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interviews of how people get where they are going

stem-and-leaf plots, that's what they are called. some transit designs, almost all of which are different and better in some way. waiting for the design competition "one schedule twenty ways" envisioning all of the ways to show a route.

A system for notifying passengers waiting for public transit vehicles of the status of the vehicles, including the arrival times of vehicles at stops. The system includes global position determining devices located in the vehicles for determining the location of the vehicles along their routes. A central processor or computer is coupled to the global position determining devices for receiving the locations of vehicles therefrom. The processor is programmed to compute and update from the present location of the transit system vehicles and electronically stored information a transit data table which includes status information for all the vehicles in the system, including the location of scheduled stops, connections to other transit vehicles at the stops, and the arrival times of vehicles at their stops. The vehicle status and other information, including news and advertisements are then made available for public access

A system for notifying passengers waiting for public transit vehicles of the status of the vehicles, including the arrival times of vehicles at stops. The system includes global position determining devices located in the vehicles for determining the location of the vehicles along their routes. A central processor or computer is coupled to the global position determining devices for receiving the locations of vehicles therefrom. The processor is programmed to compute and update from the present location of the transit system vehicles and electronically stored information a transit data table which includes status information for all the vehicles in the system, including the location of scheduled stops, connections to other transit vehicles at the stops, and the arrival times of vehicles at their stops. The vehicle status and other information, including news and advertisements are then made available for public access

NextBus uses Global Position Satellite (GPS) technology and advanced computer modeling to track buses and streetcars on their routes. Taking into account the actual position of the transit vehicles, their intended stops, and the typical traffic patterns, NextBus estimates the bus arrivals with a high degree of accuracy. This estimate is updated constantly as the vehicles are tracked. The NextBus system is covered by U.S. Patents 6,006,159 and 6,374,176. The system is also produced under license from ArrivalStar, Inc. U.S. Patents 5,623,260; 6,411,891; 6,317,060; 6,415,207; 6,313,760 and 6,278,936.

In the Google Labs, Google Transit provides some information about public transportation, with the most extensive coverage of tranportation information available in Japan, covering all regional and national rail networks, domestic airlines and ferries. But the system described in this patent document goes far beyond making published schedules, routes, and stopping points available to people traveling.

Now, I can let the computer figure it all out for me. Services from Google Inc., individual transit agencies and other sites now cover many cities with decent transit systems. The sites work much like the online maps for driving directions: Plug in where you are and where want to go, and the computer spits back transit options.

The services are far more comprehensive today than they were just a few years ago.

With them, I devised a way from Seattle's Space Needle to a friend's house all by myself. I avoided driving my entire time in Los Angeles, that capital of motoring. I even found out a quicker route to the airport in my own city.

From what I see, the previous executive director had a very top-down style. That has created an AATA culture where the staff, while very competent, aren’t empowered to speak up. Everything I hear about the interim ED, Dawn Gabay, tells me that she was a great operations manager, but that’s a different skill set than what is needed for an Executive Director.

Jesse Bernstein, president and CEO of the Ann Arbor Area Chamber of Commerce, has been appointed to the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority board of directors.

Bernstein was sworn in by Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje on June 19 and took his seat on the board at its July 23 meeting.

The TimeTablePublisher is a single system that allows a transit agency to examine, modify, and transform raw scheduling data into easy-to-read timetables for customer information purposes. The application simplifies and accelerates the production of printed on-street schedules and web schedules, which is often a very time-consuming and manual process for most agencies. This results in more accurate, current, and consistent schedule information for the customer.

The TimeTablePublisher is designed to use data directly in the Google Transit Feed Spec (GTFS) format, so it can be very easy for an agency to implement. In addition, it can connect to, and read from, other sources of data including a database, a comma separated text file, and XML. An easy-to-use interface, as well as a tool that compares the changes between two service dates, makes it easy to format and edit the data.

And the second part of that is that — because Portland has a “creative class” type of person — people approached our executive management, and our General Manager challenged us to make resources available to this creative class in order to promote innovation. So these forces combined, and we took that and tried to take the resources that we have, the tools that we have been using internally, and leverage that and re-use it and face it to the public.

