Conceptual project
The Société de Transport de Montréal (STM) manages public transportation on the island of Montreal (metro, bus, train, bike, car-sharing). Its Chrono application allows users to check schedules and plan their trips. However, one cannot buy tickets or recharge their OPUS card.
Customer
Société de Transport de Montréal (STM)
Industry
Transport
Project duration
Dec 2023 - Jan 2024
Context
What are the main differences between public transportation in Canada and France?
In Canada, snow and cold often slow down buses, while in France, the weather has little impact.
Canadian cities are designed for cars and the network remains limited outside of major urban areas. In France, public transport makes it easy to get around by public transportation.
Train journeys are expensive in Canada, about 300$ for a Montreal–Toronto trip. In France, a Lyon-Paris trip costs less than 100€.
Note that the OPUS card, similar to the Paris Navigo Pass, is a rechargeable card that replaces paper tickets. It is used in the metropolitan areas of Montreal and Quebec.
Problem
As I make my way to the gym to play volleyball in -30°C freezing weather and under the snow, I have to take the bus. Damn! I only have a few coins and a $20 bill.
The driver cannot give me change for safety reasons. The bus accepts neither credit cards nor online purchases. To pay, I drop $3.75 into the bus's fare machine, and then the driver presses a button to put the money into the till. Without exact change or a ticket purchased in advance, I cannot take the bus.
Instead of doing a classic redesign, like Netflix's, I chose to work on a real user problem that I have experienced myself.
Slot machine to validate the card or buy a ticket, in Montreal
"Every time I arrive in MTL, it annoys me to have to go through a subway station to get cards on which I add 2 passages. By the way, I have 5 cards lying around at home because I no longer know if there are still valid passages on them or not. It's ridiculous."
Jimmy Fecteau
CEO of Espace Proprio
"I am stunned that one can be 'turned away' at a bus stop in Montreal when one has a way to pay via a card or a phone."
Rémi Dion
CEO of Explor.ai
Challenges
Time constraint
During the Christmas period, I wanted to take advantage of the calm in the job market to carry out a high-impact project that could reach many people.
My goal was to finish before the new year to publish on LinkedIn and benefit from the increase in activity at the start of the year. I ultimately shared this project on January 11.
Outdated technology
For nearly ten years, the STM has been trying to meet the technological challenge despite several projects, multiplying mobile recharge and card payment projects that have never come to fruition.
At the time of my project, despite the modernization plan scheduled until 2027, the only way to buy or recharge a ticket remained to physically go to a point of sale.
State of the Chrono application in December 2023
To address the online shopping issue, I will focus on features related to the OPUS card.
The Chrono app helps users plan and track their travels. It allows them to plan a route, check points of sale, know bus schedules, book a car share (Communauto), and find a self-service bike station (BIXI).
Explore the features related to the OPUS card
1
By clicking on the icon (1) or on the menu (2), I can check my OPUS card using NFC (3)
2
I can check my balance as well as nearby points of sale. However, I can neither buy tickets nor recharge my card from the app.
↪ Half of the actions take place in person when using transportation. I need to understand when the user buys their ticket.
The absence of built-in purchasing in Chrono leads to three major impacts for the user:
Fragmented experience
To perform simple actions, I am forced to exit the application and move around, often waiting in lines.
Lack of flexibility
Users should organize their day around charging rather than charging on the go, which gives the impression that the transport system is impractical and outdated.
Dependence on distributors
In the event of a failure of the vending machines, the user finds themselves completely unable to purchase a transport ticket.
Analysis of the purchasing journey
The flow consists of three stages: route search, ticket purchase, and ticket usage.
First step: route search
This path minimizes frustration, reduces the risk of abandonment, and builds confidence by finding solutions to all problems.
1
From the outset, the user can search for a route without registration or unnecessary steps, which reduces friction.
2
Input errors are automatically corrected thanks to autocompletion, minimizing the effort required.
3
In case of an unavailable schedule, an alternative schedule is proposed to avoid the feeling of failure.
