TRANSLink Journey Planner, website and publications thread

Brisbane / QLD Transport Discussion

Moderator: PRT 065

User avatar
Hornibrook
Posts: 2473
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2008 7:04 pm
Location: Brisbane

Re: TRANSLink Journey Planner, website and publications thread

Post by Hornibrook »

Does anybody in TransLink read this thread? I know daveeyh mentioned some errors and they still haven't been fixed.
User avatar
08 XDi
Posts: 4250
Joined: Thu May 05, 2005 7:31 am
Location: Elsewhere

Re: TRANSLink Journey Planner, website and publications thread

Post by 08 XDi »

Hornibrook wrote:Does anybody in TransLink read this thread? I know daveeyh mentioned some errors and they still haven't been fixed.
The fact that they have such a high concentration rate of errors at all is rather telling.

it realy irritates me how they fail to keep to a consistent style in their various documents, fail to have maps of certain places, facilities or local networks, place bus stops (even blade-type signs) with no timetable information in them, fail to correct obvious errors when pointed out and far too many other oversights.

It is a big network but even still, the quality control really isn't there when members of the public have a better idea of things than the authority running the system.

I think that TransLink is probably the most effective urban transit authority in Australia in moving people - it just pips Transperth notwithstanding their superior smartcard and rail network because of their generally poor bus network and stop infrastructure and because we have a much more functional set of online resources than anyoneelse. Even so, I think we have the least "polished" system around with so many errors and oversights in public information and also design flaws in the layout of major interchanges and infrastructure. While the meat is there, it needs some skin on it.
Elvis has left the building!
User avatar
nikko
Posts: 519
Joined: Sun Mar 07, 2004 9:01 pm
Favourite Vehicle: Volvo B10M Mk.III
Location: Brisbane

Re: TRANSLink Journey Planner, website and publications thread

Post by nikko »

SM247 wrote:place bus stops (even blade-type signs) with no timetable information in them
That is by far the #1 issue that needs to be addressed ASAP!
User avatar
PRT 065
Moderator
Posts: 1184
Joined: Mon Mar 09, 2009 7:13 pm
Favourite Vehicle: Guess ?
Location: Brisbane But Prefer Sydney
Contact:

Re: TRANSLink Journey Planner, website and publications thread

Post by PRT 065 »

There is stop 25 ipswich road, that on the paper prt timtable says it is in zone 25 trying to find the picture.
Regards,
PRT 065

If you have any issues with the Queensland section, please send me a private message.
simonl
Posts: 8003
Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2008 8:03 pm
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: TRANSLink Journey Planner, website and publications thread

Post by simonl »

SM247 wrote:I think that TransLink is probably the most effective urban transit authority in Australia in moving people
Wow, that's quite a wrap! I think that the late night effort is piss poor, there's a lot of hourly frequency services and there's a lack of coordination between services which share a common corridor for a large part of their trip.

Also the lack of Bus priority outside the busways is a shooting offence, but perhaps you can't blame Translink for that.

EDIT: I'd also add that there's several obviously bad compromises made, like running the inbound 350 via Roma St Station then to Queen St. It would obviously be faster sticking to Roma St the majority of the time.
User avatar
T1200
Administrator
Posts: 3860
Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2005 9:42 pm
Favourite Vehicle: MAN 18.310 CNG Volgren CR228L
Location: Sydney
Contact:

Re: TRANSLink Journey Planner, website and publications thread

Post by T1200 »

If you want to have a TRANSLink bashing session, I suggest that you find somewhere else to do it.
Reality continues to ruin my life.
simonl
Posts: 8003
Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2008 8:03 pm
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: TRANSLink Journey Planner, website and publications thread

Post by simonl »

T1200 wrote:If you want to have a TRANSLink bashing session, I suggest that you find somewhere else to do it.
Ok, I'll talk to translink directly again.
leccy
Posts: 111
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2007 2:01 pm
Location: Brisbane

Re: TRANSLink Journey Planner, website and publications thread

Post by leccy »

On the topic of information, I would really really like to see some route maps at busway stations. If you get on a bus at a CBD street stop there is a map so you know where your bus is going - and stopping. At busway stations (I'm looking at you, Roma Street) there is nothing apart from a long list of departure times.
An enthusiast can be professional too, but any comment here is a personal comment only.
User avatar
08 XDi
Posts: 4250
Joined: Thu May 05, 2005 7:31 am
Location: Elsewhere

