Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) has installed more than 2600 smart bus stops in six cities in Virginia, enabling passengers to get real-time bus information.

By scanning the QR code at their stop, passengers with smartphones can also report bus-stop cleanliness and safety issues, see route maps and schedules, buy HRT passes, and get alerts and other relevant interactive features.

The technology also is available for all modes of fixed route service, including the Elizabeth River Ferry, Tide Light Rail and Base Express service.

“HRT’s smart stops usher in a new era of convenience, innovation and mobility,” William Harrell, HRT’s CEO, said last month at a demonstration event marking the project completion at the Children’s Museum of Virginia. “This innovative, location-based technology, paired with visible and reflective signage, is designed to enhance the rider experience.”

The designs and technology were developed in-house by HRT staff, with signs installed in batches starting in October 2023 and completed by June 2025. These changes, which require less material and maintenance, have saved HRT more than $600,000 since the new signs were installed.

HRT is one of the few transit agencies in the USA pairing signs with this technology. Along with a tech upgrade, the previous bus stop signage has been redesigned to enhance aesthetics.

The signs have a new visual layout with easy-to-read stop information along with a large QR code printed on the rear of every sign and unique bus stop number boldly displayed at the top of both sides of every sign. Scanning the QR code will pull up information relevant to the exact stop it is scanned at to provide route and direction information, scheduled and real-time vehicle estimated time of arrival, trip destination, customer service alerts and more.

The old signs included metal flags with smaller individual route blades, which constantly got bent or broken and had to be replaced. The new design has a large single aluminium panel wrapped in highly reflective anti-graffiti vinyl.

In addition, the technology enables HRT more efficiently to maintain and improve responsiveness to cleanliness and safety issues at bus stops. Crews cleaning and performing maintenance at bus stops can scan the QR codes to validate that work has been completed or to report issues that need attention. The data are now being collected and used in real time to make more informed decisions and improve the overall customer experience at HRT (gohrt.com) bus stops.

The technology was demonstrated last month at the Children’s Museum of Virginia (childrensmuseumvirginia.com), which hosts an interactive HRT bus exhibit to teach kids about transit. A refreshed exhibit was unveiled with branding representing HRT’s 757 Express service, along with a new bus stop sign.