WeGo Public Transit Brings Real-Time Info & Solar Lighting to Riders in Nashville
Long-term facilities improvement plans boosts rider satisfaction
WeGo set out to enhance the comfort, safety and accessibility of their bus stops as part of a long-term facilities improvement plan. Working with Urban Solar and Tolar Manufacturing, the agency embarked on a city-wide transformation to modernize its shelter infrastructure and deploy real-time passenger information displays.
The goal? To improve the rider experience, support network expansion and accommodate shifting routes with flexible, innovative transit amenities. In collaboration with Tolar and Axentia Technologies, we provided battery-powered digital e-paper signage and solar-powered bus stop lighting to support visibility and real-time communication across a wide range of stop environments.
Innovative solutions for a complex transit landscape
WeGo needed a shelter solution that could fit with their evolving network and address unique city constraints including shaded, hard-to-access sites where solar energy alone wasn’t viable. They were also looking to standardize their shelter footprint to improve consistency and reduce costs.
Additionally, some new locations required shelter designs without walls to meet accessibility and aesthetic goals. WeGo’s updated amenities program offers the flexibility to adapt to these evolving infrastructure needs and shifting bus routes. Their legacy real-time displays were due for an upgrade and they wanted a modernized platform to deliver reliable rider information in more places across the network.
Impacting ridership with off-grid transit amenities
Since launching the facilities improvement plan, WeGo has upgraded over 160 stops with more than 150 shelters, PV Stop+ units and digital e-paper displays. Their investment in flexible, future-ready infrastructure has made rider accessibility and real-time information available at previously overlooked locations. With strong public feedback and a scalable approach, WeGo’s partnership with Tolar and our team continues to elevate the rider experience citywide.
Tolar Shelters:
The project features a mix of 8’, 12’ and 16’ Sunset shelters with advertising displays, Nashville’s first time using this style. They also have 16’ and 20’ BRT shelters built on the same design. They also added 10 EcoShade shelters with bench seating on both sides perfect for smaller stops and 16’ Voyager MAX shelters customized with WeGo’s branding and logo.
PV Stop+ Transit Pole Lighting:
Urban Solar’s PV Stop+ delivers integrated lighting via a 20W solar panel. Urban Solar’s PV Stop+ units, first tested in 2021, provide integrated lighting and are now widely deployed across WeGo’s system. With 150 units ordered, they’re a key part of stop upgrades.
Tolar EcoSeat:
Paired with PV Stop+ units, the EcoSeat offers a compact, pole-mounted seating solution that adds rider comfort at stops without shelters — ideal for WeGo’s evolving network needs.
E-Paper Displays:
Axentia’s 13" battery-powered e-paper displays give riders real-time info at shaded or off-grid stops where solar wasn’t viable. With 20 installed in early 2024 and 30 more coming in July 2025, these vandal-resistant units are helping WeGo expand real-time info coverage across the city.
Angled Display Mounts:
Custom display adapters tilt screens for optimal visibility at busy stops, ensuring more riders can access information quickly and clearly. Angled display adapters allow for higher mounting, improving visibility and making real-time info easier to see at busy stops compared to traditional chest-height installs.
Real-time info & solar lighting at Nashville bus stops
This ongoing project has led to immediate and positive impacts including:
Improved passenger experience: Real-time bus arrival times and detour updates help to reduce perceived passenger wait times, while enhancing overall satisfaction.
Elevated safety: Enhanced lighting has made WeGos bus stops safer during nighttime hours and increased passenger security, ensuring they are illuminated and seen.
Increased coverage & flexibility: Battery-powered displays allowed WeGo to install signage at shaded or hard-to-power locations, reaching more riders system-wide.
Faster & more flexible shelter installs: Tolar’s Sunset and EcoShade shelters helped WeGo standardize designs, reduce costs and accelerate deployments while still adapting to different site conditions.
About Urban Solar
Urban Solar is the North American market leader in off-grid lighting and amenities for bus stops. Since 2008, Urban Solar solutions have enhanced safety and rider experience at over 20,000 bus stops across North America.