The accuracy and the precision of Transit Tracker, the Internet- and telephone-based real-time arrival information system of the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet), are analyzed. Although Transit Tracker estimates the arrival times of both bus and rail vehicles, this analysis is limited to bus vehicles. Archived data from TriMet's automatic vehicle location (AVL) and automatic passenger counter systems were used to compare actual bus arrival times with Transit Tracker estimates drawn from logs created in the estimation process. Accuracy was evaluated primarily by calculating the mean of the difference between the actual bus arrival times and the arrival times estimated by Transit Tracker. Precision was determined largely by the degree of variation in the estimates and measured by the standard deviation of the difference between the actual bus arrival times and the arrival times estimated by Transit Tracker.

Three U.S. and five international agencies have measured
the public’s reaction to real-time arrival information. In a
few cases, survey results were obtained directly from re-
sponding agencies or were available in papers examined
during the literature search and review.

After several days of intermittent Metro bus service because of the winter storms, some people are getting frustrated. We asked seattlepi.com readers to send us their comments. The frustration is likely to continue; because of icy streets Metro will be operating about half its regular weekday service on Wednesday.

"We're driving in the same conditions everyone else is, but we're doing it in 40-foot rectangular buses," said Steve Banta, executive director of operations. "We're doing an extraordinary job, from my perspective. This is a very good effort for foul weather."

Regardless, TriMet canceled two-thirds of its bus routes, forcing thousands of would-be riders to hike to stops that were open or find another way to work or shop. Some stood waiting for buses that never came. About 130 stalled and stuck buses littered the region at one point.

What annoyed many passengers who rely on public transit was what they saw as a lack of information from Metro. The online bus tracker was not working, and getting through by phone was difficult. Canceled routes were posted, but other buses ran on "unpublished routes." That made it almost impossible to figure out when, or whether, buses would arrive, leaving no choice but to brave it out at bus stops.

Metro spokeswoman Linda Thielke said the bus tracker system often doesn't work during snowstorms because many buses change routes and don't pass the electronic detectors that usually track their movements. "There's a disclaimer on there (that says) in times of adverse weather the information is not updated on bus tracker," she said.

What's also interesting is the potential of these routing tools beyond actual specific individual routes. Taken in amalgamation the routing distances form a new topography of the space. Given a point in the city, how far can I travel in 20 minutes? in 40 minutes? for less than $1.75? This type of map is known as an isochrone. Tom Carden and MySociety developed London Travel Time Maps that allow users to highlight the spots in London given a range of house prices and travel times.

The bike station, funded by public transit agencies and operated by a private company, Warm Planet Bikes, has been in quiet operation on a limited basis since July, with around 70 to 80 people parking their bikes there every day.

Leah Shahum, executive director of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, said the effort is a good example of how government can make it easier for people to get out of their cars by allowing people to "combine biking and transit to get around the region in a healthy, sustainable and convenient way."

* Improved information. The on-board AVL system is at the heart of TriMet’s TransitTracker real-time passenger information system, which provides bus arrival information over the Internet, by phone, and at nine bus stops equipped with electronic signs. The upgrade of the Orbital communications system, made possible with Streamline funds, will provide buses with Automated Stop Announcement (ASA) capabilities, similar to what already exists on light rail.

Schedule adherence improved by 23% in Baltimore, 12.5% in Kansas City, 8.5% in Hamilton (Ontario), and 4.4% in Milwaukee after AVL installation. Customer complaints have fallen by 26% in Denver since AVL installation. Assaults on bus operators and passengers dropped by 20% in Denver. New Jersey Transit’s revenues increased by 12% after automated fare collection installation. The system also saves millions of dollars per year in fare media handling costs.

Transportation Demand Management (TDM, also called Mobility Management) is a general term for strategies that result in more efficient use of transportation resources. This Encyclopedia is a comprehensive source of information about innovative management solutions to transportation problems. It provides detailed information on dozens of demand management strategies, plus general information on TDM planning and evaluation techniques. It is produced by the Victoria Transport Policy Institute to increase understanding and implementation of TDM.