Re: TRANSLink Journey Planner, website and publications thread

Post by 08 XDi »

leccy wrote:On the topic of information, I would really really like to see some route maps at busway stations. If you get on a bus at a CBD street stop there is a map so you know where your bus is going - and stopping. At busway stations (I'm looking at you, Roma Street) there is nothing apart from a long list of departure times.
This at least is one thing BCC does better.
Elvis has left the building!
User avatar
MaxHeadway
Posts: 191
Joined: Sun Nov 30, 2008 1:00 am
Location: Fear Zones 1 & 2

Re: TRANSLink Journey Planner, website and publications thread

Post by MaxHeadway »

SM247 wrote:On the topic of information, I would really really like to see some route maps at busway stations. If you get on a bus at a CBD street stop there is a map so you know where your bus is going - and stopping. At busway stations (I'm looking at you, Roma Street) there is nothing apart from a long list of departure times.
A few years ago (pre-TransLink), busway stations had a scale map of every bus route in Brisbane (BT in red, private routes in green IIRC).
You used to have to pay money to see a freak show; now you have to pay NOT to.
simonl
Posts: 8003
Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2008 8:03 pm
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: TRANSLink Journey Planner, website and publications thread

Post by simonl »

T1200 wrote:If you want to have a TRANSLink bashing session, I suggest that you find somewhere else to do it.
Allow me to detail the co-ordination between two Sydney bus routes, the 373 & 377.

373 Circular Quay to Coogee via Randwick
377 Circular Quay to Maroubra via Randwick

These runs share a common route between Circular Quay and "The Spot" in Randwick. The 373 is a high frequency service, but at certain times it drops back to half hourly, and while the 377 is running half hourly the runs are co-ordinated such that Randwick to Circular Quay has a 15 minute frequency. At other times, the 373 runs 4 times an hour, but these runs are staggered so Randwick to the City has a 10 minute frequency. I suspect that a 372 and/or a 374 serves Coogee in these gaps. However when the 373 ramps up to 7 minute frequency, co-ordination is (rightly IMO) deemed not worth it. At these times the 373 is usually packed in summer with beach goers, even on a Sunday.

In Brisbane, the 430 and 433 are the only (non peak) services for Kenmore Rd between Gilruth Rd & Gem Rd. They're both hourly services, and yet they come within 15 minutes of each other. So it's not just between Indooroopilly and the City that they fall short.

If Sydney can do it, why can't Brisbane?
chendo
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2009 2:37 pm

Re: TRANSLink Journey Planner, website and publications thread

Post by chendo »

I realise that this doesn't really solve the problem of lack of bus maps at bus stops, but I used the kmz file SM247 made and wrote a little app that produces a kml file a specified route and then displays it in Google Maps. Check it out at http://maps.mytrans.it/. It's a bit crude and elementary but it's a proof of concept/alpha more than anything.

I also wrote an iPhone-specific version of the journey planner (which is still in beta) at http://mytrans.it/ because I found the Translink journey planner lacking on the iPhone (mobile one is worse IMO). If you don't have an iPhone, you can see a video of it in action at http://chendo.net/projects/code/web/mytransit. A desktop browser version is coming soon and will be followed by a normal mobile browser version.
User avatar
PAQ12
Posts: 3021
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2004 10:55 am
Location: Brisbane, QLD
Contact:

Re: TRANSLink Journey Planner, website and publications thread

Post by PAQ12 »

chendo wrote:I realise that this doesn't really solve the problem of lack of bus maps at bus stops, but I used the kmz file SM247 made and wrote a little app that produces a kml file a specified route and then displays it in Google Maps. Check it out at http://maps.mytrans.it/. It's a bit crude and elementary but it's a proof of concept/alpha more than anything.

