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Dwight D. Eisenhower Executive Office Building
Last week, Michael Smith, CTO of the Webtech Wireless NextBus division attended an invitation-only meeting with the US Chief Technology Officer, Aneesh Chopra and Deputy Secretary, John Porcari. NextBus is the #1 provider of public real-time transit information in North America. Using information from transit agencies like Los Angeles, Boston, Toronto, and New York, Michael and the team at NextBus created the best real-time passenger information system in North America. Their leadership is why they were at the White House Executive Office Building meeting with US thought leaders on public access to real-time transit information.
In addition to vendors like NextBus, there was representation from the Association of Public Transit Agencies, Open Plans, and Google. The focus of the meeting was how to make more real-time transit information publicly available. For example, some GPS vendors require transit agencies to sign exclusive contracts that preclude them from sharing the GPS information with the public.
Aneesh Chopra reminded participants that the Obama Administration’s Open Gov initiative suggests that, “Openness empowers people with information to make decisions”. This has proven the case with examples such as JP Lick’s Ice Cream Store in Boston, which uses NextBus information to provide customers with real-time arrival information. Store patrons can enjoy their ice cream while an illuminated sign in the store scrolls through the times of the next two buses on Route 39, which passes their store (full story here).
NextBus has shown the way in providing openly accessible data feeds. The White House wants to see more leadership like this in real-time transit information systems.
In our July 21st, 2011 blog post (which coincided with the inauguration of Saint John Transit’s implementation of NextBus), I described the innovation, the need, and the application of Nextbus. Since then, this helpful YouTube video has appeared (courtesy of The City of Saint John, NB) describing how to use Nextbus for finding your next bus when in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada.
While the Nextbus AVL system is so easy and intuitive to use it hardly needs directions, this video can be helpful if you’re not familiar with computer-based solutions or you would like an overview of how NextBus works from the client end.
Saint John Transit bus on King Street soon to be equipped with NextBus AVL solution
Back in February 2010, Webtech Wireless expanded its InterFleet® implementation with the city of Saint John, New Brunswick to include an additional 100 public works and police vehicles—a contract valued at over $100,000. Now to complement the city’s Interfleet solution, Saint John Transit also plans to deploy a Webtech Wireless solution—NextBus.
NextBus will provide Saint John Transit with an AVL tracking solution for its 60 buses, allowing riders to check bus arrivals in real-time. Using PCs, landline phones, cell phones, or SMS text messaging, riders get real-time travel information (each bus is fitted with a satellite tracking system) designed to help them decide whether catching the next bus is a sprint or leisurely stroll. Currently, riders can only view a static schedule of intended bus arrivals and departures on the company’s web site.
NextBus will also install five LCD screens at various locations around the city, including McAllister Place Mall and the university campus (UNBSJ) and LED screens at bus stops. To help make public transport more attractive to potential riders (and as a nod to Saint John Transit’s already existing environmental initiatives), the service will add to the city’s existing hot spots with free WIFI for riders on all its buses.
About NextBus
A subsidiary of Webtech Wireless, San Francisco-based NextBus implements real-time passenger information systems used by dozens of transit agencies, universities and other transit operators across North America. Because traffic variations, breakdowns, and day-to-day problems faced by any transit provider can interrupt service, NextBus was designed to help keep riders on schedule even if their buses aren’t. NextBus uses satellite technology and advanced computer modeling to track vehicles on their routes.
About Saint John
Historic Saint John has been a transportation hub since long before confederation
As Canada’s oldest incorporated city and New Brunswick’s largest municipality, the city of Saint John has been providing municipal services for more than two centuries. According to Statistics Canada, the Saint John municipal area has a population of 122,389, with a population density of 36.4 persons per square kilometre.
The Port of Saint John is one of Canada’s most important ports (its relatively mild maritime climate keeps its deep-water harbour ice-free year round when inland ports in the St. Lawrence Seaway must contend with ice). This keeps the city’s businesses and industries bustling throughout the year. In 2010 for the first time ever, the Port of Saint John exceeded 30 million metric tonnes of cargo in a single year.
About Saint John Transit
Saint John Transit was established in 1979 to provide scheduled transit service to the city. It replaced City Transit Limited (1948-1979) and a string of others dating back to the People’s Street Railway Company (1869-1876). Saint John Transit is the largest public transit system in the province, both by mileage and passengers.
Saint John Transit bus now equipped with NextBus wireless AVL solution
Saint John Transit Statistics
Saint John Transit’s ridership is approximately 50 percent higher than the average for Canadian cities with a population of between 50,000 and 150,000.
