Where's my bus? Smart phone program will give real-time routes to NJT Buses

[Harry 1,076]

 

Travelers at the airport get a screen that lets them know when their plane is expected to arrive. Passengers at the rail terminal get a schedule board to see when the next train will pull into the station.

Riders at the bus stop get uncertainty. "You’re standing here thinking, has the bus come and gone? Is it 25 minutes late, or did I just miss it?" Ellen McKinley said as she waited for the next bus at Princeton Shopping Center.

Read more: NJ.COM

[Via Garibaldi 8 8,582]

Now the question is how reliable will it be. Of late they have been a lot of ghost buses on 's Bus Time which has been annoying to say the least. I never quite set my schedule on them, but I do like to use Bus Time so that I don't have to run to the bus if say I know said bus is running behind. Recently there was a bus missing on Bus Time and luckily for me I arrived early because the bus was early and was the last bus for the evening. I don't know how exactly it is set up but the B/Os shouldn't have any control over it because usually when the buses are ghost buses that's when the buses are early. What is also annoying is seeing a bus on Bus Time that is supposed to be doing a return trip suddenly disappear and then never reappear but the bus comes but isn't on Bus Time so you're there wondering if there is a bus or not. Happens more often than I would like... I still like the program a lot and it certainly takes out the guessing work but there have been days of late where every bus that I was trying to track did not show on Bus Time. They should have a way of knowing when the software or hardware fails on those buses. In other words, I don't know how elaborate the current Bus Time is but there is definitely room for improvement to make it more reliable and easier to fix when problems arise.

 

For NJT and the , if any of the higher ups are reading this, this program should be expanded to include ALL buses, including shuttle buses that support commuter rails.

Edited December 12, 2012 by Via Garibaldi 8

[mfs NJT459 170]

Actually, as I said before, Clever Devices is what is providing NJT Bus Time. If I recall reading about the 's bus time, they decided not to pay for Clever Devices providing the technology, but use in-house technology for their own bus time.

 

That's what I kept saying about "new upgrades" to the Clever Devices that is making this happen.

[Via Garibaldi 8 8,582]

Actually, as I said before, Clever Devices is what is providing NJT Bus Time. If I recall reading about the 's bus time, they decided not to pay for Clever Devices providing the technology, but use in-house technology for their own bus time.

 

That's what I kept saying about "new upgrades" to the Clever Devices that is making this happen.

 

Well I can understand the wanting to do it in house because they had terrible luck when they tried to have it done by outside groups. With it being done in house they were able to customize it and can work with it to suite their needs better in the future. I actually like the system overall, though my main gripe is that I can't use my smartphone to view the map fully as if I were using a desktop because the scrollbar on the desktop version doesn't exist when you're using a smartphone. I inquired about this originally with Bus Time but they haven't gotten around to fixing it yet so I live with it as is. My way around it is to put in the route, look for the bus that should be near whatever I'm stop I'm going on the Bus Time map and then tap on that bus and see where it's at and that's usually good enough, but I can zoom in and out pretty easy. As for it being accurate I'd say it's pretty damn accurate overall in terms of how far the bus is and so on.

 

The one thing that I noticed when I was in Bologna Italy years back and saw a similar feature on a bus I used there was that you could see exactly where the bus was at the bus shelter and they could tell you approximately how long it would take the bus to arrive at the stop. That motto worked TERRIBLY on the M16/M34 line and I'm glad they switched the now M34/M34A over to Bus Time because the times weren't accurate at all. One minute it would say 7 minutes then 7 minutes would go by and you would still be waiting and then boom next bus in 10 minutes. Pretty annoying

 

Anybody know what features will differ with the NJT bus tracking system?

[Orion VII 4 Life 1,062]

I think this will work pretty well, Clever Devices has proven their product around the country unlike the MTA's system. Nice to see that it will show the bus numbers like MTA BusTime, that's gonna come in use for me and other busfans especially (for me) once Howell gets it so I can know what type of bus is showing up and maybe even catch the Designline. I really hope the PBL contractors get it too, especially Veolia who's been extremely late on their runs lately.

[mfs NJT459 170]

well, the reason why they are starting with Hamilton Garage is because they don't have any MCIs... then the next set of routes to be online will probably be the 404, 405, 407, 413, 414, 450, 451, 452, 453, 455, 457 (NABI-only routes) at Newton Ave

 

and man have i seen some new stuff on the Clever Device control panel... i will explain later

Edited December 12, 2012 by mfs NJT459

[Via Garibaldi 8 8,582]

I think this will work pretty well, Clever Devices has proven their product around the country unlike the MTA's system. Nice to see that it will show the bus numbers like MTA BusTime, that's gonna come in use for me and other busfans especially (for me) once Howell gets it so I can know what type of bus is showing up and maybe even catch the Designline. I really hope the PBL contractors get it too, especially Veolia who's been extremely late on their runs lately.

