Page 53 - U4SSC Simple ways to be smart

Case 8: Public transport information system

The problem

Cities generally provide multiple forms of public transport such as buses, taxis, trams, subways,
ferries and trains. Traditionally information about these options has been published by the different
companies that provide the services on their individual websites. For residents and visitors, it can
be very time-consuming to work out what options are available, where and how to use them and
what the optimal options are for moving around the city.

The solution

A Public Transport Information System greatly improves the mobility experience in cities. It integrates
data from available public transit modes and informs the passenger:

• Alternative routes connecting an origin to a destination.

• Schedules.

• Location of stations.
• Integration information – where and when the different modes connect.

• Trip duration.
• Trip cost.

• Up-to-date departure and arrival time.

• Real-time service alerts.

Google Transit is a free platform that cities can use to create a Public Transport Information System
easily and cheaply. Passengers can plan trips using the popular Google Maps application which
84
is available for most smartphones and Internet browsers. Google Transit accepts information about
publicly accessible services operated on fixed routes and schedules. Bikeshare programs, car
rentals, campus shuttles and taxis are not accepted. Using this solution, almost any city can provide
useful public transport information for passengers.

The city provides static data (stations and routes), and real-time data (vehicle positions), using
85
a public documented protocol, the General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS). Real time data is
optional but allows the system to provide live transit information, up-to-date arrival and departure
times and other service alerts. The tools used to set up the system are very simple, mostly related
to converting and formatting data. Even the geo-referencing of stations and routes can be done
using free and well documented products, such as Google Earth.

It is a short-term project. Benefits can be expected in a few months. The time for a city to implement
the solution depends on many factors: transit modes, number of stations, routes, trips, whether the
transit data is already geo-referenced and the experience of the technical team. As a reference,

U4SSC: Simple ways to be smart 41