COTA BUS TRACKER? Seriously? POS! « Columbus Underground Messageboard

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COTA BUS TRACKER? Seriously? POS!

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Started 2 years ago by bjones7
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bjones7
Worthington Ohio
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It came to my attention a while back that with the power of a Google Map-API, that COTA can now use their GPS units on board their busses, to broadcast the buses location to COTA's "Real-Time Locations" website. I thought this was pretty cool and I was waiting for them to come out with a cell phone version/app.

BUT NOPE! In fact now you can't even access the ""Real-Time Locations" found here: http://cota.com/Bus-Tracker.aspx

It says : "Route XXX can not be found" . My question to them...if it doesn't work, why not take the link off your website COTA?!?
Real-Time Tracker on your cell phone, would of been the closest thing to, having a screen that tells you how many minutes away the bus is, at the bus shelter (forget the name of the device).

Anyone else notice this?

Posted 2 years ago #
bjones7
Worthington Ohio
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The tool its self is here: http://classic.cota.com/realtime.asp

Posted 2 years ago #
cc

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It has actually had times where it, in theory, was 'working' - ie buses showed up. Even then it was not very accurate. I consider it a work in progress.

Posted 2 years ago #
Lakee911
Clintonville (South)
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Don't they have something you can text and it'll send you data?

CABS tried this real time thing too about 9-10 yrs ago and it sucked and was always broke.

Posted 2 years ago #
Displaced Columbusite

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I know it's not real time, but google maps directions on public transit will give you pick up times and bus route. I use it just about everyday and its always within a couple of minutes of the time displayed.

Posted 2 years ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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Lakee911 wrote >>
Don't they have something you can text and it'll send you data?

I believe that's only been rolled out on/around the OSU campus area.

Posted 2 years ago #
bjones7
Worthington Ohio
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@ Lakee911

Your thinking of the "OSU Pilot Program where students on campus can text their stop ID number and receive the next schedule bus arrival"

That will work if your a students, but thats it.

Posted 2 years ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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Displaced Columbusite wrote >>
I know it's not real time, but google maps directions on public transit will give you pick up times and bus route. I use it just about everyday and its always within a couple of minutes of the time displayed.

+1

I use the same thing for figuring out when and where I need to be to catch the bus to where I'm going. Having the GPS in the iphone version of google maps is even easier because you can use your current location as a starting point. Works well for me, and around 95% of the time, the buses seem to be within 4-5 minutes of their schedules.

Posted 2 years ago #
Lakee911
Clintonville (South)
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bjones7 wrote >>
@ Lakee911
Your thinking of the "OSU Pilot Program where students on campus can text their stop ID number and receive the next schedule bus arrival"
That will work if your a students, but thats it.

Really? I could have sworn the Indianola stops @ Olentangy St. in Clintonville have this information ... I'll have to check it out when I drive by this evening.

Posted 2 years ago #
CMH2579

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COTA is currently upgrading their Automatic Vehicle location system and their buses are being retrofitted currently. This means the equipment used to transmit to dispatch and in turn http://classic.cota.com/realtime.asp is being removed and replaced with a new system. Also all of their 2010 buses did not have the equipment installed so less and less buses show up on the map. Once the system is fully in place the intention is to switch the texting service from schedule based to rail time based.

CABS currently has a bus tracking service in place which is called TRIP Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Transportation Route Information Program. Real time arrival information is available at http://www.trip.osu.edu as well as at stops with LED signs or texting OSUTRIP and the stop number to 41411.

Posted 2 years ago #
bjones7
Worthington Ohio
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@WALKER

Thanks! Ya, but living in San Fran, Im so use to "real time" bus tracker info! I mean your right, that works.

@CMH2579

Wow, thanks for the information!(My Point-->) I just find it strange they allow people to click that link to a web application, that DOESN"T WORK, lol. I mean, come one COTA, an "under-construction" page takes 3-4 minutes. It's like if CU's transit forum page, kept on showing an apache error, would Walker keep that up? No, unless he didn't know of it.

Anyways thanks! and thats pretty awesome. Say, how do you know all of this? I wouldn't mind knowing your source(please!)

Posted 2 years ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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bjones7 wrote >> Thanks! Ya, but living in San Fran, Im so use to "real time" bus tracker info! I mean your right, that works.

Yeah, we visited SF a few years ago and I loved the scrolling LCD screens at many of the stops that provided real-time info on bus arrivals. I think it would be easy for COTA to implement something like this at some of their most-used bus shelters (especially Downtown) for the convenience of riders.

Posted 2 years ago #
LoudPrincess
Hilltop
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Walker wrote >>

bjones7 wrote >> Thanks! Ya, but living in San Fran, Im so use to "real time" bus tracker info! I mean your right, that works.

Yeah, we visited SF a few years ago and I loved the scrolling LCD screens at many of the stops that provided real-time info on bus arrivals. I think it would be easy for COTA to implement something like this at some of their most-used bus shelters (especially Downtown) for the convenience of riders.

Yeah, but you know they'd have to hike the fare up further. I would just be happy if the BusTracker system was COTA-wide, not just OSU stops.

Posted 1 year ago #
Rastapasta
Olde North
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It works great around campus, and with a bit of ingenuity (simple estimation) you can track buses like the #2 a bit further

Posted 1 year ago #
LoudPrincess
Hilltop
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Rastapasta wrote >>
It works great around campus, and with a bit of ingenuity (simple estimation) you can track buses like the #2 a bit further

That's cool, and all, but there are stops, like at the Rhodes Tower, where they don't post any scheduled times, that BusTracker would come in REALLY handy.

Posted 1 year ago #
Rastapasta
Olde North
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LoudPrincess wrote >>

Rastapasta wrote >>
It works great around campus, and with a bit of ingenuity (simple estimation) you can track buses like the #2 a bit further

That's cool, and all, but there are stops, like at the Rhodes Tower, where they don't post any scheduled times, that BusTracker would come in REALLY handy.

So find the nearest stop with tracker that bus goes to and make an estimate.

Posted 1 year ago #
Ben_
Victorian Village
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Even Dayton has scrolling tracker screens at several of their stops.

Posted 1 year ago #
bjones7
Worthington Ohio
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Well COTA is "transit" challenged and just like this sentence, cota doesn't make any sense!

Posted 1 year ago #
heresthecasey
OSU
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just noticed the new cota logo on their website. finally ditching the red oval are they??

Posted 1 year ago #
LoudPrincess
Hilltop
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Rastapasta wrote >>

LoudPrincess wrote >>

Rastapasta wrote >>
It works great around campus, and with a bit of ingenuity (simple estimation) you can track buses like the #2 a bit further

That's cool, and all, but there are stops, like at the Rhodes Tower, where they don't post any scheduled times, that BusTracker would come in REALLY handy.

So find the nearest stop with tracker that bus goes to and make an estimate.

That doesn't quite work if you're catching a connecting bus on a perpendicular route. Just sayin'.

Posted 1 year ago #