Case Study: Washington State Department of Transportation improves ferry accessibility with Anthro-Tech

Washington State Department of Transportation improves ferry accessibility with Anthro-Tech and 41 new system requirements

The Washington State Department of Transportation operates the largest ferry system in the U.S. and faced significant accessibility barriers for d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing passengers due to outdated communication systems. These challenges also created operational inefficiencies and risked non-compliance with the ADA. To address this, they partnered with vendor Anthro-Tech to create a strategic, research-backed roadmap for modernization.

Anthro-Tech implemented a human-centered design approach, conducting ride-along interviews with passengers and observing staff to understand challenges. This research identified 41 system requirements. The solution delivered by Anthro-Tech was a comprehensive roadmap to implement a new, user-friendly visual paging system, providing the agency with actionable steps to enhance accessibility for all passengers and achieve full ADA compliance.

Washington State Department of Transportation