Bus, Train & tram tracking app

[Dennis Dart]

http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/s ... 35lrm.html

Smartphone apps to follow public transport tracking technology


Most of Melbourne's buses will be fitted with bus tracking technology within three months, paving the way for public transport users to follow bus movements around the city in real time using smartphones and online.

The technology will also enable state authority Public Transport Victoria to properly monitor the punctuality and reliability of Melbourne's bus operators, whose performance is currently measured by a fallible system of self-reporting.

The bus tracking system will operate on 70 per cent of Melbourne's bus fleet by the end of June.

The development of tracking tools for the public such as smartphone apps will follow. There is no set release date.
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Public Transport Victoria chief executive Mark Wild said once up and running, bus tracking would improve public confidence in Melbourne's network of buses, which carry almost 120 million passengers a year.

''Providing real time information will mean that customers will be able to find out when their bus is due to arrive at their stop,'' he said.

The real-time tracking of Melbourne’s buses will also help PTV to better co-ordinate buses with connecting trains and trams, and to identify where dedicated bus lanes and priority traffic light signals should be put in place to improve performance.

Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder said the bus tracking data would be made available to the public to develop apps.

“Melburnians can expect to see a significant improvement in the delivery of bus services and customer information, with data from the system being able to be used to create innovative and useful apps that help people get around our public transport network,” Mr Mulder said.

Not all Melbourne’s buses will be on the system by June. Transdev’s buses – which make up 30 per cent of the network and include the orbital SmartBuses and Doncaster rapid buses – will have to wait up to two more years.

Transdev still uses an old bus tracking system that was scrapped by the government in October, despite having been fitted to more than 95 per cent of the city’s bus fleet.

Public Transport Victoria pulled the switch on the multimillion-dollar system after deciding the technology was costly and inadequate.

The new system will be run by GPS tracking company Smartrak, under a five-year contract with an optional five-year extension.

Several routes have insufficient running time. I hope that PTV will use this data to provide resources for more realistic schedules.

Regards,

Dennis

[tonyw]

This was promised years ago and remains to be seen if it happens this time.

[newbus959]

"Transdev’s buses – which make up 30 per cent of the network and include the orbital SmartBuses and Doncaster rapid buses – will have to wait up to two more years."

So all major City routes and Smartbuses have to wait... Not very 'smart' there

[RailwayBus]

Personally I would say it's more important to be able to track an infrequent 40-60 minute bus service in the outer suburbs than it is to track a bus that runs really frequently.

[jamesadams7]

It is ridiculous that it could take up to two years to fit the technology for Transdev, but under 3 months for other operators. Transdev's buses account for some of the city's highest patronage. Additionally, the GPS technology is required to enforce penalties against Transdev for late-running, unlike any of the other operators.

[Dennis Dart]

It is ridiculous that it could take up to two years to fit the technology for Transdev, but under 3 months for other operators. Transdev's buses account for some of the city's highest patronage. Additionally, the GPS technology is required to enforce penalties against Transdev for late-running, unlike any of the other operators.

Transdev are continuing with the previous bus tracking system for the next couple of years.

See http://www.busaustralia.com/forum/viewt ... 72&start=9

Regards,

Dennis

[jamesadams7]

Transdev are continuing with the previous bus tracking system for the next couple of years.

See http://www.busaustralia.com/forum/viewt ... 72&start=9

Fair enough. But I assume that the Transdev information will not be publicly available in the form of an app or API data for developers, as I highly doubt the Government would release data obtained using two different technologies. That'd be disappointing.

[Peter1805]

http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/smar ... z2xEhYpBbt

Report: Age/Sydney Morning Herald: 28 March 2014 (Clay Lucas)

Admin: Quotes removed as already present in first post in this thread.

Edited by poster: Sorry, I didn't see the earlier post about the same topic....

[newbus959]

But I assume that the Transdev information will not be publicly available in the form of an app or API data for developers.

I don't think so either. Bit ironic since most Smartbuses have to wait longer. Being a 'SmartBus' you'd expect tracking apps to appear on these routes before any other.

[tranzitjim]

Why not go the next step and put in a sign telling the passengers what the next stop is?

