Reimagining Nochebús, Mexico City’s night bus

Mexico City’s night bus service operates from midnight till 5.00am and, with 15% of employees starting or finishing work in the early hours and many visitors or residents returning home after a night out, should be a vital asset for the city. However, a combination of poor service reliability, a lack of visibility and information, and concerns about personal safety, had resulted in a service that delivers a poor customer experience and that is only used by people with limited or no other mobility alternatives.

We were commissioned by the Inter-American Development Bank and Mexico City’s Innovation Lab to analyse service delivery issues across the network’s eleven routes with an emphasis on the Insurgentes corridor, and to identify a package of measures that could be implemented in the short and medium term to improve the overall passenger experience and grow patronage.

We undertook a comprehensive analysis that included:

• Engagement with existing and potential users to understand current service perceptions and barriers to use.;
• A systematic evaluation of passenger environments at and around stops on Avenida Insurgentes.
• An international best practice review
• Workshops with key stakeholders to understand their aspirations for the service and identify opportunities or barriers to implementation of improvements.
• An analysis of passenger characteristics and origin-destinations to understand the scale of demand that a revitalised service could generate.

Building on this analysis, the project team identified a series of practical recommendations that could be implemented on Avenida Insurgentes and replicated later on other corridors of the network. These recommendations formed the basis of a guideline document adopted by the IADB and the Lab. Key recommendations were implemented to passenger environments along the length of Avenida Insurgentes aiming to improve the customer experience including service reliability, frequency, cleanliness and safety.

A key finding of the study was the need for a night bus brand and information system to help build user recognition, understanding and visibility.

We were also commissioned to develop these products. We started by designing a contemporary visual identity that acknowledges Mexico City Metro’s iconic brand (in its 50th anniversary year) yet is distinct and recognisable in its own right. We then created a suite of information products, including a schematic network map, local areas wayfinding maps, and templates for stop specific information - all delivered as part of a system brand manual.

The Steer team subsequently trained the Lab in the use of the design templates such that they could apply the designs across the network.

Project outputs include:

• Design of the Nochebús visual identity
• Design of the Nochebús passenger information system and schematic network map
• Nochebús brand manual and design templates for all information elements
• Recommendations for:
  • customer facing digital tools (responsive website/web app/ app)
  • relocated and redesigned stops to consolidate and improve interchange opportunities
  • improved public realm design to reduce crossing distances and improve customer safety
  • improved passenger environments, including new shelters and lighting
  • optimised traffic signal timings and real time vehicle tracking
  • future integration with Metro, Metrobus
  • a future integration with smart mobility solutions
  • an improved integration with services beyond the city boundary

The project recommendations were applied to the Insurgents corridor, with the updated operations and information system launched on 27th July 2018 by new head of Mexico City’s government, José Ramón Amieva.