Second step: buying the ticket
1
The application adapts to the user's profile, whether new or already a client, to avoid re-entering the same information and simplify usage.
2
Validating a reliable email and sending the confirmation ensure the receipt of the invoice. Some employers reimburse transportation costs, which could be particularly useful.
3
The summary screen confirms that all information is correct, reducing uncertainty and strengthening trust.
4
As soon as the transaction is completed, the ticket is immediately accessible. This eliminates any unnecessary clicks and facilitates last-minute purchases.
5
The ticket is integrated into the list of transport tickets. The user can easily track all their purchased tickets and keeps control over their travels.
Third step: using the ticket
1
The user checks the real-time arrival of their bus. They are in control of the situation and their stress is reduced as they know how to manage their time.
2
If the ticket is difficult to read, the brightness is automatically increased. In case of a problem, the invoice serves as proof of payment. In this stressful situation, the user is not left without a solution.
3
On the bus, the journey tracking indicates the number of remaining stops. The passenger prepares to disembark calmly.
4
When the ticket is no longer usable, its status changes to avoid any errors. It remains accessible at any time, reinforcing trust in the service.
In conclusion, the bus ticket is situated between the digital and the physical.
The route search and purchase are done entirely online, as it does not require outside intervention, only the users.
Its use, however, requires interaction with the real world. It is validated at a kiosk or by the driver.
The kiosk plays a central role, transforming the virtual ticket into a usable physical ticket.
Validation at terminals
Two methods: NFC or QR code
NFC is fast but it requires expensive reading terminals.
The QR code, on the other hand, is simple to deploy with a budget ten times lower than NFC. It can be shared in case of a dead battery, which is not possible with NFC.
In summary, the QR code is more economical and simple to implement. It is already used in several major European cities.
Transportation applications that issue a QR code to validate your ticket
Use of the QR Code
On my trip to Hamburg and Tallinn, I had the opportunity to use QR code validation.
In Hamburg, I was surprised not to have to validate my ticket at a machine. The system relies on random checks performed by agents. This implies a great deal of trust in users, but there are no figures proving that this leads to more fraud than with a classic check.
In Tallinn, on the other hand, I had to validate the QR code in a reader for each journey. This procedure seemed very simple and quick: I just had to present the code in front of the terminal, which scanned it instantly.
Validation terminal in Tallinn
Competitive analysis
I will compare the placement of the purchase button to enhance conversion.
Helsinki, purchase from the beginning of the course
HSL, transport application in Helsinki
1
Dynamic pricing adjusts the price based on the number of stops made. The user feels like they are paying less for the same journey.
2
The button appears at the beginning of the planning. The quick access to the button reduces anxiety and allows for immediate purchasing, even in emergency situations.
Amsterdam, purchase at the end of the course
GVB, transport application in Amsterdam
The button only appears at the end of the screen. The user must review the entire journey before paying, which can frustrate people in a hurry.
↪ This approach generates cognitive friction, as the user must process a lot of information before purchasing their ticket.
However, it remains suitable for complex journeys where it is useful to see the entire route. This is often the location used to purchase a train ticket.
Hamburg, shopping at any time thanks to the sticky
HVV, transport application in Hamburg
The constant availability of the button reduces the user's mental load and makes the journey smoother, without having to scroll to find the button.
↪ It is therefore only natural that I chose the sticky button so as not to interrupt the user's journey.
Prototype
The user starts by choosing their route, then buys their ticket, which avoids unnecessary payment in case of a change in the route.
Route search path
Complete route search journey
Home page
↪ The user quickly understands the application thanks to the navigation app codes, like Google Maps. They feel confident due to the familiarity bias with the interfaces they already know.
He easily finds the main features like the search bar, which reduces the cognitive load associated with adaptation.
Search and results
1
The user can initiate voice search by shaking their phone, or by using Google Assistant/Siri. They can keep their gloves on and avoid input errors.
