Comments on: How Google and Portland’s TriMet Set the Standard for Open Transit Data http://sf.streetsblog.org/2010/01/05/how-google-and-portlands-trimet-set-the-standard-for-open-transit-data/ Covering San Francisco's livable streets movement Sat, 11 Feb 2012 18:38:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jay Nath http://sf.streetsblog.org/2010/01/05/how-google-and-portlands-trimet-set-the-standard-for-open-transit-data/comment-page-1/#comment-543391 Jay Nath Sun, 12 Jun 2011 23:32:00 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=109711#comment-543391 Really great story of people like Bibiana McHugh having a vision and making it real. Thanks for sharing this. Standards drive innovation but when it comes to govt data it's the exception. We need to change that. There are some promising examples like Open311 API but we need more people solving this problem. To those that say this is fluff, I would argue that liberating taxpayer funded data is the right of the people. Government is just a steward.  Really great story of people like Bibiana McHugh having a vision and making it real. Thanks for sharing this. Standards drive innovation but when it comes to govt data it’s the exception. We need to change that. There are some promising examples like Open311 API but we need more people solving this problem. To those that say this is fluff, I would argue that liberating taxpayer funded data is the right of the people. Government is just a steward. 

]]> By: A Commuter http://sf.streetsblog.org/2010/01/05/how-google-and-portlands-trimet-set-the-standard-for-open-transit-data/comment-page-1/#comment-104311 A Commuter Sat, 09 Jan 2010 15:45:01 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=109711#comment-104311 Open data and applications may work fine for many transit agencies, but for the New York MTA data secrecy seems to be their mantra. Many people have been wanting to have transit applications for New York but cannot because of the lack of data. Numerous requests for timing and operations data are denied, probably because they think it would expose the inaccuracy of their published On Time Performance data. Open data and applications may work fine for many transit agencies, but for the New York MTA data secrecy seems to be their mantra.

Many people have been wanting to have transit applications for New York but cannot because of the lack of data.

Numerous requests for timing and operations data are denied, probably because they think it would expose the inaccuracy of their published On Time Performance data.

]]> By: Justin N http://sf.streetsblog.org/2010/01/05/how-google-and-portlands-trimet-set-the-standard-for-open-transit-data/comment-page-1/#comment-102131 Justin N Fri, 08 Jan 2010 01:26:03 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=109711#comment-102131 #2: Google Transit actually provides a huge benefit to struggling transit operators. People who never would have considered a bus trip are much more likely to do so when such a trip pops up next to their Google driving directions. Some agencies that have released Google Transit data (a task that is usually completed at minimal cost) have seen substantial gains in off-peak ridership. Regular commuters (who mostly travel during peak times) know their schedules, but people who have never ridden transit before are likely to consider it for daily errands if they are given step-by-step instructions while doing so, and that is exactly the effect operators have seen. Consequently, fare revenues rise without a significant increase in operating costs. #2:
Google Transit actually provides a huge benefit to struggling transit operators. People who never would have considered a bus trip are much more likely to do so when such a trip pops up next to their Google driving directions. Some agencies that have released Google Transit data (a task that is usually completed at minimal cost) have seen substantial gains in off-peak ridership. Regular commuters (who mostly travel during peak times) know their schedules, but people who have never ridden transit before are likely to consider it for daily errands if they are given step-by-step instructions while doing so, and that is exactly the effect operators have seen. Consequently, fare revenues rise without a significant increase in operating costs.

]]> By: Matthew http://sf.streetsblog.org/2010/01/05/how-google-and-portlands-trimet-set-the-standard-for-open-transit-data/comment-page-1/#comment-101681 Matthew Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:24:02 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=109711#comment-101681 It's very important that people be able to quickly find out how to get from one place to another using transit. If that's one of the options right next to driving directions, or if users have the convenience of easily finding out how long a particular journey will take and when the next departure is, transit will be much better able to compete with cars. I think it's more than fluff. It’s very important that people be able to quickly find out how to get from one place to another using transit. If that’s one of the options right next to driving directions, or if users have the convenience of easily finding out how long a particular journey will take and when the next departure is, transit will be much better able to compete with cars. I think it’s more than fluff.

]]> By: bob previdi http://sf.streetsblog.org/2010/01/05/how-google-and-portlands-trimet-set-the-standard-for-open-transit-data/comment-page-1/#comment-101601 bob previdi Thu, 07 Jan 2010 12:37:39 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=109711#comment-101601 in reply to the second comment. That is exactly what the operating people always say. But the reality is the absence of information leaves the public wondering if the agency is capable of runing the place properly. When the information is there, and the public starts to participate in on time performance and understanding why trains and buses don't run properly then they will also be telling their political leaders to better fund transit and what they should focus on. When they have more faith in transit, elected officials will be getting more calls to fund it. But without faith (which is what we have now) people logically say to themselves - money is better spent elsewhere. We need the info to stay on top of the operation. in reply to the second comment. That is exactly what the operating people always say. But the reality is the absence of information leaves the public wondering if the agency is capable of runing the place properly. When the information is there, and the public starts to participate in on time performance and understanding why trains and buses don’t run properly then they will also be telling their political leaders to better fund transit and what they should focus on. When they have more faith in transit, elected officials will be getting more calls to fund it. But without faith (which is what we have now) people logically say to themselves – money is better spent elsewhere. We need the info to stay on top of the operation.

]]> By: al m http://sf.streetsblog.org/2010/01/05/how-google-and-portlands-trimet-set-the-standard-for-open-transit-data/comment-page-1/#comment-101481 al m Thu, 07 Jan 2010 08:15:53 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=109711#comment-101481 This is all very nice but in case y'all aren't paying attention transit is in big trouble! Forget the fluff and concentrate on providing bus and rail service! It aint no good having all this junk while service just keeps getting gutted! This is all very nice but in case y’all aren’t paying attention transit is in big trouble!
Forget the fluff and concentrate on providing bus and rail service!
It aint no good having all this junk while service just keeps getting gutted!

]]> By: mikesonn http://sf.streetsblog.org/2010/01/05/how-google-and-portlands-trimet-set-the-standard-for-open-transit-data/comment-page-1/#comment-100341 mikesonn Wed, 06 Jan 2010 04:02:55 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=109711#comment-100341 Maps and transit - heaven! Maps and transit – heaven!

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