Bus Tracker text messages

[Busjack]

Chicago Breaking News had a reference to being able to text message to get the next bus time from Bus Tracker. The more detailed CTA release is here.

My question is going to be how difficult is it going to be for texters to get the code numbers for their stops, the CTA indicating that in most cases one would have to go to Bus Tracker or Google Transit to locate it, and then save it in a cheat sheet. Or is this something someone with a cell phone or smart phone would just store in it?

[OSUITS]

Texting is based off of stop numbers, numbers will be available on the mobile, map and eta bus tracker sites. There is no favorite setting, you have to remember the stop number. Whether or not CTA will place stop IDs on the stops themselves is anyone’s guess.

You should also be able to find a stop via texting.

[Kevin]

Whether or not CTA will place stop IDs on the stops themselves is anyone’s guess.

CTA has added stop IDs to 40 bus stops as a pilot program.

[greenstreet]

Whether or not CTA will place stop IDs on the stops themselves is anyone’s guess.

I don't think we have to leave it to guessing. The CTA's press release that Busjack referred to says:

Although bus stop ID numbers all are available via Internet or text, in January CTA will begin piloting a program where bus stop identification numbers and texting information will be posted on bus stop signs at 42 locations throughout the city. The pilot will assist CTA in determining how useful it is for customers to have bus stop IDs and instructions posted on the bus stop signs, based on the number of requests received at pilot locations versus other locations without signage.

[OSUITS]

My bad, I didnt read the release (I assumed it was the one from earlier in the year) I thought it was still in testing under a diffrent textmark.

[Busjack]

Confusion over what the CTA is doing being resolved, my question was basically whether the system as constructed would be a pain for the average cell phone user. Any reaction to that?

[cta_44499_FG]

CTA has added stop IDs to 40 bus stops as a pilot program.

All bus stops are up and functioning though. I tried it on my phone (unlimited texting is good for something!).

[Kevin]

Confusion over what the CTA is doing being resolved, my question was basically whether the system as constructed would be a pain for the average cell phone user. Any reaction to that?

It's really not that much more difficult than voting for American Idol contestants. The initial learning curve is knowing your stop ID number, which is made easier for the few stops that have the IDs on them.

Ironically, those who would likely be most comfortable with this system probably already have a smartphone capable of browsing to ctabustracker.com, or even better, a third-party app that optimizes Bus Tracker for the phone. On the iPhone, for example, there's an app that uses the phone's GPS to identify nearby stops that you can track.

[Busjack]

...

Ironically, those who would likely be most comfortable with this system probably already have a smartphone capable of browsing to ctabustracker.com, or even better, a third-party app that optimizes Bus Tracker for the phone. On the iPhone, for example, there's an app that uses the phone's GPS to identify nearby stops that you can track.

I was thinking about something like that when someone reported on the CTA Tattler that he was getting sporadic iPhone reception in the subway. Since there is "an app for that," one riding rapid transit could determine if there is going to be a long waitover for the bus transfer at the destination L station.

Admittedly, the need to know the syntax and stop number would only apply to those using conventional cell phones to text.

[T8H5307A]

I found a new bus stop sign at Pulaski/North Northbound with the bus stop ID number on the bottom

[nextstopchicago]

I have an amusing success story for this program, and the joke was on me.

We carefully noted down the text code for a stop near the home of friends, and then went off to their party. When we were ready to leave, we texted, and discovered the next bus would be ...

at 7:00 am the next morning. Guess we should have checked the schedule, too.

For me, until the day that I get a Blackberry, and can look up stops on the fly, the text-tracker will be of limited use to me. I use the regular internet Tracker most often either to time my departure to the stop, or to verify whether I can take the bus given time constraints, or whether it will be better to take the car. In either situation, it's easier to just use my browser to look at the bus map than to text CTA for stop information.

On maybe 10 or 15 occasions, CTA has gained two riders through Tracker, as my girlfriend has agreed to take the bus somewhere at times when, if we weren't sure how long we'd wait, she'd have insisted on driving.

But I'm not apt to wander up to my stop, look at the sign and then text in. By the time I get there, I'm usually already committed to the bus. Maybe in cases of extreme waits, I'd want to know, but frankly, I've found service more reliable in the last few years than it used to be. I haven't experienced the disastrous waits like I used to. No doubt some will learn to use the text-tracker based on street signs regularly. Back when I took the Clark bus I saw many people who would wait for a certain amount of time, then grab a cab. If they could have texted, they would often have held on till the bus came.

[jajuan]

The EB stop for #12 at Roosevelt/Western has the stop ID text info for text Tracker as well. I haven't noticed any other stops with it. I also use the browser version of Tracker on my phone more than the text version. I also noticed the text version just gives you estimated arrival times but no vehicle numbers.

[Vinny]

While you can query the system for stop numbers, it's a pain and takes several back-and-forth messages with the server. But there's a better way (see new topic).