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da ([personal profile] da) wrote2006-11-23 12:31 am
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Yo Portland, Seattle?

Google Labs' Transit has great potential; for the regions already covered, it looks like just the ticket.

The specs don't look so complicated; I wonder how much it would cost to import our local transit system.

According to the Google Group, Toronto's given Google their complete transit info, and may become another test-bed.
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[identity profile] dcseain.livejournal.com 2006-11-23 05:47 am (UTC)(link)
Hm. Somewhat more complicated input method tham i'm used to from WMATA's trip planner, though it seems to be nicely functional for where they serve.

[identity profile] da-lj.livejournal.com 2006-11-23 02:06 pm (UTC)(link)
hm, you're right. I just tried both, for typing in new addresses, and google's is more confusing. Room for improvement!

[identity profile] insaint.livejournal.com 2006-11-23 06:12 am (UTC)(link)
Sounds pretty sweet to me.

[identity profile] metalana.livejournal.com 2006-11-23 02:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Finally! A mapping service for non-polluters! I wish I knew some addresses in those cities to test it out.

The Bay Area has a transit planner covering 60 (!) transit systems, at 511.org. It is impressive to behold, but it doesn't actually give good results, because optimizing a long trip often involves bicycling or walking a distance to avoid using a local bus.

[identity profile] da-lj.livejournal.com 2006-11-23 02:09 pm (UTC)(link)
"I wish I knew some addresses in those cities to test it out."

Me too. I'm just waiting for the Portlanders in my f'list to give it a thumbs-up or down.

511.org does look like quite the impressive system, both web and phone. If only the transit itself were better for some of it. ;)

[identity profile] melted-snowball.livejournal.com 2006-11-23 03:23 pm (UTC)(link)
511.org is neat, but it also proposes some very, very strange routes (like Palo Alto to San Francisco via two bridges...).

[identity profile] sulle-stelle.livejournal.com 2006-11-23 04:52 pm (UTC)(link)
I had heard about this before on NPR. Tampa is, in fact, one of the test cities.

I just ran a test query; it would take 30 mins walking plus 45-75 mins bus ride each way for me to get to work (which is about 20-30 mins drive, door to door).

[identity profile] da-lj.livejournal.com 2006-11-23 05:36 pm (UTC)(link)
...I guess in this case it reinforces the estimate you already have, that it's a sub-optimal choice.

...the graphics nerd in me would love to see a colo(u)r-coded gradient map for various sources and destinations; so a person could choose an apartment based on transit...
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