OC bus stops used to have schedules. Now it's just a QR code. Not everyone is happy

Anaheim resident Tim Miller has never owned a cell phone — not even a flip phone or a Blackberry.

It hasn’t been an issue until recently.

Since he doesn’t have a car, the 65-year-old relies on buses to get to doctor appointments and visit friends and loved ones.

For years, he used the bus routes and timetables that were posted directly at all 5,200 bus stops around Orange County, complete with a map and up-to-date bus schedules.

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But in May, the Orange County Transit Authority (OCTA) removed that information from bus stops and replaced it with QR codes and phone numbers for customer service.

For people like Miller, it’s made it difficult to catch the right bus at the right time. Standing at a bus stop in Anaheim, he pointed out the new QR codes.

“It's almost discrimination against people without a cell phone or a smartphone…public transportation was supposed to be for the people and to be readily available and easy to use,” Miller said. “But if you have a sign that only has QR codes, that's not really accessible to everyone.”

OC Bus stops: Before and after

Orange County bus stops signs used to display the bus schedule and a map of the bus route.

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Courtesy Tim Miller

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The new bus stop signs

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Courtesy Tim Miller

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About 93% of people who live in the O.C. own a smartphone, according to census data. But even customers with smartphones have had issues riding the bus since the changes.

At the same bus stop a little later, a Santa Ana resident who gave his name as Hector said without a physical schedule, it’s been difficult to know what times the buses are coming. He has a smartphone, but the screen is cracked and it doesn’t get good reception.

“It was a lot easier back then. Now, with the QR [codes], I don't even know how to work those things,” he said. “I mean, you take, take a picture of it, right? See, that's confusing for me too.”

Tim Miller, 66, of Anaheim stands in front of a bus stop near Harbor Blvd. and Chapman Ave.

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Nereida Moreno/LAist

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How the new system works

A spokesperson for the OCTA said the agency has been digitizing its bus stop information in response to customer feedback and to help save money.

Because it updates bus routes four times a year, “providing paper route updates was costly and inefficient,” said OCTA spokesperson Eric Carpenter.

He said residents can go online or use the OCTA’s transit app for route information. Those without access to a digital device can call to request a free bus book with route information.

“Given the limited space available at bus stops, we’re trying to use the space to provide people with the best information possible,” Carpenter said.

There's also a number to text for updated information, and a customer service line to have a person guide you through the process.

Other transit agencies around the region, including in Los Angeles, are making similar transitions to mobile apps, QR codes and online services. It’s a pandemic-era trend that’s changed the way we access restaurant menus, concert tickets — even DMV services.

But thousands of people remain disconnected from digital life, meaning they don’t have easy access to Wi-Fi or mobile devices — or they don’t fully know how to use the technology they have access to.

“I think it's tone deaf.. not recognizing the realities of what it's like for some folks who are using the bus systems,” said Diana Rodriguez of the nonprofit EveryoneOn.

While some people may view these types of digital changes as “quick and easy,” Rodriguez said it’s important not to leave the most vulnerable community members behind. Her organization offers free digital skills classes that teach the basics, like where to put your hands on a keyboard to how to set up an email account.

“We have an aging population and a lot of those folks still don't have the digital skills that they need,” she said.

Reaction so far

The OCTA says its customer information center has received just one complaint since making the transition. But Tim Miller, who has been in contact with the agency for months, said he's complained through another forum. He said he also turned down the agency's offer to receive a free bus book in the mail because the schedules change at least four times a year, so the information would soon be outdated.

“I'm not going to carry around a bus book. It's just not convenient,” Miller said. “Having it on the signs just makes it readily available for all of the riders.”

How to weigh in on Orange County transit

The OCTA is seeking public input for OC Transit Vision, a study that “aims to improve opportunities for the way people move throughout the county.”

Two options for participating include:

• Attend a Zoom webinar on Tuesday, July 9, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Register here.
• Participate in an online survey by Sunday, July 14 for a chance to win one of four $50 gift cards. It's available in English, Spanish and Vietnamese, and takes approx 3 minutes. Here's a link.