Meet RITA: The new transport bot

Sydney / New South Wales Transport Discussion
Post Reply
User avatar
Fleet Lists
Administrator
Posts: 23803
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2004 12:49 pm
Location: The Shire

Meet RITA: The new transport bot

Post by Fleet Lists »

https://transportnsw.info/news/2017/mee ... -your-trip
Meet RITA: The new transport bot to help you plan your trip
Monday 04 September

Transport for NSW has launched a new travel chatbot via Facebook Messenger, which can provide real-time train, bus, ferry and light rail arrival information.

A chatbot, or bot, is a computer program that mimics conversation using artificial intelligence to interpret requests and provide a response.

RITA (Real-time Intelligent Transport Assistant) is the NSW Transport bot which provides service updates and real-time information for all modes of public transport. If you have a Facebook account, RITA can be accessed through Facebook Messenger either on mobile via the Facebook Messenger app or on a desktop computer through a web browser. Just search for "RITA NSW Transport bot".

Right now you can get next departure information across all modes of transport, but more features including the ability to answer common transport information queries and push notifications for transport disruptions that might affect your journey will be introduced in the future.

To get started, simply choose your mode of transport and type in your location or bus stop ID (which is available at your bus stop) and RITA will tell you when your next services are due to arrive.

Chat to RITA: NSW Transport bot
Living in the Shire.
Liamena
Posts: 364
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 9:12 pm

Re: Meet RITA: The new transport bot

Post by Liamena »

Sorry, something went wrong. Please start a new search using the menu below or try again later.
Liamena
Posts: 364
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 9:12 pm

Re: Meet RITA: The new transport bot

Post by Liamena »

So, nobody uses paper timetables any more, and they are increasingly hard to obtain. But you have to get and memorise some stupid 6 digit number ?
simonl
Posts: 8003
Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2008 8:03 pm
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: Meet RITA: The new transport bot

Post by simonl »

It did say you could also put in your location.
mandonov
Posts: 1712
Joined: Mon Jun 03, 2013 8:34 pm

Re: Meet RITA: The new transport bot

Post by mandonov »

Also if you don't want to use it, you don't have to.
User avatar
boronia
Posts: 21567
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2004 6:18 am
Favourite Vehicle: Ahrens Fox; GMC PD4107
Location: Sydney NSW

Re: Meet RITA: The new transport bot

Post by boronia »

Seems to be the same info I can get from other apps.
Preserving fire service history
@ The Museum of Fire.
User avatar
rogf24
Posts: 1186
Joined: Thu May 09, 2013 4:20 pm

Re: Meet RITA: The new transport bot

Post by rogf24 »

I usually use my Android phone's Google Assistant, which is like Siri, now so I don't think I'll have a use for this. I say "Ok Google" and then ask something like, "when in the next bus to Westfield Burwood" and then, in a digital voice, it automatically gives me directions, times and since Google Maps now has real time tracking, it also accounts delays as well.
Liamena
Posts: 364
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 9:12 pm

Re: Meet RITA: The new transport bot

Post by Liamena »

simonl wrote:It did say you could also put in your location.
It didn't say that to me.

And oddly, at the TfNSW website or trip planner, it is impossible to find out any information about what these 6 digit codes are. Or about where bus stops actually are, at all. It is a great idea to have a universal database of bus stop locations, but TfNSW website and trip planner seem to complete ignore it.

You can find out from google maps, which doesn't work properly on my phone. I can only use that one my computer, which effectively means, only when I am home.
Liamena
Posts: 364
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 9:12 pm

Re: Meet RITA: The new transport bot

Post by Liamena »

Also, the apparent claim that the number is present at the bus stop, would appear to be simply false.
User avatar
boronia
Posts: 21567
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2004 6:18 am
Favourite Vehicle: Ahrens Fox; GMC PD4107
Location: Sydney NSW

Re: Meet RITA: The new transport bot

Post by boronia »

Quite often, the only indication of a bus stop number is in the small print at the bottom of a timetable.

Putting street names in trip finders or apps will bring up the nearest stops, usually with numbers.
Preserving fire service history
@ The Museum of Fire.
User avatar
boronia
Posts: 21567
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2004 6:18 am
Favourite Vehicle: Ahrens Fox; GMC PD4107
Location: Sydney NSW

Re: Meet RITA: The new transport bot

Post by boronia »

I used RITA this morning to get times of buses at my stop. I then used an app and got completely different information, which turned out to be more accurate.
Preserving fire service history
@ The Museum of Fire.
Post Reply

Return to “Discussion - Sydney / NSW”