The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Selects LogicTree and Nuance for New Voice-Enabled Ride Guide

COLLEGE PARK, MD - LogicTree, a provider of multi-modal, voice- access systems and Nuance, a developer in software for a voice-driven world, announced that they have teamed together to voice-enable the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's (WMATA) Ride-Guide Itinerary Planning Service. "Our Call Center receives over 2.8 million calls annually. This project is part of our continuing efforts to improve customer service to transit riders in this metropolitan area", said Richard White, General Manager of WMATA. "Since the opening of the Call Center, we have continued to move forward in introducing the latest technology; this is just one more example. When this system is completed later this year, WMATA will be the first transit agency in the country to offer fully automated, voice-enabled trip planning 24 hours a day, seven days a week." The voice-enabled Ride-Guide project is part of WMATA's on-going program to enhance the operations of their regional Call Center. In addition to allowing transit riders to connect to the Center from the telephone and receive automated trip planning information, the new system will automate many of the functions currently handled by individual call takers and provide continuous service throughout the day. "The ability to connect to the Ride-Guide System without the need for a personal computer is a giant leap across the Digital Divide." said Mike Kushner, Executive Vice President, Telematics Division of LogicTree Corporation. "We are giving all transit riders the same opportunity to get information from the WMATA Ride-Guide System without the need for a personal computer." "By voice-enabling its Ride Guide System the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority will be better able to serve the millions of people that depend on the city's Metrorail and Metrobus for their transportation needs," said Ron Croen, President and CEO of Nuance. "We are pleased that WMATA selected our software and professional services for this solution."