MTA-styled Bus Schedule Creator!!!

[Gorgor]

I would like to introduce you to my newest creation, the MTA-styled Bus Schedule Creator!

 

I've only been working on this since yesterday, but this powerful tool allows you to create a timetable that completely mimics that of a typical bus schedule found on the MTA's website. This was a project I did mainly for my own use and to practice some PHP coding which I haven't done in a while, but I thought that I'd share it with you.

 

Features:

 

• Realistic, MTA-styled schedule design
  
• Supports multiple schedules, such as weekdays, weekends, etc.
  
• Very straight forward directions; no confusion
  
• Directory listing to show off your schedules
  
• Online - No downloading required!
  

 

 

This could be used for a variety of purposes, such as creating a fantasy timetable for a bus route, or posting a historical bus schedule. When you're done you can choose to display your schedule in the directory and add a nice description along with it, or you can share a direct link by clicking on "view schedule" and copying the URL there. Take a look at a couple examples I've created that are in the directory.

 

Now that I've been practicing my coding skills lately I plan on creating more useful tools that you guys could benefit from. Maybe a subway schedule creator could be in the possible future.

 

I've thoroughly checked the program for any bugs and haven't spotted any, but if you find any bugs, please PM me! If you have any general questions about the program, want to leave some feedback, or anything at all, post here.

[FamousNYLover]

Excellent job and it very hard for me.

Can you show us step to step introduction, please.

Gorgor, can you delete my M5?

[B35 via Church]

The "creative" Gorgor is the one we need to see more of on here...

Lately, you've been steppin up ya game... Good job with this....

 

What made you think of creating a creatable bus schedule program anyway?

[Gorgor]

Excellent job and it very hard for me.

Can you show us step to step introduction, please.

Gorgor, can you delete my M5?

 

Ok, I deleted it.

 

Well for the main screen, fill out the first form to create a schedule. For "URL" choose the url address you want to be for your schedule, so it will be "scaped.net/bus/URL." For "schedule title" enter what you want the title to be, and for "password" type in a secure password. You'll need this password to access your schedule to make later changes.

 

After you submit, you should be on another screen, and choose the middle link "Edit Schedule" on the top. Fill out the form on the bottom. If you're not sure what the line 1 and line 2 mean, look at this schedule: line 1 is "X90/X92 Weekday Service" and line 2 is "From Yorkville to Financial District/Battery Park."

 

After you submit that, a new row should've popped up above it. Go ahead and click on the "Edit" button. Now choose the link on the left side "Edit Stop Locations" and type in whichever stop locations you want to appear on the schedule. After this, hit "Edit Schedule" on the top and click on the "Edit" button for your schedule again, but this time click on the link next to the last one, "Edit Stop Times."

 

Go to the bottom and enter whatever times you want to appear on the schedule under the proper stop names. The first box all the way to the left is for special designations, such as on the QM7 schedule they put a "QM8" on the left and color the whole row dark green. Now just keep adding times in until you're done.

 

The "creative" Gorgor is the one we need to see more of on here...

Lately, you've been steppin up ya game... Good job with this....

 

What made you think of creating a creatable bus schedule program anyway?

 

Thanks!

 

I really have no idea how the thought got into my mind. I've been wanting to practice some coding recently and I wanted to make something that nobody ever made before.

[The TransitMan]

Thanks for posting this! I really do appreciate you sharing this with us.

 

 

However, I tried the bus map thing from last month and I'm having a VERY hard time trying to download and use the map. Can you simply link us to a blank map that you used OR it does not work that way?

 

 

Again, thanks for posting!

[Mysterious2train]

Thanks a lot Gorgor!

 

@TheTransitMan

 

Gorgor provided a blank Manhattan map in the "Create your Own Bus Route" thread. I have a blank Brooklyn bus map, I just to need to set up a few things and hopefully I can have it up in a couple of days

You can actually clear a map yourself if you want, but the bigger maps really take some it to clean out.

If you wanna use an unaltered map, just save it to your computer and upload it in Inkscape then.

Inkscape is actually pretty easy to use once you get the hang of it.

[Gorgor]

Thanks for posting this! I really do appreciate you sharing this with us.

