MBTA Bus Routes Real-Time Data Major Expansion

Posted By Joshua Robin, Director of Innovation, MBTA

This week, the MBTA took the next step in helping bus riders answer the question, "where's the bus?" Building on General Manager Richard Davey's commitment to unlock real-time bus information this summer, the MBTA began releasing data for 118 bus routes in addition to the 17 that already have data. Now, real-time data is available for 135 of the MBTA's 185 bus routes. The full list of routes with real-time data is after the break.

This release will allow bus riders on these routes to access real-time information on bus locations and arrival predictions for all bus stops. Data will be accessible through 3rd party applications. Popular applications include:

Catch the Bus for iPhone and Android-  http://www.catchthebusapp.com/

MassTransit for iPhone-  http://www.sparkfishcreative.com/apps.html

BostonBusMap for Android-  http://www.citygoround.org/apps/bostonbusmap/

AnyStop for Android- http://anystopapp.com/

myTransit for iPhone-  http://www.livespark.com/TTracker/Overview.html

SMS service Just Hop On- www.justhopon.com

Many other applications can be found by searching "MBTA" in your phone's app store.

Please comment on this blog post to let us know which app is your favorite and to report any issues with the accuracy of predictions.

This release builds on MassDOT and the MBTA's strategy of releasing data to software developers and other 3rd parties who might interested in building applications with T data. Within just one hour of
releasing data on five pilot bus routes last November, a developer had already found a way to build an application. Within two months more than one dozen applications had been created including websites,
smartphone applications, SMS text message services, 617-phone numbers and even an LED sign. All of these applications were created at no cost to the MBTA.

In June, MBTA General Manager Richard Davey announced that data would be available for all routes by the end of this summer. Bus routes with real-time data have been announced in stages with the remaining routes being rolled out in the coming weeks.

If you are a software developer interested in building an app with the data please visit www.mass.gov/massdot/developers.  The full list of route numbers with real-time data follows. 

Routes with real-time data: SL4, CT1, CT2, CT3, 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10,
11, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32,
33, 34, 34E, 35, 36, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 44, 45, 47, 48, 50, 51, 52,
55, 57, 60, 62, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 70A, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75,
76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94,
95, 96, 97, 99, 100, 104, 105, 106, 109, 110, 111, 112, 114, 116, 117,
132, 134, 136, 137, 170, 171, 191, 192, 193, 194, 245, 325, 326, 350,
351, 352, 355, 501, 502, 503, 504, 554, 555, 556, 558.

Comments

[Jeanne Cronin]

Catch The Bus is the only app I use. It was devised by some brilliant folks who deserve a genius award. I am only recently carless after a long lifetime of driving. I ride buses all the time, every day. With this app on my iPhone I have such freedom to figure out my own schedule. Thank you for each and every electronic person who contributed to this application. Metta, Jeanne Cronin

[ffxiv gil]

This release will allow bus riders on these routes to access real-time information on bus locations and arrival predictions for all bus stops.

[Seth Kaplan]

I was going to write a blog post about how this new system was a bright spot in the very variable range of good and bad elements of the MBTA - but the data feed seems to to have seized up and stopped. Nextbus has no information and nothing is flowing to the "Catch the Bus" app on my phone.

Sadly similar to the performance of the MBTA in general - good enough to create expectations but failing to deliver at times in a way that converts those expectations into disappointment.
=========================================
Thanks. Nextbus feed is back- all clear.

[Shivering Rider]

505?

The T response person assured us in the comments that the 505 route would be covered by mid-August. It's August 23, past the deadline, and still no GPS info is available.

Today I rushed from my house, but then waited over 55 minutes in the cold rain for my bus. No email alert came, either. My pants were soaked, and I wasted so much time.

Two buses were scheduled to arrive during that time, but none came.

It's great that the T is making the data freely available. Please add the 505 and other buses still not covered to the real-time information sharing.

[otp]

Mel:

The bus arrival predictions (and maps!) are available through the web at:

http://www.nextbus.com/predictor/stopSelector.jsp?a=mbta

[John Smitty]

glad to see so many routes supported but not so much that if it departs from Central sq lynn it's not on the list. There goes any chance of me using this until the next update...

[Joachim Pfeiffer]

Add TransiCast for Android to the list. Available in Android Market.

http://www.transicast.com

[Mel]

This is very cool, thank you!

However, I don't have a smart phone. Yet, I'd like to access the information via the internet. For example, i live and work close to the bus stop, so I could view the information over the web before leaving home/office to catch the bus.

Could you post information about how to get the information over the web for us smart-phone-poor folks?

Alternatively, possibly there would be a way to interact with the data via SMS/google voice.

Keep up the good work!

[Claudia]

Nothing for a blackberry? :-(

[Stealth]

Fantastic! Now we just need electronic signs at all the stops.

Too expensive? At least post instructions for using NextBus via SMS, including the stop's ID number.

E.g., Broadway station: "When's the next bus? Text 'mbta 00150' to 41411 or visit nextbus.com!"

[Bob Johnsen]

I found the same information at nextbus.com. There seemed to be a lot of other features there like alerts and and ADA page. Is this the same information that the MBTA is using.

[Joe Shaw]

I'll also plug my site, which I think was the first to incorporate this data:

http://mbta-bus.appspot.com/

Thanks for making this data available!

Joe

[Sanjay]

This is great news, and will be a great improvement to the usability of MBTA buses! No more wondering whether the bus is just about to come around the corner or whether I've just missed it.

The next question is, when can we get the real-time data for the Commuter Rail?

[Robert G. Logan]

Why isn't 505 info available? You have other express runs and also locals serving Waltham. Why not 505???
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MBTA Responds: This route should be covered by mid-August, and ALL remaining routes will be covered soon. Thanks.