Busjack Posted July 8, 2008 Report Share Posted July 8, 2008 Channel 9 just had a story about a press conference where CTA announced that it was doing away with the supervisors' shacks, and the supervisors are supposed to prowl in cars with gps phones and Bus Tracker. According to one identified CTA person "this is the end of when you axe a supervisor when the next bus is coming and he sticks out his head like that." This undoubtedly will be an improvement, but not if Bus Tracker isn't uniformly implemented (i.e. the 1730s are still not showing up, and there are no buses west of Damen on 63rd, if one were to believe the readout). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajuan Posted July 8, 2008 Report Share Posted July 8, 2008 Channel 9 just had a story about a press conference where CTA announced that it was doing away with the supervisors' shacks, and the supervisors are supposed to prowl in cars with gps phones and Bus Tracker. According to one identified CTA person "this is the end of when you axe a supervisor when the next bus is coming and he sticks out his head like that." This undoubtedly will be an improvement, but not if Bus Tracker isn't uniformly implemented (i.e. the 1730s are still not showing up, and there are no buses west of Damen on 63rd, if one were to believe the readout). Yes. They definitely need to get the Clever Devices units working properly across the board. If it's out then the driver can't sign in and his bus doesn't show up on GPS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buslover88 Posted July 8, 2008 Report Share Posted July 8, 2008 This undoubtedly will be an improvement, but not if Bus Tracker isn't uniformly implemented (i.e. the 1730s are still not showing up, and there are no buses west of Damen on 63rd, if one were to believe the readout). Yes. They definitely need to get the Clever Devices units working properly across the board. If it's out then the driver can't sign in and his bus doesn't show up on GPS. I agree completey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted July 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2008 For the link to the video, go to WGN Noon News, and then under the viewer, click "Mayor Daley Talks CTA Improvements." Hence, I don't know how long it will be up. The legend under Bob Jordan was "74th & Wolcott." I guess that does away with my theory that Daley will only appear at Archer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted July 8, 2008 Report Share Posted July 8, 2008 For the link to the video, go to WGN Noon News, and then under the viewer, click "Mayor Daley Talks CTA Improvements." Hence, I don't know how long it will be up. A direct link has been added to this site's home page. What I found interesting is that the Bus Tracker map they show in the video is different from what's available on the public site. It looks more like a Google Map rather than the Java-based solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted July 8, 2008 Report Share Posted July 8, 2008 A direct link has been added to this site's home page. What I found interesting is that the Bus Tracker map they show in the video is different from what's available on the public site. It looks more like a Google Map rather than the Java-based solution. The official PR is out and my observations were correct. An improved version of Bus Tracker will indeed use Google Maps. Update: Fox has a better video showing how the new Bus Tracker map works. It looks like it's built upon Google Maps using Google's API (meaning, unlike Google Transit, this information won't be available on the official Google Maps site). Also note, based on CTA's PR, that the Google Maps version will be limited to showing just five bus routes, likely for performance reasons. This means you won't be able to as easily see every bus in the system as with the current Java map. Another upside of this new mapping system is that it won't require installing the Java plugin to view. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted July 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2008 The official PR is out and my observations were correct. An improved version of Bus Tracker will indeed use Google Maps.Following your links, just saw it too. Although my new computer can deal with the java version, my old one couldn't without locking up. One would think that the Google app would work better across platforms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted July 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2008 From the Tribune report:Bus bunching won't be eliminated, but the idea is to reduce the problem with a new program that CTA President Ron Huberman said is unique to Chicago. Newly mobile supervisors will be able to head off a group of buses at the next stop and make timesaving changes, such as putting all passengers on a single bus and declaring it an express and directing subsequent buses either to make all-stop runs or turn around and head the other way, he said. Right now, supervisors can take those actions only if the problem arrives at their booth. Supervisors will be able to dispatch more buses to stops they spot with long lines of commuters, Huberman said. Now, I have been saying something like this for a couple of years (at least advocating the no pick up bus), despite the whatevers on Ask Carole who said this was unfeasible and that bus bunching was a good idea. If Huberman believes what is quoted above, cheers for him, even if it is a coincidence that he thinks the same as another great mind. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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