The Taipei MRT has the worst arrival time estimation indicator among the Taiwan MRT systems. I initially failed to interpret the next arrival time and got confused for more than 3 minutes trying to figure out how it works.
Why did the indicator fail to deliver as it should? It aimed to provide a more precise 5-second estimation, but created confusion by reusing the time format between HH:MM and MM:SS. It also failed to guarantee 5-second precision, as I observed the time stuck at 1:55 for at least 42 seconds. Additionally, the indication icon can be the same for different stations. Why should you provide a misleading animation if you cannot deliver accurate information?
There is no reason to provide a 5-second precision estimation time; minute precision is good enough, as is the case with other systems.
Taipei MRT Confusing Arrival Time Estimation. After 42 seconds I taken the first photo, it still shows the next train will arrive after 1 minute 55 seconds.
Why is the train showing the same time in between different station? Why can the icon of 2:10 and 1:55 stay at the same position between the station? How come the time remain the same after 32 seconds?
Worse, they reuse the time format, which is HH:MM and which is MM:SS?
The reason I felt miserable by Taipei MRT is because they use a 5 seconds precision for the estimate arrival times without telling their passenger about this information.
Other MRT systems use minute-based estimates like “5 mins,” which are clear and unambiguous.
However, the Taipei MRT opts to display times like “2:45.” What does that even mean? Does the next train arrive at 2:45 PM?”
Moreover, their time was not accurate at all, I observed a time stick at 1:55 for at least 42 seconds.
Taipei MRT choose to waste half of LED marquee at a single line platform, and over simplify the word “estimate”, “arrive in”.
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