MVTA Website Redesign Improves Digital Experience for Riders

The Minnesota Valley Transit Authority, or MVTA, serves seven vibrant suburbs situated roughly 15 miles south of the Twin Cities. Formed in the late 1980s, MVTA is one of the more progressive independent bus transportation agencies.

Overview

MVTA issued a Request for Proposal to solicit bids for the redesign of their website. The Creed Team responded by presenting a comprehensive plan and approach that highlighted our proficiency in custom development and mapping technology. As a result, we successfully secured the project and established a partnership with MVTA.

elevating the online experience

The Challenge

 

MVTA was seeking a redesign with the objective of elevating the online experience for their riders, employees, residents, and visitors. 

 

Some primary goals of the new experience included: 

• Enhancing the website to ensure a user-friendly experience for customers
• Delivering a technologically advanced platform that allows for easy in-house modifications by MVTA staff
• Integrating Google Map technology and other relevant transit-related technologies as they become accessible
• Ensuring optimal functionality through responsive design, across all devices and platforms, including mobile, tablets, and desktops

engaging the users

The Solution

 

Creed’s role was to create a cutting-edge, interactive, and aesthetically pleasing website that would serve as a welcoming gateway for new passengers and a valuable resource for current commuters. Our primary focus was on fostering an engaging user experience.

 

A robust content management system (CMS) was integral to efficient website operation and updating, with staff accessibility and content approval processes being key considerations. Creed utilized our proprietary WordPress solution, “Blok Party”, for this website. Blok Party is a visual page builder that enables marketers to select from a library of interchangeable sections — or, Bloks — that fit together to create a complete page.

Our development guidelines extended beyond the technical aspects. We performed a thoughtful UX and design review that encompassed both the visual and interactive elements of the site, always with an unwavering dedication to user satisfaction and accessibility across a spectrum of devices, from mobile to desktop.

Not stopping there, we made sure that the website seamlessly integrated with social media platforms, optimizing search engine visibility, and delivering comprehensive transit information, including routes and schedules. Furthermore, we remained committed to meeting compliance standards outlined by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), thus ensuring that the website aligned with ADA and Section 508 requirements. With every step, our aim was to make the online experience both informative and user-friendly.

An important part of this project was to allow MVTA passengers to interactively review route information in real-time across many device types.  To meet this user need, Creed developed a real-time interactive map with integrated routes and route alerts making use of a GeoJSON data feed coming from MVTA’s GTFS system.  

Creed specializes in complex systems integrations and custom development allowing us to implement a complex approach to displaying relevant information in a clean and user friendly format.  The results speak for themselves as can be seen the next time you need to plan your next bus route or take a peak at what MVTA has to offer in latest bus routing technology found here. 

empowering customers

Enhancing User Experience and Awareness

 

The MVTA App Page was introduced to ensure that users were well-informed about the MVTA App, a valuable tool in their transit experience. This involved the creation of strategically placed blocks that prominently highlighted the app on key, high-traffic pages such as the home page, footer, “App Page,” “How to Ride,” and “Routes.” The overarching goal was not only to elevate MVTA’s marketing initiatives but also to enhance the app’s usability and accessibility across various platforms. By doing so, we aimed to empower MVTA passengers with convenient access to information, making their journeys more efficient and enjoyable.

A New Vision

Empowering MVTA for the Future

 

As development partners, we facilitated MVTA’s vision for the future with the creation of “Transform 2028” pages and the flexibility for potential subpages. These pages could be added and managed by the MVTA team using the dynamic “blok party” capabilities already implemented. Furthermore, these pages seamlessly integrated into the website’s menu navigation, ensuring a consistent and user-friendly experience as new pages were developed. This approach not only streamlined content management for MVTA but also empowered them to showcase their progress in real-time, aligning with their evolving goals.

An inclusive experience

A Strategic Migration for Enhanced Performance

 

We strategically migrated MVTA Connect Pages to their website, a move that came after careful planning. This migration brought several benefits, including substantial SEO improvements by consolidating all content within the MVTA site. It also ensured accessibility compliance, providing an inclusive experience for all users, and contributed to a better overall user experience while reinforcing the MVTA brand across the site. This step was not only a migration but a strategic enhancement to elevate MVTA’s online presence and accessibility.

Seamlessly Connecting Passengers

Recognizing the importance of a seamless ticketing experience, we designed custom “Purchase Ticket” buttons specifically for external ticketing sites. These buttons bridged the gap between the MVTA website and ticket purchasing platforms, offering passengers a clear and efficient pathway to view routes and purchase fares. Whether integrated into existing pages or incorporated into new ones, these buttons ensured a cohesive transition between the MVTA site and external platforms, enhancing user navigation. Our objective was to create an effortless experience for passengers, streamlining the process of finding routes and purchasing fares, all while contributing to MVTA’s long-term profitability.

Creed strived to make the MVTA website an informative and user-friendly platform, contributing to the efficiency and enjoyment of every journey. The MVTA project was not just a redesign; it was a transformation, aligning MVTA with its evolving goals and ensuring a brighter future for transit in the Twin Cities suburbs.