 

 

However, I tried the bus map thing from last month and I'm having a VERY hard time trying to download and use the map. Can you simply link us to a blank map that you used OR it does not work that way?

 

 

Again, thanks for posting!

 

Yeah, like Mysterious2train said above, I posted a download link for the blank bus map a while ago on that thread, but I just added a link to download it from my website.

[FamousNYLover]

Gorgor, I did it. Thank you for your help.

What do you think of Q103 bus extend to Hunters Point Pier for connection to East River Ferry?

[The TransitMan]

Thanks a lot Gorgor!

 

@TheTransitMan

 

Gorgor provided a blank Manhattan map in the "Create your Own Bus Route" thread. I have a blank Brooklyn bus map, I just to need to set up a few things and hopefully I can have it up in a couple of days

You can actually clear a map yourself if you want, but the bigger maps really take some it to clean out.

If you wanna use an unaltered map, just save it to your computer and upload it in Inkscape then.

Inkscape is actually pretty easy to use once you get the hang of it.

 

Yeah, like Mysterious2train said above, I posted a download link for the blank bus map a while ago on that thread, but I just added a link to download it from my website.

 

 

Thank you both. It's not that I'm lazy or anything but I really was trying to get it going. I will try again.

[FamousNYLover]

Gorgor, maybe you could expand the bus stops box because current LIB has more than 10.

[hoodciti]

Gorgor, your a genius.

[RookiePhenom]

If you guys see something written from a far away land (Chicago), then that would be my creation. This is epic.

 

The one thing that threw me off was the 24-hour clock, which I quickly had to adjust, but overall this is epic. Thank you!

[LRG]

Now this is what we like to see from you! Looks great, keep it up!!!

[Gorgor]

Thanks!

 

When I have some free time, most likely this weekend, I'll try and get it to handle as many stop times as possible, not just the 7 currently available.

[Kriston Lewis]

Very nice.

 

Could you implement a way to input something like "Then every x minutes until:" mid schedule?

[Gorgor]

Very nice.

 

Could you implement a way to input something like "Then every x minutes until:" mid schedule?

 

Ooh, I knew I was missing something! I should be able to add that in tomorrow.

[IRT Bronx Express]

Gorgor, your a genius.

You can say that again. :tup::tup:

 

I created a fantasy Bx36 Limited timetable days ago and I have yet to finish it. :eek: And for those that don't know, the Bx36 did go to Bruckner Blvd at one point.

[checkmatechamp13]

You can say that again. :tup::tup:

 

I created a fantasy Bx36 Limited timetable days ago and I have yet to finish it. :eek: And for those that don't know, the Bx36 did go to Bruckner Blvd at one point.

 

When did they cut it back? What was the routing it took within Soundview? Was it Randall Avenue-Havemeyer Avenue-Bruckner Blvd (and then it would come back down via Zerega Avenue and Randall Avenue).

 

I think some runs should still serve that area. It looks like that portion of Soundview is lacking in network coverage (though I don't think there's much by Zerega Avenue)

[qjtransitmaster]

When did they cut it back? What was the routing it took within Soundview? Was it Randall Avenue-Havemeyer Avenue-Bruckner Blvd (and then it would come back down via Zerega Avenue and Randall Avenue).

 

I think some runs should still serve that area. It looks like that portion of Soundview is lacking in network coverage (though I don't think there's much by Zerega Avenue)

dude BX36 is too long it was cut back for a reason

[IRT Bronx Express]

When did they cut it back? What was the routing it took within Soundview? Was it Randall Avenue-Havemeyer Avenue-Bruckner Blvd (and then it would come back down via Zerega Avenue and Randall Avenue).