2
Favorite and recent places anticipate their needs and avoid repetitive searches.
3
The user finds their destination by entering only 2 to 3 letters. Autocomplete naturally encourages them to complete the words they perceive. This reduces cognitive effort, typing errors, and the frustration of typing the full name.
4
The color code informs the user whether the transport is on time or delayed, allowing them to know whether they should rush or wait.
5
The visual hierarchy with typography size for travel time guides his attention and facilitates decision making. He can stay sheltered until the last moment and reduce his waiting time in the cold.
Ticket purchase journey
To make the case study easier to read, the purchase journey is divided into several screens.
Discover the full prototype to experience it like a real user.
Complete ticket purchase path
Trajet details
1
2
He can track his route in real time: his position moves along the blue line at the bus's pace, with the stops indicated on the map. The complete list of upcoming stops is visible once the nudge is opened.
3
The user intuitively discovers that there is more content available through the nudge.
4
The sticky button simplifies the ticket purchasing process without having to scroll through the screen, which reduces cognitive load.
5
He automatically receives information about incidents thanks to the schedule of the next bus, reducing his anticipation anxiety by giving him a sense of control.
6
The user quickly identifies their stop thanks to the visual affordance, avoiding getting off at the wrong place.
Tunnel d'achat
7
The area is pre-selected based on the destination, which avoids having to look for information, especially when going to an unfamiliar place.
8
Tickets are organized into categories (single, multi-ride, limited duration, subscription) for better readability.
9
The upsell takes place at the most opportune moment of the purchasing journey, during the conversion.
↪ For example, if a customer buys a ticket on a Friday after 4 PM that includes multiple uses, one could offer a weekend ticket. This way, they can make their trips on another date and benefit from savings if they make more than 4 trips during the weekend.
10
Offering various payment methods allows the user to purchase more quickly and experience a more modern approach. In a public setting where the environment may seem stressful and unsafe, it is crucial to avoid entering banking information.
Success screen
11
The user receives proof that their transaction is validated thanks to the QR code that appears instantly.
12
The invoice is easily downloadable to have proof of purchase if the kiosk does not recognize the QR code.
Benefits for the user
With the addition of payment, I have resolved a number of issues:
The dematerialization of transport tickets modernizes the experience for users in Montreal.
The constraints related to exact change and queues are removed, allowing for a quicker travel and a more comfortable journey.
The user regains control of their movements by planning their journey before leaving home. They no longer need to organize their day around transport tickets. The experience becomes proactive rather than reactive.
The ticket can no longer be lost and the digital access improves accessibility, especially for people with reduced mobility, who no longer need to go to the station to buy a ticket.
Reducing the printing of tickets helps limit the environmental impact.
Note that you can test the application on this link.
Models outside the shopping path
Ticket management process
Bus and subway line consultation route
Result
Visibility strategy
My post generated nearly 12,000 impressions, resulting in 20 comments and over 100 interactions, which allowed me to expand my LinkedIn network.
My LinkedIn post's performance following the project
Update of the Chrono application
As part of the transformation plan, the loading of the OPUS card was integrated into the Chrono application only four months after the completion of my project.
Payment by phone and credit card is scheduled for mid-June 2026, if the rollout proceeds as planned. It should be noted that this feature has already been available in Laval, a suburb of Montreal, since June 2023.
Possible evolutions
Improve comfort
Make the application less straining on the eyes with the night mode, especially in winter when the sun sets as early as 4 PM.
Make the experience more accessible for people with reduced mobility through high contrast, enlarged font, or audio reading.
Transfer a ticket to other users, which is especially useful when the battery is low.
Anticipate trips
Receive notifications in case of delay or interruption, for example during snowstorms.
Choose a less crowded bus thanks to the display of crowd levels.
Share a ticket, especially when the battery is low.
Make the experience more fun
Get badges like “Friend of Ecology” for 100 km traveled per month.
Follow a ranking among friends based on the kilometers completed.
See weather animations on the map, for example with snow.
