What Happened?
Manhattan residents are calling for solar-powered countdown clocks to be installed at bus stops indicating when the next bus is expected to arrive, after a pilot program of the technology proved successful in Staten Island last December. The adoption would cost the city $20,000 per clock to install at all stops. Many cities nationwide have already adopted similar tracking technology to keep riders informed of bus schedules and prevent passengers from missing a pick up.
The Goal
Most major cities with extensive public transit systems have some form of technology in place to track arrival times so people can plan their trips accordingly. Many of these solutions require access to the internet or smartphone apps to prove convenient. These options utilize GPS tracking technology installed on the buses and trains that update a website or mobile app with the location and ETA of each transit vehicle.
For the passengers who may not be looking at a smartphone before standing outside for a bus or train will benefit from the outdoor clocks that list the upcoming arrival times. Many NYC residents who do not have access to a smartphone while commuting or traversing the city include lower-income, student and senior citizen populations. Making bus and train times more readily available at the actual stops allows passengers to maneuver cities more efficiently which, in turn, increases ridership.
Put It On The Agenda
The New York Riders Alliance is in support of the solar-powered bus stop clocks, along with several other initiatives for 2014 to increase the efficiency and patronage of the city’s public transit system. After pushing through legislation to extend the hours of public transportation options and number of vehicles offered to passengers, the Riders Alliance embarking on campaigns to increase ridership and boost public funding for vast improvement projects.
Many major metropolitan areas have buying options for residents who would likely take public transit daily to and from work as well as socially on the weekends. These riders can save some money on their frequent trips by purchasing passes with pre-tax dollars through their employers. Riders Alliance New York is interested in adding these benefits, as well as focusing public funding on improving transit lines with the poorest service ratings.
Lessons in Transit
Just as cities work to equip riders with up-to-date public transit information, many schools are also making arrival information accessible to students and families. In the north suburbs of Chicago, Stevenson High School students use an ID card to get on and off the bus. Recently, the school added a feature allowing families to track where and when student cards were swiped from computers and mobile devices. This can benefit families who may have lost an ID or help keep track of students before or after school hours.
Similarly, in South Bend, the MyStop program was launched through the public school system to help families plan for bus arrivals and departures more efficiently while combating bitter cold temperatures and high levels of snowfall this year. From mobile or desktop devices, users can login into their portal and monitor when their bus will be picking up students in the morning and dropping them off at the end of the day. This way, students will not be out in the cold too long.
Bussin’ In The Innovation
Gov1 has kept a close eye on a variety of transit projects such as energy-efficient vehicles and bus tracking technology.