Demand for onboard entertainment on airplanes, trains and buses reached unprecedented levels the past several years putting tremendous pressure on mass transit operators to either meet their customers’ expectations or risk losing market share to its competitors. Replacing existing seats with PED friendly seats is logistically complex, labor intensive, and cost prohibitive for many operators and especially with inherent disruption in service and loss of revenue.
The good news for operators, existing food tray tables are routinely replaced during ongoing vehicle maintenance. Mass transit operators already budget for the ongoing maintenance, repair and replacement costs of damaged tray tables. Early on, SmartTray recognized huge cost savings to operators in replacing existing food tray tables compared to costs of replacing and retrofitting existing passenger seats. There is also no vehicle downtime, disruption in service, or loss of revenue with SmartTray tables.
“Tablets and smartphones are always within passengers arm’s reach, in full sight, and gripped firmly in SmartTray patented PED holders lowering risks of mobile devices becoming airborne or falling off tray tables accidentally in turbulence, abrupt stops, or sharp turns. There is no pain or muscle fatigue from holding PEDs or inconvenience juggling between food and drinks for superior ergonomics. Installation is easy and simple resulting in lowest cost option to enhancing passenger entertainment experience onboard,” said Nick Pajic, the President & CEO of SmartTray International.
“Watching device screens at tray table level complements the way our eyes work naturally and offers more privacy than watching PED screens in the headrests where other passengers can see them,” added Pajic.
“SmartTray works closely with its customers on integration of PED holder
solutions into tray tables or seat geometry including providing custom engineering services, manufacturing, materials compliance, fit check prototypes and other related product deployment services,” added Jay Esty, the COO/CTO of SmartTray. For most applications, replacement cost of the existing food tray tables with PED-friendly SmartTray tables is about the same,” said Esty.
Last month, SmartTray signed a contract for deployment of its patented and patents pending PED holders in vehicle passenger seat tray tables and headrests allowing hands free use of mobile phones and tablets on one of the world’s largest social media bus fleets.
In addition to this significant milestone for ground verticals applications, two world renowned airlines will take to the skies with SmartTray in early 2019.
This week, SmartTray launched its extensively redesigned website making navigation and review of featured solutions for seatback, in-arm, and headrest applications by product or industry faster and easier: www.thesmarttray.com.
The new website features a link to a recent TV special with Maria Bartiromo, world renowned news anchor for FOX BUSINESS NEWS. See it HERE.
SmartTray will be exhibiting at the UMA Motorcoach Expo 2019, Ft Lauderdale, Florida, Booth 1905, January 6 – 10, 2019.
About SmartTray
SmartTray International, LLC, is the world’s leading integrator of premier line of passenger seat tray tables and integrated PED holders with patented personal electronic device management features, providing total solutions to onboard entertainment for mass-transit applications worldwide. With SmartTray, tablets and smartphones are always within arm’s reach and in full sight. There is no pain or muscle fatigue from holding PED’s or inconvenience juggling between food and drinks for superior ergonomics. Installation is easy and simple resulting in lowest cost option to enhancing passenger entertainment experience onboard.
SmartTray International, LLC, is the owner of all granted utility and design patents, including pending patent applications in the USA and internationally. SmartTray® International, LLC, SmartTray® Rail & Bus, LLC, and SmartTray® Automotive, LLC, are privately owned.