 

I think some runs should still serve that area. It looks like that portion of Soundview is lacking in network coverage (though I don't think there's much by Zerega Avenue)

Not sure. All I can say is that the Bx36 was a branched route during the '70s and possibly earlier. By 1984 (that's all I know since I know nothing after 1974 and before 1984), the Bx36 served Soundview only. This is from the June 1974 map:

 

Route - Terminal - Weekdays - Saturdays - Sundays

Bx36 - 181 St/Wadsworth Ave - All times / All times / All times

Bx36 - 181 St/Wadsworth Ave - 5:30am - 8:02pm / 5:30am - 8:08pm / 5:30am - 7:54pm

 

Route - Terminal - Weekdays - Saturdays - Sundays

Bx36 - Pugsley/Randall Avs - All times / All times / All times

Bx36 - Bruckner Blvd/Zerega Ave - 6:22am - 9:04pm / 6:22am - 9:14pm / 6:22am - 11:36pm

 

Route - Weekdays - Saturdays - Sundays (8am, noon, 5:30p, 9pm, 2am)

Bx36 - 4, 6, 4, 12, 50 mins / 8, 8, 8, 12, 50 mins / 12, 10, 8, 12, 50 mins

 

The Bx36 to Bruckner Blvd traveled with the Q44 (after Parkchester) at Cross Bronx Expwy, Castle Hill Ave, Bruckner Blvd and terminated in front of Zerega Ave. Manhattan bound buses then traveled at Zerega and then the Cross Bronx Expwy, resuming the normal route after Parkchester.

 

The Bx22 did have an odd-ball branch to Clasons Point (partially serving the Soundview area at Lacombe Av) at one point when the Bx39 used to terminate at West Farms Sq.

 

dude BX36 is too long it was cut back for a reason

Read above.

[User]

I made the fantasy Q30 schedule and the N87 schedule. The Q30 is for the huge amount of students that board in Oakland Gardens on weekday afternoons. And the N87 is for the summer Jones Beach bus, that I made sure to connect to all LIRR branches (I think) and major transfer points to attract ridership. I think its possible.

[Gorgor]

Update: You can now add text to onto the schedule, such as "Then every 4-6 minutes until:"

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I also notice how there's a lot of comments saying how this is good for me and how I'm "turning myself around" or whatever you want to call it, and I'm surprised that nobody commented on the featured schedule for the TAZ90 which starts up service in 12 days. :cool:

[checkmatechamp13]

 

The Bx36 to Bruckner Blvd traveled with the Q44 (after Parkchester) at Cross Bronx Expwy, Castle Hill Ave, Bruckner Blvd and terminated in front of Zerega Ave. Manhattan bound buses then traveled at Zerega and then the Cross Bronx Expwy, resuming the normal route after Parkchester.

 

The Bx22 did have an odd-ball branch to Clasons Point (partially serving the Soundview area at Lacombe Av) at one point when the Bx39 used to terminate at West Farms Sq.

 

Read above.

 

Well in that case, it wouldn't really provide any extra network coverage, so it's better left of as is.

 

--

I also notice how there's a lot of comments saying how this is good for me and how I'm "turning myself around" or whatever you want to call it, and I'm surprised that nobody commented on the featured schedule for the TAZ90 which starts up service in 12 days. :cool:

 

It's good that he's starting the service, but the headways on that route are pretty bad. I guess he's short on buses because of those stupid regulations. (He has to use buses that were used in interstate transport)

 

Well, it's better than having to take the subway. At least once you're on the bus you can do what you want.

[Gorgor]

I'd just like to make something clear. Creating 100+ schedules with the same URLs as all of the bus routes just for the sake of reserving them for yourself is unacceptable. If you're going to create a legitimate schedule then sure, but saving all of them and leaving them all blank will not be tolerated, and it's not fair to others.

 

I'm not sure who you are, but it took me two clicks to delete what probably took you a good 15+ minutes. B)

[Gorgor]

Sorry for the double post but this is important and needs to be bumped so people see there's a new post here.

---

1)

I made an update that allows you to choose what color you want a certain run to be, rather than automatically doing it based on whether or not the designation had "LTD" in it. At the moment there are only two colors to choose from (more will be added soon), but all previous colors have been deleted and are black now like the rest of them.

 

So if you want them to be colored again you'll have to manually change them. (It should only take a minute or two though)

 

And just curious, the only colors besides black that the MTA uses on schedules for the specific runs are blue (for limited) and green (for "special" express buses), right? Or am I missing anything? I want to make it look as good as possible.

 

 

2)

I think that it looks better like this but I'd love to hear your feedback. If the schedule is long enough that it requires you to scroll down, the stop location headings on the table will become fixed to the top of the screen as you scroll down, which increases clarity. It can sometimes glitch when you reach the bottom of a schedule, but I don't think it's that much of a problem.