There is excitement in the air at ART as the ART bus real time web map is ready to be tested. We sure could use your help to work out the kinks and bugs and let us know what you think. The URL is http://realtime.commuterpage.com/RTT/Public/PlatformETMap.aspx. On your first visit to this page you will be asked to install Microsoft's Silverlight, a cross-browser, cross-platform, and cross device plug-in, which is needed to use the map to its fullest.
The map is fairly easy to use. On the left is a panel with all the ART routes (and George) listed. Clicking on the route number brings up the current schedule, while double clicking the route name centers the map on that route and turns the stop dots red. The toolbar on the lower right allows you to zoom in and out to read street names, change the contrast of the screen, and offers a help file. To pan the map hold your left mouse button down and drag.
By hovering over a dot you can view the location of the stop, its Stop #, and which route/s the stop serves. If you click the stop the arrival time/s of the net bus/es for that stop will be shown. The site remembers what you were viewing when it is closed and will reopen in the same position next time.
There is also an app being created for mobile devices. It is still in beta, but the developer has asked for commuter feedback. The app can be reached at http://www.commuterpage.com/mobile/realtime.cfm. This application shows the timepoint stops for each route. It also offers a search box for the Stop # from the web map to be entered to see the arrival time at your stop. If you want to add your comments about the mobile app please include which phone you are using and the software version installed.
Tom Scherer is the Public Transit Technology Manager for the Transit Bureau in the Arlington County Department of Environmental Services. He can be reached at tscherer@arlingtonva.us
I have been using the Real Time Art Bus Program on my cell phone for a few weeks now and it is amazing to know exactly when the bus will be at my bus stop. This is not a schedule, it is a continually updated arrival time for all bus stops based on the buses real location determined by GPS. When my phone says 6 minutes til arrival time, I leave home and start my walk to the bus stop. I usually get there with 1 or 2 minutes to spare. I check my phone. it says 1 minute til arrival time and sure enough, I see the bus crest the hill heading my way. Although my bus is normally dependable, I now save about 10 minutes in the morning and I am much less anxious about missing a bus. Thank you Arlington for this great service.
Posted by: Tom Hutchings | January 02, 2010 at 08:34 AM
Impressive. Did you do this in house?
Posted by: Kevin Beekman | December 16, 2009 at 02:46 PM
Nice...
I hope there is a way to connect this from Connexion and NextBus' system and whomever runs the one for DC's Circulator for a regionwide GPS bus tracker.
Posted by: Sterlingnorth | December 14, 2009 at 06:16 PM