In a stunning display of bureaucratic tin-ear, Metro Transit is completely failing its riders. At issue: real-time scheduling information that can be accessed through a web interface and mobile phone apps.
The need for such a system is obvious. We live in a hilly city with narrow streets and crappy weather, so inevitably buses will often fall off schedule. That’s understandable. But late buses leave riders standing on the side of the road, sometimes in a snowbank up to their knees, suffering through ice pellets blowing horizontally into their faces.
Hundreds of other cities already provide real-time scheduling—GPS locators on buses show exactly where each bus is, and riders can see that information on a website or through cellphone apps that predict the time a bus will arrive at any given stop.
If Halifax had such a system, riders could sit comfortably warm in their homes, their offices, at the bar, whatever, check the real-time info and give themselves just enough time to dart out to the stop without waiting overly long in the elements. Existing riders would be happy, potential riders would be more likely to take transit and ridership numbers would soar.
Metro Transit has been tinkering with its problem-plagued GO Time system for at least five years and still can’t get that 1980s technology right—I haven’t seen a working monitor at a terminal in months and, while “progress” is reported, only about a quarter of the stops provide real-time information at any given time, and it’s anyone’s guess which stop is real-time and which is simply scheduled time, which is often incorrect in any event. So are web interfaces and cellphone apps simply beyond Metro Transit’s capabilities?
Actually: no. I was surprised to learn recently that there already exists a web interface showing exact locations for each and every bus. Yep, there’s a computer monitor at Metro Transit offices that relates that information to managers—and that system has been in place for years. They just don’t make the information available to the public.
“That’s certainly something that we are interested in doing, and that’s in addition to adding some other communications like Twitter and Facebook,” explains Metro Transit’s Tiffany Chase. Wow, the better-late-than-never mentality is really baked into Transit’s DNA.
Anyway, Chase goes on to explain that Metro Transit is holding off on making any decisions about web interfaces and mobile apps in anticipation of an upcoming report…on accessibility. You can comment on these matters at a series of public input sessions.
That’s right, if you want Metro Transit to provide an app with real-time positioning of buses, you’re supposed to go to a meeting nominally about access for people in wheelchairs and the blind to voice your concerns. Oh, and the meetings have already been held.
But fear not! The presentation given at the public hearings is available on the city’s website. “People do have the opportunity to review that, and then provide their comments via email or to call into the call centre—the intention is outlined through the presentation,” says Chase.
Here’s how you find the presentation: Go first to halifax.ca, the city’s notoriously poorly designed website. Then, under “Top five links,” click “Metro Transit Schedule and Route Information.” On the next page, scroll down the lefthand menu and click on “Accessible Low Floor” because, well, just because. When that page opens, scroll down to “Universal Accessibility Study Presentation,” click that and read the entire presentation, which says not a single word about web interfaces, mobile apps or real-time information. That’s right: the accessibility study is itself utterly inaccessible.
And note you can’t email or call Metro Transit directly to ask for GPS scheduling info—you can at best email the city’s general account (I have no idea what that address is, as it’s not easily found on the website) or phone the city’s call centre, 490-4000, the same number used to report wayward cats and to ask about swimming pool hours.
Metro Transit apparently doesn’t want to bother with real-time scheduling at all. Instead, Transit managers merrily continue to take their customers for a ride.
This article appears in Mar 17-23, 2011.
As far as IT goes there are forward-looking government departments out there…and then there’s the other 90 percent.
When something this simple can’t get done it’s down to one (or a combination) of:
1. Bureaucracy making simple things difficult, and difficult things impossible – while 2 competent programmers could get this thing done in a month at the outside, that’s ignoring the dozen or more other people that need to get involved and generate paper to justify their existence;
2. One or more city managers somewhere in the chain who have this loosely grounded, vague idea that it’s easier to be punished for something you did than something you didn’t do;
3. Information hiding – there’s something wrong about letting the public get their hands on so much information. Dunno exactly what’s wrong about it yet, but the consultants’ study on that isn’t done yet.
4. Labour – maybe the drivers are grudgingly OK with managers seeing where the buses are, but aren’t so cool with the public knowing these things.
You forgot to mention that RTS info would allow people who rely on the bus to get to work on time to know when they need to call cabs to avoid being fired for not having “reliable transportation;” a pre requisite for even the most menial employment.
The HRM Tech department said it it was absolutely impossible to block any SPAM from reaching HRM accounts.
