The Patrick-Murray Administration in partnership with the City of Boston today announced the MBTA & Boston Bikes Developers Challenge. This challenge encourages development of apps that help Boston residents use the MBTA and New Balance Hubway to travel through the Boston area. These apps will highlight the transit connections between these two low cost and environmentally friendly transportation systems. Developers are also asked to develop apps to help residents and visitors learn about and locate Boston food trucks.
“This is a first of its kind collaboration to inspire innovation in delivering improved customer service for transit users at minimal cost to the taxpayer,” said MassDOT Secretary and CEO Richard A. Davey. “We are pleased to partner with the City and Mayor Menino to connect our buses and trains with the successful bike sharing program.”
"We’re excited to partner with MassDOT and tap into the talent and interests of our local developer community," said Mayor Thomas M. Menino. “The apps that this challenge will create will help locals and visitors, alike, see more of our city, its neighborhoods, and its great places to eat.”
The contest includes three challenge areas for software developers:
• Applications Challenge: build a website, mobile app, or other software application using real-time data from the MBTA & New Balance Hubway highlighting transit connections between systems.
• Visualization Challenge: create a visualization of “A Day in the Life of the MBTA + New Balance Hubway” using MBTA historical bus location data and station inventory data from New Balance Hubway.
• The BLT (Bikes, Lunch & T) Challenge: create a website, mobile app or other software applications to help residents and visitors learn about and get to Boston’s food trucks.
The Challenge begins today, and applications and visualizations may be submitted through 5pm on February 24th. The Challenge winners will be announced at a future Developer event before the New Balance Hubway re-opens for spring. Winning developers in each challenge area will receive a one year MBTA CharlieCard LinkPass, a one year New Balance Hubway Membership, and two free passes to area food truck Festivals.
MBTA real-time bus or trip planning applications and information are available at www.mbta.com/apps
Check the MassDOT Developers page for information and data links. Learn more about the New Balance Hubway bike sharing system and the Boston area food trucks.
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