A transit rider should know...

[rockdove]

..where every in-service bus or train is at any moment in the system and/or a time estimate of when they will arrive (and if there is a bus or train ready to make its scheduled departure). Our system lags behind other cities systems in the frequency and speed of its vehicles (or it seems like it). We need to employ every means to get a person from A to B in the quickest manner within the current system.

 

Have you ever wondered if its worth it to wait for the bus or just walk?

Have you ever stood in the stairwell between the local and express tracks so you can see and take whichever train arrives first? Have you ever wondered if you've just missed an express bus? Or if a bus or train along an avenue will get you there first for a relatively short trip?

 

Forget this $20,000 countdown clock someone mentioned in the other thread... Let the MTA start a competition for graduate IT students... Have them get the cost down to $1000 or less per device while making it durable, reliable and robust. Offer these students jobs after graduation maintaining and enhancing the system. We have the wireless technology to make this easier to implement (GPS, WiFi, mobile telecommunications, even RFID) reducing the cost associated with running cables.

 

Also, every bus stop need not get these informational screens. Subway stations and high traffic bus stops can get these first. People with web-enabled devices could look this information up for themselves quickly and easily.

 

What do you all think?

[MattTrain]

A rider will know when his bus or subway train will arrive. It's looking at a timetable for that corresponding line. I do agree however that some countdown clocks for arrivals would be used.

[rockdove]

Well some delays occur once in a while -- especially useful for those cases -- and buses on some routes are notoriously late and have irregular headways. Am I right?

[MattTrain]

Well some delays occur once in a while -- especially useful for those cases -- and buses on some routes are notoriously late and have irregular headways. Am I right?

 

Yep, I do agree on buses being late due to traffic conditions and weather.

[NX Express]

You should send this to the .

[PopsicleXGirl]

the timetables aren't very reliable, especially when a lot of times we are running on supplements due to various GOs or if there are delays in service or trains running hot. the countdown clocks are a necessity (especially at heavily used stations,) although i question its reliability and i would've much preferred them to say how many station stops away the train is rather than using minutes. i think the MTA is working on equipping buses with GPS or something so passengers can use the internet on their phone to locate where buses are along its route. having those two things available to passengers will definitely ease a LOT of frustration towards the MTA since the awareness would open up more traveling options. :tup:

[rockdove]

i think the MTA is working on equipping buses with GPS or something so passengers can use the internet on their phone to locate where buses are along its route.

 

Yes, I may have actually read my "idea" in an article or forum post somewhere. Everyone will have Internet on their phone in a few years so it can be done this way without the hardware. Just remember to check before you go down into the station.

[6 Lexington Ave]

..where every in-service bus or train is at any moment in the system and/or a time estimate of when they will arrive (and if there is a bus or train ready to make its scheduled departure). Our system lags behind other cities systems in the frequency and speed of its vehicles (or it seems like it). We need to employ every means to get a person from A to B in the quickest manner within the current system.

 

Have you ever wondered if its worth it to wait for the bus or just walk?

Have you ever stood in the stairwell between the local and express tracks so you can see and take whichever train arrives first? Have you ever wondered if you've just missed an express bus? Or if a bus or train along an avenue will get you there first for a relatively short trip?

 

Forget this $20,000 countdown clock someone mentioned in the other thread... Let the MTA start a competition for graduate IT students... Have them get the cost down to $1000 or less per device while making it durable, reliable and robust. Offer these students jobs after graduation maintaining and enhancing the system. We have the wireless technology to make this easier to implement (GPS, WiFi, mobile telecommunications, even RFID) reducing the cost associated with running cables.

 

Also, every bus stop need not get these informational screens. Subway stations and high traffic bus stops can get these first. People with web-enabled devices could look this information up for themselves quickly and easily.

 

What do you all think?

 

Well, this is a very good idea, especially the counters for the busses. But don't think that the transit system in NY is bad. It's actually one of the best. You want a bad transit system, come to Athens. If we exclude the subway, which is 90% on time and has had counters for 6 or more years, but is not widespread at all the buses are terrible!!! So NYC transit could improve, of course, but it's not bad at all in my opinion. Excellent idea though!

[rockdove]

I do hear announcements in the stations from time to time saying where the train is... in a slow and clear voice -- I assume it is pre-recorded. Of course, you need to have an idea of the closest two or three stations on that line. Maybe they want countdown timers for simplicity (and make it tourist-friendly, etc). So this is another way they are keeping track of the info.. all they need to do is make that information available to us at the decision points in our trips.