New bus route to Casey's, Amtrak

1056 people are looking for their bus.

Ever since the beginnings of bus mass transit, the people behind the systems have harbored a relatively simple wish: they have always wanted to know where their buses are, at all times, day and night. For Baltimore Mass Transit Administration, all that wishing is over. Working with Westinghouse Electric, the MTA has put together a computerized bus tracking system that can track the minute-by-minute performance of all its buses. The Automatic Vehicle Locator (AVL) system, its development and application are discussed.

Using satellite tracking, not schedules, NextBus tells you when the next public transit vehicle will arrive. (Mobile site)

In the Twin Cities, Metro Transit spent more than $12 million to outfit its buses with automatic vehicle location equipment. The NexTrip system uses global positioning satellites to monitor the location of a bus as it travels the street. The location is compared to the bus schedule to predict departure time for different stops.

some measures of public library integration with public transit, including travel times and quality of transit-oriented directions

Founded in 1885 and headquartered in New York City, PB is a leader in the development and operation of infrastructure to meet the needs of communities around the world. The firm provides strategic consulting, planning, engineering, and program and construction management services to both public and private sector clients.

"Interior New York Subway, 14th St. to 42nd St.", dirixida por Billy Bitzer en 1905

Does it have an API? Permalink to this paragraph

Funny thought perhaps, or maybe only in the Bay Area -- but our subway system -- BART, has an API. And it's kind of fun. I spent a couple of hours today hacking together an application, it's not all that useful, but one of these days something else will get an API that plugs in nicely and something interesting will happen.

According to Cambridge Systematics, Michigan could create over 6,000 jobs by investing in public transit. What’s more, implementation of a public transit system – like the ones being considered in Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, Detroit, and along the Woodward Corridor – would help bring Michigan into the 21st century, creating vibrant cities that attract young professionals. Building modern systems of public transit in Michigan, such as light and commuter rail, will help connect people to their jobs, their schools, and to communities.

Michigan legislators need to Move Michigan’s Public Transit into the 21st Century!

A 21st century state must have modern transportation options to attract 21st century jobs and workers.

Michigan has the opportunity to launch a quality rapid transit system, including a Metro Airport commuter train, a Grand Rapids rapid transit line and more.

These projects will help jumpstart Michigan’s economy, create jobs and strong vibrant communities. Yet many Michigan legislators say we can’t afford to invest in transit. But can we afford not to?

Clever Devices is the only transit technology company known for designing scalable, modular, and cutting-edge solutions based on an understanding of how transit systems operate in the real world. We are known for being an innovative market leader because we understand the challenges our clients face from the bus depot to the statehouse. We understand the expectations and needs of all riders, including, and especially, the need to enhance accessibility. We are the only company in the industry that specializes specifically in the creation of sustainable transit systems – it is what we do; it is all we do; and it is why we are the best.

The current level of bus service in Ypsilanti will be maintained next year, city officials said this week as they prepared to vote on a new contract with the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority next Tuesday.

When a Route 6 hybrid bus heading southeast toward AATA headquarters whirred to a stop at the Blake terminal, I flashed my student ID (in lieu of paying the $1 fare) to join a dozen other riders enjoying mass transit at its finest. The blue, gray, and white seating area was spotlessly clean. The air-conditioner's cool breeze kept the bus's interior free of diesel noise and odor. Regular riders smile when one of the hybrids appears at their stop, because these buses are smoother, quieter, and cleaner than their diesel-only counterparts.

During the 1920s, the Chicago Rapid Transit Company commissioned the city's finest graphic artists to produce advertising posters that encouraged Chicagoans to use rapid transit for more than commuting to work. The images produced beckoned Chicagoans to the city's parks, museums and other urban spots, as well as to more bucolic destinations beyond the city limits. Curiously, almost none of the posters actually featured the "L"TM itself, only scenic views of the destinations. Although there seem to be no records of precisely how many posters were produced, what they advertised, and what images they consisted of, researchers think approximately 160 posters were produced for the Insull lines between 1921 and 1929.