Do something real for the passengers for a change, and something that would work for all passengers, not just those who have a mobile phone turned on all the time.

[Mitch]

But I assume that the Transdev information will not be publicly available in the form of an app or API data for developers.

I don't think so either. Bit ironic since most Smartbuses have to wait longer. Being a 'SmartBus' you'd expect tracking apps to appear on these routes before any other.

Why would you track a service that comes multiple times an hour?

Thanks,
Mitchul ;]

[newbus959]

I would use tracking to track where my bus/tram is heading. Smartbuses have this onboard but other city routes should get this sooner. But for the instance of tracking say hourly services, then that has its benefits too.

[RailwayBus]

Why not go the next step and put in a sign telling the passengers what the next stop is?

How on earth would this help anyone who is at or near a bus stop wanting to know what time the next bus is going to arrive?

[tonyw]

Mitch, trams come multiple times per hour but it is still very useful to track them. Due to traffic they often get delayed and bunched up. Whilst the timetable might say a tram is due every eight minutes in reality they can be 25, then 2, 4 and 8 etc etc. At least with the tracker you know what is going on and don't get stressed. I reckon Tram Tracker is the best and most useful app on my phone. There are any number of things that can cause lengthy delays to buses. As a passenger waiting at a stop for ages it is just nice to know. Unfortunately, they haven't yet fully embraced Twitter, information about delays is sporadic.

[system improver]

Mitch, trams come multiple times per hour but it is still very useful to track them. Due to traffic they often get delayed and bunched up. Whilst the timetable might say a tram is due every eight minutes in reality they can be 25, then 2, 4 and 8 etc etc. At least with the tracker you know what is going on and don't get stressed. I reckon Tram Tracker is the best and most useful app on my phone...

I agree. I know it takes me five minutes to walk to my tram stop. The trams run about every 12 minutes. In the past, I would inevitably arrive at the stop ten seconds after the tram had passed. Now with tram tracker, I can see the actual time of arrival before I leave home and make my exit accordingly. There is certainly even more reason to have this facility for buses, when the frequency is less. Waiting half an hour or an hour after a just missed bus is a big pain in the neck. And because of the nature of their running, buses are much more likely to be off timetable that either trams or trains.

[burrumbus]

Getting the running times,and train connections right on many bus routes is possibly more important than bus tracking apps.Dozens of bus routes in Melbourne operate on prehistoric timetables from the late 70s/early to mid 80s with either insufficient running times,too much running time at times,or insufficient recovery /turnaround time.
By getting this correct ,the buses will be much more reliable.And possibly do what the government wants-attract consistent patronage improvement.Bus tracking apps will then be more than useful,especially on the low frequency services that dominate the Melbourne industry.

[tranzitjim]

Why not go the next step and put in a sign telling the passengers what the next stop is?

How on earth would this help anyone who is at or near a bus stop wanting to know what time the next bus is going to arrive?

That is another matter.

None the less, while we have buses in there getting works done, we should finish the job and get the buses fitted with the one thing they sorely miss.

What I am talking about is, the SmartBus/Train/Tram/VLocity style PIDS inside the vehicle which tells the passenger inside the vehicle as to what the next stop is.

You could have both this internal PIDS and the bus-tracking all in one bus.

[krustyklo]

Why would you track a service that comes multiple times an hour?

I'm sure there is an off colour joke waiting to happen in that comment somewhere...

As for me, I am about 4 minutes walk from a Smartbus stop where other non-Smartbuses also depart. However, in peak hour the Smartbus timetable is often a complete work of fiction with, for example, a bus on time followed by a bus in 30 minutes give or take. In addition to get buses back on time they sometimes run express or even not in service. As a user it would be useful to know whether the 'multiple times per hour' service is up the proverbial creek, whether the non-Smartbus service is running on time, and which of those will arrive in about 6 minutes which will give me just enough time to get out the door and across the lights, preferably on the Smartbus service that takes me straight home without having to change at the large nearby shopping centre.

Frankly a bus tracker app would be awesome, especially if it did all of the buses rather than just some. Unfortunately I work in the middle of the Transdev contract area so I guess I have a few years to wait...

