WebWatch might be better

[Railwaymodeler]

That much was obvious when the upgrades were first rolled out.

Hence my name for it: WebBotch.

Henry Ford was right: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[Busjack]

Hence my name for it: WebBotch.

Henry Ford was right: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

It wasn't working so well before then.

However, if the way to look at it is that state law now mandates it, both Pace and Metra with their messed up systems comply.

[Railwaymodeler]

It had issues before, but overall it seemed a lot more reliable then.

Agreed, it was very far from perfect even from the beginning, hence WebBotch.

[Railwaymodeler]

Is it possible to see unit numbers using a smartphone? I was showing WebWatch to a friend, the drop down for the maps did not seem to work.

He has an iPhone, unsure of the exact version. He doesn't do much web browsing with it, as it was issued by his job. Just email and phone calls, so there may have been some way to bring the menus down that even he does not know about.

[Busjack]

Is it possible to see unit numbers using a smartphone? I was showing WebWatch to a friend, the drop down for the maps did not seem to work.

He has an iPhone, unsure of the exact version. He doesn't do much web browsing with it, as it was issued by his job. Just email and phone calls, so there may have been some way to bring the menus down that even he does not know about.

I don't have a smartphone.

The Webwatch page indicates that smartphones should use the ADA site, which basically requires 3 clicks to get to a bus stop arrival time, but not a map.

The other issue is whether the smartphone has a conventional web browser that allows the user to pull down menus and click on a bus using touch commands. A search indicates Safari and some competing apps.

[Busjack]

After undergoing two facelifts in the last couple of days, WebWatch is now labelled as Pace Bus Tracker. Other than the Bing maps no longer having the "get a license" message, doesn't seem much different. Update: Except that the arrival times show that a bus is late:

I guess CTA doesn't own the trademark.

[jajuan]

After undergoing two facelifts in the last couple of days, WebWatch is now labelled as Pace Bus Tracker. Other than the Bing maps no longer having the "get a license" message, doesn't seem much different. Update: Except that the arrival times show that a bus is late:

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I guess CTA doesn't own the trademark.

Doesn't look like it. But wouldn't it be hard for them to have a trademark on the name anyway outside of calling their tracker CTA Bus Tracker with all the different TA's out there and each TA from what I've seen having their own version of a bus tracker system?

[Busjack]

Doesn't look like it. But wouldn't it be hard for them to have a trademark on the name anyway outside of calling their tracker CTA Bus Tracker with all the different TA's out there and each TA from what I've seen having their own version of a bus tracker system?

Depends on whether the term "Bus Tracker" is generic (like "lite beer'). But, if CTA didn't protect it, it now is generic.

[jajuan]

Depends on whether the term "Bus Tracker" is generic (like "lite beer'). But, if CTA didn't protect it, it now is generic.

Okay I see what you're saying. It boils down to if CTA or any other TA is first to go to the relevant authority on trademarks and getting Bus Tracker protected.

[Railwaymodeler]

Given why Flxible had to spell their name the way they did, I doubt the CTA could trademark "Bus Tracker". Besides, the common name between CTA and Pace might make it easier for people to find what they need.

[Busjack]

Given why Flxible had to spell their name the way they did, I doubt the CTA could trademark "Bus Tracker". Besides, the common name between CTA and Pace might make it easier for people to find what they need.

From a computer background, both having the same name would be more confusing. It isn't like CTA and Pace have any type of common site, and Pace is not cooperating with Google Transit.

[BusHunter]

Depends on whether the term "Bus Tracker" is generic (like "lite beer'). But, if CTA didn't protect it, it now is generic.

Can't Pace use it though, because they all come from the same parent agency, the RTA. If anything RTA owns the trademark.

[Railwaymodeler]

From a computer background, both having the same name would be more confusing. It isn't like CTA and Pace have any type of common site, and Pace is not cooperating with Google Transit.

I guess that depends on how you look at it. From the perspective of one using CTA's bus tracker to try and look up Pace info, then yes. But if one were to say to someone from out of town, use "CTA bus tracker in the city, and Pace bus tracker in the suburbs" that might be easier to figure out and remember.