In a letter to the editor of the Livingston Daily Press & Argus, Howell resident George Saba rails against the WALLY commuter rail line proposed to run between Ann Arbor and Howell. “Let’s let the state pay for U.S. 23 road work. Why should I pay millions of dollars for train enthusiasts to have their wine and cheese on the way to a Michigan football game?” [Source]

"The interurban car was probably running about 40 miles an hour and the impact practically smashed the coupe runabout into a mass of twisted iron and steel. The wrecked automobile was thrown about 110 feet away from the crossing where it was struck," reported The Daily Ypsilanti Press of Thursday, Sept. 5, 1918. Frank Johnson was killed instantly, his body thrown out of the car and found about 100 feet away.

The electric trolley in downtown Saline, around 1905. The buildings are on the southeast corner of Michigan Avenue, then called "Chicago Road."

It was the first time the governor has taken a Lansing bus.

The New York Transit Museum, one of the city's leading cultural institutions is the largest museum in the United States devoted to urban public transportation history, and one of the premier institutions of its kind in the world.

How to get from BC Amtrak to the Binder Park Zoo? Is this part of the answer? If so, possible zoo day trip on public transit

nice bike design with extra long frame, room for cargo in back or ad hoc seating.

excellent collection of visualizations and maps including real time maps of transit infrastructure, using buses as giant spimes

By Bill Shea - Private-sector money behind a $103 million light-rail transit loop on Detroit's Woodward Avenue could mean decades trimmed from the project's planning and could reinvigorate other transportation projects already in the works, mass transit i

When you get off the bus, please look around to make sure you aren't leaving anything behind.

pneumatic transportation in new york city

Staff of the Washtenaw Area Transportation Study, which is developing the plan, hope to find out how the public would prioritize the recommendations and how the public might be willing to pay for them, said Terri Blackmore, WATS executive director.

Six downtown subway stations along one of the transit system's busiest lines remain shut down as do a number of businesses in the area.

Detroit and St. Louis competed with Chicago in the 19th and early 20th century, but saw their city populations more than halved between 1950 and 2000. Decisions to throw away their streetcar networks and build huge freeways everywhere only hastened their

collection of sounds from japanese rail system

Misconceptions from local leaders that Southeast Michigan isn't dense enough or wouldn't ride mass transit are either not looking at the numbers or missing the point, especially in a world where paying $4 or $5 for a gallon of gas is quickly becoming a re

Am I the only one who thinks the Pain in the Ass Factor of owning and maintaining a car far outweighs the Pain in the Ass Factor of waiting for trains?

The nonprofit, transit-touting Transportation Riders United organization wants residents to know that rapid transit is not only eco-friendly, but also hip.

TRU, along with the Detroit Synergy Group and the Sierra Club, recently hosted a dinner train ra

Is there an urban transit game, where you roll for the number of cars down and accidents and extra passengers because of problems in another transit media, and try to devise alternative routes?

What has surprised me the most about my decision to live car-free was how many people told me that they envied me for being able to forego driving. Sure, I've gotten the "Are you crazy?" look from plenty of people, but almost as many times I heard "Gosh,

The proposed commuter rail line along U.S. 23 between Ann Arbor and Howell is looking at adding another stop in Hamburg Township and possibly expanding to Saline or Monroe. The Coalition for Mass Transit, the group of Ann Arbor-area leaders pushing for th

for your international short haul transportation needs; includes the tunnel bus

google's standard format for importing transit schedules.

delays noted on every line, lots of deferred maintenance coming home to roost

The next step is winnowing the corridors -- Woodward, Michigan, Gratiot, Grand River and Eight Mile -- to one and selecting a system. Options include light rail, streetcars, express buses with dedicated lanes and an extension of the downtown People Mover.

9:00 AM Depart Ann Arbor U of M State St Park and Ride
Arrive Chicago, Union Station 12:40 PM

Just the time points I care about plus the best estimate for some more stops, and just the minutes past the hour. The goal is to have this fit on a moo card eventually.

proposed route goes down michigan avenue