In a previous post I criticized TransLink decisions to use Google Transit while forgoing any kind of proper mobile application for looking up schedules. Now, thanks to Google and the latest release of Google Maps for Mobile, I have one less thing to complain about with TransLink.
That’s right: Google’s mobile mapping application now supports transit routing. And it works really well, too. Just pick a starting point (or if you’re device has GPS, you can use current location), pick a destination point, and you get a transit plan that gets you were you want to go. Just like the full version of Google transit, you can choose between multiple routes and you get step by step directions for transfers and what not, if you need them. Conveniently, you can also switch between driving and transit directions in case you want to compare times.
TransLink: priorities?
Wednesday, November 7th, 2007In case you haven’t heard, TransLink trip planning is now a part of the Google Transit beta app. It’s the only Canadian transit system partipating so far, no less. Well forgive me for not giving TransLink a big pat on the back. I don’t know how much effort has gone into making their scheduling data available to Google, but as long as we still don’t have a proper tool for accessing transit schedules and other information from mobile devices it’s too much.
Is it unreasonable to want to be able to bring up a page on my web-enabled device – likely a cellphone – and enter a route number and stop number to find out when the next bus will be? Let me answer that as both a developer and a paying customer: no. And yet, customers have been left standing at the curb (literally) when it comes to planning their transit use via mobile device. Some ingenious (and presumably fed-up) users have hacked together their own solutions, but they’re not exactly the most effective ones.
With any kind of luck, the Google Transit system will soon be available to use with the Google Maps for Mobile application. Until then, we’re stuck with the frustrating voice system if we need to look up schedules anywhere but on a PC.
Posted in Commentary, Lower mainland, Mobile technology | 2 Comments »