I also wrote an iPhone-specific version of the journey planner (which is still in beta) at http://mytrans.it/ because I found the Translink journey planner lacking on the iPhone (mobile one is worse IMO). If you don't have an iPhone, you can see a video of it in action at http://chendo.net/projects/code/web/mytransit. A desktop browser version is coming soon and will be followed by a normal mobile browser version.
Now if you can do that with probably a ZERO budget, why can't TransLink do that? Seeing all of this, makes me want to somehow re-instate bus routes again on my website with a map.
For all your printing needs, think Print Arana - visit www.printarana.com.au or phone 1300 866 593

Formally Known as "BT Buses"
l_blue_l
Posts: 137
Joined: Mon Sep 18, 2006 8:05 pm
Contact:

Re: TRANSLink Journey Planner, website and publications thread

Post by l_blue_l »

chendo wrote:I realise that this doesn't really solve the problem of lack of bus maps at bus stops, but I used the kmz file SM247 made and wrote a little app that produces a kml file a specified route and then displays it in Google Maps. Check it out at http://maps.mytrans.it/. It's a bit crude and elementary but it's a proof of concept/alpha more than anything.

I also wrote an iPhone-specific version of the journey planner (which is still in beta) at http://mytrans.it/ because I found the Translink journey planner lacking on the iPhone (mobile one is worse IMO). If you don't have an iPhone, you can see a video of it in action at http://chendo.net/projects/code/web/mytransit. A desktop browser version is coming soon and will be followed by a normal mobile browser version.
Thank you. I hate using Translink journey planner on my iphone so much this should make it much easier. :).

I just had a look at your maps thing too. Now that is cool. ( i like how it can show more then one route if you only put in two number but it does't let you select only one route if it is only 2 numbers but doesn't really matter as they should all the renumbered to 3 numbers )
chendo
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2009 2:37 pm

Re: TRANSLink Journey Planner, website and publications thread

Post by chendo »

BT Buses wrote:
chendo wrote:I realise that this doesn't really solve the problem of lack of bus maps at bus stops, but I used the kmz file SM247 made and wrote a little app that produces a kml file a specified route and then displays it in Google Maps. Check it out at http://maps.mytrans.it/. It's a bit crude and elementary but it's a proof of concept/alpha more than anything.

I also wrote an iPhone-specific version of the journey planner (which is still in beta) at http://mytrans.it/ because I found the Translink journey planner lacking on the iPhone (mobile one is worse IMO). If you don't have an iPhone, you can see a video of it in action at http://chendo.net/projects/code/web/mytransit. A desktop browser version is coming soon and will be followed by a normal mobile browser version.
Now if you can do that with probably a ZERO budget, why can't TransLink do that? Seeing all of this, makes me want to somehow re-instate bus routes again on my website with a map.
They have one developer, and they're using VB on ASP (not even .NET). And this project has cost me nothing apart from time and domain name costs. Server is being donated by Chombo.com.au which is a local Brisbane server for faster loading times :)
l_blue_l wrote:[
Thank you. I hate using Translink journey planner on my iphone so much this should make it much easier. :).

I just had a look at your maps thing too. Now that is cool. ( i like how it can show more then one route if you only put in two number but it does't let you select only one route if it is only 2 numbers but doesn't really matter as they should all the renumbered to 3 numbers )
I'm not sure what you're talking about.. if you enter in two numbers, you can use the up and down arrows to specify which route you want to lookup. I realise that there are some routes that don't have any data but they're relatively new ones not covered by the KMZ (or a bug in my code, I haven't had the time to check).
l_blue_l
Posts: 137
Joined: Mon Sep 18, 2006 8:05 pm
Contact:

Re: TRANSLink Journey Planner, website and publications thread

Post by l_blue_l »

An example of what i mean If i want to see route 10 (surfside) it shows all routes that start with 10 (it displays routes 10, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108) not really a problem once the rest of the routes are renumbered.


lol ow that wasn't a feature yet displaying more the one route. :P
User avatar
08 XDi
Posts: 4250
Joined: Thu May 05, 2005 7:31 am
Location: Elsewhere

Re: TRANSLink Journey Planner, website and publications thread

Post by 08 XDi »

To throw in my 2 bob:

I am quite happy with what chendo has done and I will continue to make the source data available for his site.

The map is still being upgraded - there will be gradual releases of updated routes and info as I get through the recent changes, mainly the pre-pay routes and the improvement program I was already working on.
Elvis has left the building!
User avatar
Volvo B12BLEA
Posts: 4721
Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2004 5:23 pm
Favourite Vehicle: Rail and Ships / Boats.
Location: Brisbane but prefer Adelaide.