- Number of vehicles: 60
- Ridership: 2.5 million riders per year
Current active fleet bus types:
- GMDD/MCI/Nova Bus Classic
- Nova Bus LFS Artic (Ex. NovaBUS demo 40881 and 40882)
- Nova Bus RTS
- Orion VII and Orion VII “Next Generation”
Greening Saint John
Source: Statistics Canada, 2006 Census of Population.
To reduce auto emissions, the City of Saint John, along with the Federal and Provincial governments, is investing in public transportation between uptown Saint John and outlying communities. Branded as ComeX (Community Express), it provides a rapid bus transport service during peak commuting times. With the implementation of ComeX, greenhouse gas emissions are projected to drop by 1,500 metric tonnes and downtown traffic will decrease by 800 vehicles a day over the next five years.
Additional reading:
Webtech Wireless’ NextBus solution is now the transit technology that municipalities (from Montreal’s Société de transport de Laval to the Los Angeles Metro) rely on to provide accurate real-time public transportation information to millions of riders. Like other AVL solutions, NextBus uses global positioning system (GPS) tracking satellites to display transit vehicle locations in real-time. So what makes Nextbus’ particular solution so helpful?
Tackling the Problem
There is something of a perfect storm closing in on public transit systems these days. Rising fuel costs are driving many commuters to use public transit as their primary method of transportation, and with traffic variations, breakdowns, and other day-to-day problems leaving riders waiting at bus stops and train platforms, they’re increasingly turning to instant wireless communications (such as cellphones, PDAs, text messaging, etc.), to manage their lives. These riders rely on and expect reliable location-based services.
“The need for a predictive transit solution became apparent as a means to encourage ridership and streamline bus routing.”
Designing the Solution
To address these problems, NextBus was designed to “keep your customers on schedule even if their bus isn’t”. Using GPS tracking, NextBus estimates vehicle location information with a high degree of accuracy. Using PCs, landline phones, cell phones, or SMS (Text) messaging, riders get real-time travel information, which helps them decide whether catching the next bus is a sprint or leisurely stroll.
Viewed through a web browser, NextBus uses Google maps to show highly accurate route maps
“NextBus helps riders make the best use of public and university transit.”
From the standpoint of transit authorities, deploying a transit AVL solution helps transit companies improve customer service, reduce accidents, reduce fuel and labor costs, improve operator performance, and improve street-level visibility for transit supervisors and planners.
In the New York Times writer, Joshua Brustein praises the recent deployment of NextBus to the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority. “Los Angeles began using NextBus for its entire bus system in May, the largest transit agency to do so.” Or, according to the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority itself, the NextBus solution is “designed to help take the guesswork out of bus arrival and help you to get to your stop at the same time as your bus”.
Using NextBus on Your Smartphone
Just as the adoption of the cell phone became universal a decade and a half ago, the smartphone is now a ubiquitous part of life for most urbanites. According to New York Times writer, Damon Darlin, “historians will remember the advent of the smartphone as something as important as the elevator, air conditioner and automobile.”
The implication for transit companies is clear: adopt an AVL solution or face irritation and disinterest from your ridership. Fortunately, transit authorities are reading the writing on the wall and many of them are choosing NextBus—for its reliability and simplicity.
“NextBus, a wonderful Web site that monitors the arrival of city buses in many big cities, is a godsend.”
While there is no official phone application for Nextbus, the simplicity of the NextBus website makes it easy to use on most smartphones.
NextBus viewed on an iPhone
To access NextBus using a smartphone:
- Using your smartphone’s web browser (such as Safari), access the NextBus website: www.nextbus.com.
- Choose the mobile version or the full-featured website.
- Select your location, your transit agency, your route, and then your stop.
The most current prediction for the arrival time of the next vehicle is displayed. - You also can add your stop info to your home screen so it will be instantly available.
- If a prediction is already displayed on your smartphone, simply push the ‘refresh’ link at the bottom of the page to get the most up to date information.