No way, no how, no filters, no programs could stop any SPAM.
Think of that.
OUR techs in HRM could not think of any way to stop SPAM mail.
Not 90%
Not 50%
Not 1%
“IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP ANY SPAM”!
What does that say of them?
In my opinion, magagement at Transit has one major flaw that prevents Transit from becoming a better system. Management at Transit hates change. What worked in 2001 doesn’t necessarily work in 2011, be it the website, the schedules, or the routes themselves. The city is changing, and transit needs to change along with it. There are routes with issues ranging from poor schedules to poorly placed bus stops. Sunday schedules are inexplicably different from the other 6 days of the week. Instead of addressing these issues, more routes are added and only minor tweaks are made to existing routes.
This is where you, the reading public comes in. This is your system, so if something doesn’t work for you, or you think something could make it better for all, let the city know. Start with their antiquated website. Many Canadian transit agencies (like, dare I say it, Codiac Transpo in Moncton) have websites that are better looking and run better than ours. Don’t wait for a public consultation, let the city know you want better. Contact the city call centre either by phone (490-4000, most of the calls they receive are about Transit), or by electronic means (form found at http://www.halifax.ca/ContactUs/index.html). Look at other transit websites and mention what features on those sites are better than what Halifax has. Start a Facebook group for a better website. If, after giving Transit management time to implement changes, say a few months, nothing changes, let your councillor know. With persistence and patience, you the public can make this system better. I’m pulling for you. We’re all in this together.
wow, Typical HRM stupidity!
The worst run mid-sized city in Canada!
Get rid of Kelly and HOPE someone ith half a brain comes along!
it’s the only city where the managers of a transit system controls the riders using said transit,whereas in a truly progressive city,the riders control the system..do you think the transit managers want you to see how pathetically slow the buses really are,or how often they fail to meet scheduled times or connections…lets get rid of these managers that won’t change or develop a plan that truly works for the vary people who use this system…
if i was the mayor,i would fire all the transit managers and replace them with people who have a progressive vision of this city as a whole,not just their own neighbourhood or region…
Google maps has Metro transit schedules built into it, BY FAR the best way to figure out how to get from A to B by bus. Now, it is using the “official” schedule, so god forbid the bus runs behing then it all goes broke. Non the less, I basically use nothing but google maps to figure out how to get from A to B using Metro Transit.
Would it KILL them to put maps up at major stops (say anything with a shelter), or perhaps something IN THE BUSS telling you the route. I would hate to be visually impaired and try to take our buses, its hard enough for me to figure out when a stop is comming, let alone someone who can’t see out the window (through the sweat) and identify local landmarks as they fly by.
Our bus system is just good enough to be incredibly annoying and broken. Then new buses are an improvement, but with no signage on and off the bus plus real time tracking, the system is unusable.
How many people had to explain to tourists during the Can Games where someone should get off and on???
Codiac even has free wifi on the buses – now that’s progressive thinking! My family lives in Moncton and they have such better scheduling, it’s pathetic. Express buses that run a quick route between downtown and the outlier shopping areas – no need for a schedule: if you miss one, another will be along in 10 minutes. We only get that kind of service on the 1 – which is almost always packed to capacity. The 52? What a joke. No seats available during rush hour and often many other times. Running the articulated buses has helped somewhat, but there needs to be more responsive scheduling, period. A fill and go policy on the major routes would help overcrowding and drive better access – no-one needs to squeeze onto a standing-room only bus because a) a bus with more seats is coming along right behind it and b) they can still get where they’re going on time for the same reason.
Scheduling needs to be more passenger-driven and not just however Metro Transit decides to flail about. Many areas of the city are completely inaccessible by bus. When my boyfriend and I moved twice in the last six years, one of our major concerns was proximity to a bus stop. A lot of buildings were just too far for an easy walk, especially in winter.
If I was the mayor I would fie myself if I was not ethical and progressive and refused to fire others who were committing fraud by receiving a tax paid pay cheque and did nothing all day every day. Riders are a captive audience, we can complain and moan and groan all we want…we still need to wait for the bus..it gets there when it gets there is the new time schedule….
Yeah….. I’m just glad I don’t take the bus anymore. It’s just a shitty experience all around. And if I ever see a certain driver EVER again.. there will be problems. Plural. And they won’t be mine. I still rage every time I think about my run in with this scumbag.