One of the most widely used tools in bus transit is manufactured right here in Santa Barbara County, and the local company was recently recognized for its environmentally-friendly, innovative work.
At left, Goleta-based company Connectpoint is a leading provider of solar-powered ePaper digital signage to the U.S. transit industry, and won the top prize for its Connectpoint Digital Bus Stop in the Technical Advances and Innovation category (Display and Other Devices). At right, “To be recognized as a worldwide leader in solar-powered, green technology, is yet another confirmation that our approach to the complex issues surrounding the technology is the correct one,” said Rick Wood, president and CEO of Connectpoint, which just won a prize for its digital transit signage.
A digital signage provider in Goleta took home a top prize at the 2021 global Digital Signage Awards, an annual celebration of leading technology companies around the world, that took place last week.
Connectpoint, which is located on Cremona Drive in Goleta, is a leading provider of solar-powered ePaper digital signage to the U.S. transit industry. The local company won the top prize for its Connectpoint Digital Bus Stop in the Technical Advances and Innovation category (Display and Other Devices).
“The entire team at Connectpoint is honored to have received this prestigious international award,” Rick Wood, president and CEO of Connectpoint, told the News-Press. “We’ve been developing the solar powered digital signage solution for four years and it has been widely adopted by our target market: mass transportation. To be recognized as a worldwide leader in solar-powered, green technology, is yet another confirmation that our approach to the complex issues surrounding the technology is the correct one.”
Connectpoint’s Digital Bus Stop provides real-time public transportation information 24/7 at the bus stop level, and is some of the most advanced solar-powered (or A/C) wireless ePaper digital signage. It’s also the most deployed ePaper digital signage solution within the country’s transportation industry.
This invention allowed agencies the opportunity, for the first time, to implement digital signage at bus stops without using electrical infrastructure. The signs feature exceptionally low energy consumption; wireless connectivity for cellular, Wi-Fi and ethernet; and always-on customer arrival information, alerts and maps at every stop across the network. Connectpoint aims to be an eco-friendly, energy-efficient solution for today’s smart city environment by offering reduced light pollution and ADA compliance.
Leading transit agencies that have adopted the Connectpoint Digital Bus Stop include the primary systems in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh, Portland, Seattle, San Antonio, Orange County, Alexandra, Cleveland, Michigan, Las Vegas, Dallas, Ft. Worth, Sonoma County and Wilsonville.
The company kept trucking on during the pandemic, too, using its signage for COVID-19 information.
“Our client agencies have used our signage extensively during the pandemic as well,” Mr. Wood said. “By using our content management system, our clients have kept their riders informed by posting images and messages on our signage educating them about the use of masks, washing hands, social distancing, etc. The agencies will continue to use our digital signage to post public service announcements and service alerts along with a wide variety of other timely messages that will reach the riders immediately.”
He added that as ridership returns to pre-pandemic levels, riders and customers will find enhanced information accessible to them through the digital systems. Connectpoint’s ePaper digital signage comes in four sizes: 10-inch, 13-inch, 32-inch, and 42-inch.
Along with its sister company, CHK America, Connectpoint has helped power more than 2 billion trips annually, allowing riders to make informed decisions.
The Digital Signage Awards attract hundreds of leading technology companies worldwide, including Intel, Four Winds Interactive, Gable Signs, Gensler, NanoLumens, Nanovo, NEC Display Solutions, Sharp Electronics and more. The award ceremony aims to keep the awards impartial, independent and objective in an effort to find the world’s best digital projects, creativity, content, innovation and technology.
Each entry is evaluated by an independent panel of industry professionals, and the winners were announced virtually on April 23.
“We are honored to have been recognized as an innovator in technology, judged by peers in the industry, and to have participated alongside other great technology leaders,” Mr. Wood said.
To learn more about Connectpoint, visit https://www.connectpointdigital.com/.
email: gmccormick@newspress.com
