxford Cartographers, National Map Center London, National Map Center Dublin.

For more information about Capital Metro, call (512) 474-1200 or visit the Web site at www.capmetro.org.

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