BUSTY ME?? Ohhhh….You Mean Bus Time!

 A few years ago, Won’t Run For Miles and I spent July 4th week in Portland, Oregon (I ran the Foot Traffic Flat marathon that year on Sauvie Island – its a beautiful marathon).  Two things you should know about Won’t Run (other than his non-running).  First, he’s a Techie-kind of guy.  Second, he’s impatient with anything that’s not Techie, but could be Techie.

The transit system in Portland was great.  There was the light rail and the free travel within the free zone.  But what really impressed Won’t Run was the real time traffic tracker info available from TriMet.  This meant that you no longer had to stand at a bus stop guessing how long it would be until the next bus came along.  No, now you could stand at a bus stop knowing how long it would be.  And, if you were Won’t Run, you could keep feeding the information onto your smartphone and see that the bus is 9 minutes away.  8 minutes away.  7 minutes away. 6 minutes away. 5 minutes away.  etc. etc.  Techie people are like that.

In the three years since our initial visit to Portland (we liked it so much that we returned last year), not a bus wait in New York City goes by that Won’t Run doesn’t mutter Why can’t they have real time bus info in New York City like they have in that other place we went to?  

and now…  I learn that a real time bus transit tracker has begun in New York City.  (Incidentally, many subways in New York City now have real time signs telling you how many minutes until the next subway arrival).

The name of the program is MTA BUSTIME!  How is that pronounced — is it BUS TIME or is it BUSTYME?

According to the BusTime website:

MTA Bus Time uses Global Positioning System (GPS) hardware and wireless communications technology to track the real-time location of buses. This innovation lets you use your computer, cell phone, smartphone or other tech device to get information about when the next bus will arrive at your stop, even if you are still at home, the office, shopping, or dining.

MTA Bus Time is available using a desktop website, a mobile website (which can also be used as an accessibility-friendly text-only desktop website) on iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, or other smartphones, and using SMS text messaging on any mobile phone.  For instructions on how to use each version of MTA Bus Time visit the Help Pages.

 BusTime is currently only operational for bus routes in Staten Island, on many of the express bus routes and on only a few test bus routes elsewhere (such as the crosstown 34th Street Bus, the M34).  Here is the list of currently available routes. 

According to the website, BusTime will be available throughout the entire NYC by the end of 2013. 

I can imagine it now.  Won’t Run will plan what time he leaves for the bus stop based on first checking BusTime on his iPhone.  When he gets to the bus stop, he’ll find that the real-time planner wasn’t right.  Then he’ll be muttering…. 

New Yorkers – what will you expect from BusTime?  Will you use it?

Does your city have a real time bus tracker?  Do you rely on it?  Is it accurate/helpful?

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