 

The 's system was designed in house especially for the so that's a moot point. The tried using outside contractors for years for this system and each contractor failed. You also have to consider that New York City is quite unique with the amount of high-rises and skyscrapers all about which creates a huge challenge to track the buses. Edited December 12, 2012 by Via Garibaldi 8

[mfs NJT459 170]

here's the link

 

http://mybusnow.njtransit.com/bustime/home.jsp

[qjtransitmaster 216]

looks like NJT ridership will skyrocket in 3...2...1

[MiXxDiDdY 47]

"They need this system up and running at Hilton, Orange, Big Tree ASAP!"

[mfs NJT459 170]

This is a presentation slide show about the smart bus program

 

http://www.njtpa.org/Involved/events/32511Planning_for_Operations/RYNERSON_session_1_presentation_NJT_Bus.pdf

[DaTransitMan4608 308]

I hope this pilot on the 600 lines works out so they can expand it to all the bus lines in the system. And unless they want the time countdown signage to work, they have to give new shelters to the bus stops that don't have them and replace/modernize the existing ones.

[go25 102]

"They need this system up and running at Hilton, Orange, Big Tree ASAP!"

 

 

Especially at Hilton and Orange. Would be great for Roach USAs O.N.E. Bus and 31 lines lol

[NoHuBus 24]

 

 

Especially at Hilton and Orange. Would be great for Roach USAs O.N.E. Bus and 31 lines lol

 

Yea don't forget if they can activate community coach , AC Montgomery, Broadway Bus(pending if they get it) and certain buses in academy in both Hoboken and Toms River contract lines

[BM5 via Woodhaven 5,155]

 

 

A note about delays...

If a bus is delayed due to an unusual event (such as a reroute, incident, equipment problem), the arrival predictions may remain the same or may increase for that bus. If a bus is unable to move for several minutes due to an unusual event (such as stopped by a freight train at a crossing), arrival estimates will switch from counting down minutes to a "DELAYED" notification. Once the bus begins to move again, arrival estimates will appear again. In the event that a bus stops transmitting data to our servers, it will not appear on this Web site, even though it is in service.

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

If you see a ghost bus, that may be one reason why.

Edited December 15, 2012 by Q23 Central Terminal

[mtattrain 1,185]

Don't they also have a "mybus" thing in North Jersey??? Or did they get rid of it.

[FlashThunder 32]

Don't they also have a "mybus" thing in North Jersey??? Or did they get rid of it.

 

 

they still have it. It only gives schedule through text, not real-time tracking of bus

[Juan833Blue 158]

"They need this system up and running at Hilton, Orange, Big Tree ASAP!"

 

 

Let's not forget Meadowlands, Greenville, Fairview, Oradell and others!!!

[79MetroExtraMD 2]

Yea don't forget if they can activate community coach , AC Montgomery, Broadway Bus(pending if they get it) and certain buses in academy in both Hoboken and Toms River contract lines

 

I think they're going to expand it to all routes in the system including the contracted routes. I have to pull up the press release stating that but I know they wanted to have all buses with the system. I think this might work out for NJT operationally and for passengers as well. Now, if only they can do something about their complex fare system.

[mfs NJT459 170]

im curious if they are going to have separate maps with lists of all the routes for each region

[mfs NJT459 170]

UPDATE: the 409 is now available to track on bus time!!

[Orion VII 4 Life 1,062]

Spring 2013 my ass, the MCI CNGs are still here and out in full force and there's plenty of RTSs still out too. If they want BusTime statewide within weeks/a few months they're gonna have to shift some NABIs out of the PBLs and make the NJT local fleet 100% CRAPI, plus do something about the MCI CNGs and I don't ses Designline doing anything about those "coaches" yet. That or put Clever Devices in buses about to be retired.

[qjtransitmaster 216]

nice

[mfs NJT459 170]

UPDATE:

All of the South Jersey bus routes are now available on NJT Bus Time, including 313, 315, 317, 318, 319, 468, 400s and 500s

And i think as of the 319, only the Egg Harbor buses can be tracked (will check later)

Edited April 15, 2013 by mfs NJT459

[Orion VII 4 Life 1,062]

UPDATE:

All of the South Jersey bus routes are now available on NJT Bus Time, including 313, 315, 317, 318, 319, 468, 400s and 500s

 

And i think as of the 319, only the Egg Harbor buses can be tracked (will check later)

 

 

Great!

 

I'm surprised the contractors up north didn't get it, they all seem to be 100% NABI now. They just finished programming their announcements too.

 

BTW Meadowlands MCIs AFAIK have Clever Devices so they should be able to be tracked.

Edited April 15, 2013 by Orion VII 4 Life