[Busjack]

Can't Pace use it though, because they all come from the same parent agency, the RTA. If anything RTA owns the trademark.

No, at least for the entities question, because CTA is not the "City Bus and L Division of the RTA," but its own municipal corporation.*

In fact, even though Pace is the "Suburban Bus Division of the RTA," there was the litigation over budgeting "capital cost of contracting" in which it was held that Pace could sue the RTA, even though it is fundamental that you may not sue yourself.

__________________

* Compare 70 ILCS 3605/3: "...is hereby created a political subdivision, body politic and municipal corporation under the name of Chicago Transit Authority."

with 70 ILCS 3615/31.01: "There is established within the [Regional Transportation] Authority the Suburban Bus Division as the operating division responsible for providing public transportation by bus and as may be provided in this Act."

[Busjack]

On BusHunter's point, I thought that the trademark might have been required by state legislation, but after hours of searching, the legislation refers to "web-based, real-time vehicle arrival information" (70 ILCS 3615/2.35), which is why a search for "tracker" came up with nothing.

[Busjack]

It looks like the ghost bus epidemic is back again. Highland Park's display seems about 2 buses short in the morning. I was just in Deerfield, and while 2831 showed up on the display and northbound at about 10:10, 2830 was not on the display, but was southbound a couple of minutes later.

I've also got the feeling that there is a number of ghost buses on 877/888.

[Railwaymodeler]

Morning 562s often don't show on WebWatch. Driver has told me he has had login issues with the IBS.

[Busjack]

Morning 562s often don't show on WebWatch. Driver has told me he has had login issues with the IBS.

Which is still why I think that's the reason certain tips don't show up. In that, for instance, 2830 and 2831 show up on other trips, I doubt that it is the radio.

[Busjack]

Since the topic has come up on whether Pace times are on CTA signs, the Contract Awards page says that this company got the contract for signs at Pace facilities.

[Busjack]

On 12/7/2015 at 1:03 PM, Busjack said:

Since the topic has come up on whether Pace times are on CTA signs, the Contract Awards page says that this company got the contract for signs at Pace facilities.

And, in this connection Moving Forward says the first signs have been installed in Downtown Waukegan.

Although the above link went bad, the newsletter says that the signs are manufactured by Nexus Alpha.

I guess that still leaves the question how the Pace data are provided on CTA signs.

[Pace831]

3 hours ago, Busjack said:

And, in this connection Moving Forward says the first signs have been installed in Downtown Waukegan.

Their sign seems to have AM and PM confused as the current time. Also, it must be able to scroll through the upcoming arrivals like the CTA signs do, since it isn't showing 5:14 PM departures.

[BusHunter]

Hmm... they are doing some upgrades to the pace bustracker website. Now they have a tab that allows you to track multiple buses. Doesnt work yet though as the site is still under maintenance

 

[Pace831]

2 hours ago, BusHunter said:

Hmm... they are doing some upgrades to the pace bustracker website. Now they have a tab that allows you to track multiple buses. Doesnt work yet though as the site is still under maintenance

 

Apparently there's no limit to the number of routes that can be displayed at one time. I wonder how long this will take to load with all the buses on it. We'll find out in half an hour.

[Busjack]

One has to go to maps and pull down "Multi-route map." The "Route Filter" does some good, as Milwaukee gets you both 270 and 272, which may be of some value if you are standing at Milwaukee and Lake. However, all I get at the moment is "No results found for selected stop." Either there's no data or I am missing something. Since the traditional Google Map also has "Sorry, an error occurred while retrieving stops" I assume no data.

[Pace831]

36 minutes ago, Busjack said:

One has to go to maps and pull down "Multi-route map." The "Route Filter" does some good, as Milwaukee gets you both 270 and 272, which may be of some value if you are standing at Milwaukee and Lake. However, all I get at the moment is "No results found for selected stop." Either there's no data or I am missing something. Since the traditional Google Map also has "Sorry, an error occurred while retrieving stops" I assume no data.

They're still working on it apparently. The route traces were working before but now they aren't. They also added a new banner to the top with a picture of what looks like an Orion.