On April 29th, City of Toronto Mayor, David Miller, announced the inauguration of NextBus services on Toronto’s streetcars, along with plans for its system-wide rollout. NextBus was there, and recorded highlights of the announcement. Appearing in the video, in order, are:
- City of Toronto Mayor, David Miller
- TTC Chair, Adam Giambrone
- NextBus VP of Operations, Chris Jackson
Today Toronto mayor David Miller announced the official launch of the NextBus system by the city’s Transit Commission (TTC). WebTech Wireless’ news release can be found here, and the press release from the TTC follows:
TTC launches expansion of next vehicle arrival system
April 29, 2010
The Toronto Transit Commission today launched the expansion of the next vehicle arrival system. Toronto Mayor David Miller and TTC Chair Adam Giambrone unveiled the first transit shelter next vehicle arrival sign at the streetcar platform at Broadview Station. The sign’s solar powered energy source is being assessed for use and installation at other transit shelters.
The Next Vehicle Arrival System will enable TTC customers to find out when their next bus or streetcar will arrive. This information will appear on either flat-screen LCD monitors at subway stations, or via LED screens mounted at transit shelters and subway station streetcar/bus bays. The Next Vehicle Arrival System uses Global Positioning System (GPS) software to determine the location of vehicles while they are in service. A software application uses this location information to predict vehicle arrival times at bus/streetcar stops. The location information is then sent to the appropriate sign on the route. The TTC fleet of 248 streetcars have been retrofitted with the GPS system. The 1,782 bus fleet continues to be retrofitted, with completion in early 2011.
The initial pilot system was launched in 2008 at Spadina and Union stations with a focus on the streetcar service. The roll-out for the bus network is scheduled for 2011 to coincide with the GPS retrofit.
The expansion of the system includes LED displays located at the following transit shelters and subway stations:
- Dundas/Spadina
- King/Bathurst
- King/Spadina
- Queen/Spadina
- Bathurst/Adelaide
- Broadview Station
- Dundas West Station
- Spadina Station
- Union Station
The expansion also includes LCD displays located at the following transit shelters and subway stations:
- Broadview Station
- Main Street Station
- Bathurst Station
- St. Clair Station
- Spadina Station
- Union Station
LED and LCD signs will continue to be installed at additional transit shelters and subway stations throughout 2010. In addition, customers will be able to use SMS text messaging technology to obtain next vehicle arrival information at all 800 streetcar stops beginning in mid 2010, and all bus stops in early 2011.
The Toronto Transit Commission moves about 1.5 million riders every weekday. The TTC is the third largest public transit system in North America servicing some 4.5 million people in the Greater Toronto Area, with a network of subways, streetcars, buses, and a specialized service, Wheel-Trans, for people who require accessible transportation. The TTC is committed to meeting the growing needs of the region with subway and light rail expansion, carrying an additional 175 million riders by 2021. Follow the TTC on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TTCNotices.
Roosevelt Island is a 40-block sliver of land in New York City’s East River wiki page, sandwiched between Manhattan and Queens. While it’s located in one of the world’s largest metropolises, it has often been difficult to access by public transit. A boom in the island’s popularity and subsequent building spike has meant that residents are demanding improved bus (Red Bus) services. NextBus® is helping the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation meet these needs.
Roosevelt Island Board Director Jonathan Kalkin recently reported on his agency’s use of our NextBus® technology to improve the island’s transportation services, in an interview taken from the Corporation’s blog and text excerpt below:
“Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking can improve the system. I pushed for GPS tracking technology as a member of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation. It has been installed, and you can access it on the internet or a mobile device at NEXTBUS.COM (click on Roosevelt Island). You can see when the next bus will arrive at your stop, and time your departure or decide to walk. On a mobile device, you can make the wait-or-walk judgment on the fly. (For cell phones without browsers, the information is available via text message.)”
WebTech Wireless will be opening its set of live NextBus data for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Tech Shuttle buses, allowing MIT students to design applications that take advantage of real-time GPS bus schedule and arrival information. Read the full story on the MIT News website.
This great interview on RDI Week-end appeared yesterday on the eve of the official launch of Laval Quebec’s STL Synchro real-time passenger information system. It’s in French, but we hope to have an English transcript available soon.
The official launch is on Tuesday and includes flipping the switch on 80 transit stop digital information signs – the largest number of signs ever installed by a Canadian transit authority. Smartphone and internet portal access is already available. More information at STL’s website.
Some creative use of NextBus GPS data to help visualize transit patterns and volumes in the San Francisco area. Market St. is on the upper right, and you can see buses coming across the Bay Bridge to Treasure Island in the far upper right. In the first video, each white dot/cube is a bus or train.
Thanks Jeevan. This is very cool.
San Francisco Public Transit Data Visualization from Jeevan Kalanithi on Vimeo.
San Francisco Public Transit Visualization from Jeevan Kalanithi on Vimeo.
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