Talk:Real-time information

Proposal for reorganizing content -- Sirinyamatute (talk) 22:47, 16 April 2014 (MST)

4/16/2014 - I would like to reorganize the content on this page, especially as I am delving more deeply onto the topic of real time information for riders.

Introduction History of Real Time Information Technology Ways that riders can access real time predictive arrival information

• Dynamic signs at bus stops, transit stations, and at businesses, airports and more
• Via the web
• Via mobile devices

• Applications loaded onto a mobile device that detect your location based on GPS
• SMS Texting

• By phone

• Speaking directly to staff
• Interactive Voice Recognition Systems

Benefits to making real time predictive arrival information available for riders Benefits to making real time available for agencies Path to Implementation Vendors--formats for releasing information

• NextBus
• GTFS-Real Time
• OneBusAway project

Barriers/Challenges faced by transit operators in publishing real time information

• Cost
• Privacy concerns
• Software licensing agreements which prohibit reverse engineering or any modifications to their code in order to publish real time information - this has been a substantial barrier to implementation for many agencies that cannot stomach the cost of entering litigation or licensing additional, proprietary software as a service solutions by a legacy vendor that publishes predictions
• Accuracy of information -- hinges on whether the vendor inserts a lag time into the predictions, variability in road conditions, and the quality of the map for the AVL system
• Investments in relying upon in-street sensors rather than GPS coordinates to geolocate buses on maps plus generate/recalibrate vehicle arrival predictions. -->literally making the wrong bet on technology.