[Mitch]

Why would you track a service that comes multiple times an hour?

I'm sure there is an off colour joke waiting to happen in that comment somewhere...

And given the topic at hand, I feel like a comment about certain building near the terminus of a certain set of 900 series routes could also be waiting to happen

None the less, while we have buses in there getting works done, we should finish the job and get the buses fitted with the one thing they sorely miss.

What I am talking about is, the SmartBus/Train/Tram/VLocity style PIDS inside the vehicle which tells the passenger inside the vehicle as to what the next stop is.

You could have both this internal PIDS and the bus-tracking all in one bus.

Surprising enough as it is, I agree with Jim. Furthermore, you could implement an IBIS (Integrated Bus Information System) system onto the myki terminal. That way, the whole "destination sign changing with a GPS coordinate" thing could come to fruition.

Thanks,
Mitchul [;

[tranzitjim]

Most ideal is to have one single PTV box located somewhere on all PTV buses.

This one box would control all electronic features.

+ One single GPS device, one single mobile phone connection for all purposes.
+ To operate all PTV devices, including MyKi, the Destination and internal PIDS, any GPS tracking too.

By having that one single box doing everything, should make the overall equipment cheaper to instal into each bus too.

[Craig]

At yesterday's opening of the new station at Epsom, Transport Minster Terry Mulder announced Bendigo will be the first regional city to be tracked by the fourth generation BusTracker system, including the installation of realtime screens at the proposed transit lounge in central Bendigo, although a timeline for the launch the real-time app & online information was not given.

"I'd like to announce that Bendigo will soon be the first regional city to receive the bus tracking system on board buses, after a successful roll-out in Melbourne.

"In the future, we'll be able to provide real-time information about buses through the PTV website, apps, call centre and signage.

"We've also contributed $450,000 towards the Mitchell Street Redevelopment which so far has included the upgrade of the bus interchange, with six bus bays, wider footpaths and more seating for passengers.

"We will be contributing a further $450,000 to the next phase of public transport improvements, which will include the construction of a 'remote' waiting area for bus passengers in Hargreaves Street.

"The plan is to have real-time signage available at this location, so in the future bus passengers will have a comfortable waiting area in Hargreaves Street until their bus is nearing the Mitchell Street bus interchange.

"Public Transport Victoria is now working with City of Bendigo on the design of the waiting area, with construction likely to begin in the first half of 2015 with real-time information to be available in the future."

Kind Regards


Craig

[Craig]

They say good things come to those who wait...

...in an exciting installment, the PTV mobile app is now showing real time info for the SmartBus network, just in time for winter. No doubt the first stage of a wider roll-out.

This comes shy of 13 years of the SmartBus pilot, which hinted at making the info accessible via mobile phone.

Kind Regards


Craig

[Craig]

The official word...

PTV releases real-time bus information to the public
Added: 14 May 2015

In March last year, PTV announced the introduction of a GPS bus tracking system for metropolitan buses.

The testing and implementation is now complete and today PTV releases the first phase of the much anticipated real-time data to customers.

This information will be available via Next 5 on the PTV website and in the latest version of its popular PTV mobile app which now includes real-time information for trams, SmartBuses and disruption information.

A huge benefit to customers using metropolitan bus services this will allow customers to better plan their journey on the network as well as enhancing operational management capabilities for PTV and bus operators.

The rollout of real-time bus information is being phased. The first bus routes to have this information publically available will be SmartBus services: Routes 703, 900-903 and 905-908. Further bus routes will be progressively included.

Another benefit of the system will be to provide developers with the opportunity to create digital products for customers using the real-time data.

As part of this PTV is holding an open access data event, VicTripathon to support the development of products that could be used by customers and other stakeholders.

The event will be held in late May and details on the event can be found here - http://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/victripa ... 8?aff=eac2

Kind Regards


Craig

[jamesadams7]

Excellent! Now only another 13 years before we see it on regular buses!

[Heihachi_73]

It's time they updated the SmartBus totems and LED signs so they can show the departure times for other non-SmartBus routes which have been using the exact same stops since day 1 of SmartBus operation.