Re: TRANSLink Journey Planner, website and publications thread

Post by Volvo B12BLEA »

The rte 400 Shuttles stopped running after last service Friday night, 4th Dec. Western Express services are back to using the QSBS during Peak Times from Monday 7th Dec yet the TL website as of 11.15am Saturday 5th Dec makes no mention of this.
Notices about the ending of the rte 400 shuttles have been on Platform B, QSBS all week.
Any posts are my views or opinions and are NOT on behalf of any Organisation.
User avatar
PRT 065
Moderator
Posts: 1184
Joined: Mon Mar 09, 2009 7:13 pm
Favourite Vehicle: Guess ?
Location: Brisbane But Prefer Sydney
Contact:

Re: TRANSLink Journey Planner, website and publications thread

Post by PRT 065 »

Also chendo Is this The same Application as Yours :?:

http://www.oaksystems.net/ They Want $4 For It, and it doesn't have bus timetable yet :?

Image
Regards,
PRT 065

If you have any issues with the Queensland section, please send me a private message.
User avatar
PRT 065
Moderator
Posts: 1184
Joined: Mon Mar 09, 2009 7:13 pm
Favourite Vehicle: Guess ?
Location: Brisbane But Prefer Sydney
Contact:

Translink Go Card Aplication

Post by PRT 065 »

Also I have Just Found This Application Pitty this isnt a official one,
They dont have a working website, so i pulled a screen shot of the app store


Image

I Cant realy see a use for this kind of app unless is support you topping up by card on their.
Regards,
PRT 065

If you have any issues with the Queensland section, please send me a private message.
User avatar
bunza
Posts: 921
Joined: Sun Mar 05, 2006 11:28 pm
Location: Gold Coast

Re: TRANSLink Journey Planner, website and publications thread

Post by bunza »

Can't see a use? Heres a really simple one.

You can check your balance anywhere quickly, say if you are outside a newsagent tossing up whether to top up or not.
User avatar
PRT 065
Moderator
Posts: 1184
Joined: Mon Mar 09, 2009 7:13 pm
Favourite Vehicle: Guess ?
Location: Brisbane But Prefer Sydney
Contact:

Re: TRANSLink Journey Planner, website and publications thread

Post by PRT 065 »

Though if you where outside of the newsagent you could just ask them to check your balance, Also that way you have the live balance ( I think ) Instead of waiting for the Buses and Feries to synchronize back,
Regards,
PRT 065

If you have any issues with the Queensland section, please send me a private message.
User avatar
Volvo B12BLEA
Posts: 4721
Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2004 5:23 pm
Favourite Vehicle: Rail and Ships / Boats.
Location: Brisbane but prefer Adelaide.

Re: TRANSLink Journey Planner, website and publications thread

Post by Volvo B12BLEA »

PRT 065 wrote: Also that way you have the live balance ( I think ) Instead of waiting for the Buses and Feries to synchronize back,
I am using the "igo" application and it shows your latest balance. I added it to my iPhone, checked what it said my balance was and it matched with the "Go Card" website. After I arrived at work I checked on my phone for the balance and the journey I had just made was deducted.
Your card balance according to the application is your most current balance.
Any posts are my views or opinions and are NOT on behalf of any Organisation.
User avatar
bunza
Posts: 921
Joined: Sun Mar 05, 2006 11:28 pm
Location: Gold Coast

Re: TRANSLink Journey Planner, website and publications thread

Post by bunza »

It's a screen scraper, just like Chendo's mytrans.it page. Behind the scenes it logs into the Go Card website, takes what it wants and spits it out, so whatever you see on the website is what you see on the screen.
chee
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2010 12:33 pm

Re: TRANSLink Journey Planner, website and publications thread

Post by chee »

chendo wrote:I also wrote an iPhone-specific version of the journey planner (which is still in beta) at http://mytrans.it/ because I found the Translink journey planner lacking on the iPhone (mobile one is worse IMO). If you don't have an iPhone, you can see a video of it in action at http://chendo.net/projects/code/web/mytransit. A desktop browser version is coming soon and will be followed by a normal mobile browser version.
Awesome site. Are you just querying the translink site to get the route data from the HTML or have you set up your own database or something?
Post Reply

Return to “Discussion - Brisbane / QLD”