Tulsa Transit on Google

[TurismoDreamin]

Why hasn't Tulsa Transit joined forces with Google Maps?

I was on my iPhone trying to look up public transit routes on my maps application (go ahead, envy me) and found that there is no information available. After some research, I found that the reason for this is that currently, the only city in Oklahoma providing public transit route information on Google Maps is Norman, Ok. That's right folks, no Oklahoma City or Tulsa on Google Maps. It could increase ridership, raise awareness about Tulsa Transit, and among all other things, it's free to join the largest search engine on the Internet.

[sgrizzle]

I know they are planning on adding an online route planner in the future, but someone should probably suggest adding their route information to google.

[cannon_fodder]

It would seem to make sense.  Not only is it cheaper (using available technology) but it is also more readily accessible.   One prime hindrance for me on mass transit is not knowing the routes:  partly my fault for being lazy, partly the transit authority for not catering to their prime target (lazy Americans).

In many cities a route is plastered at each/most stops.

[sgrizzle]

Zing!

[TurismoDreamin]

After emailing Tulsa Transit about this, they replied with the following:

quote:We truly appreciate your interest in our services and improving our
communications with the bus riding public.  We have looked at the Google
option but it's not a solution we can quickly implement.  We have plans
to purchase and implement software within 12-18 months that will allow
trip planning on our website, and this will also provide times for next
bus information at timing points for people on the go.

Again, we value your input.

Sincerely,
Tulsa Transit Staff

Not necessarily the answer I was looking for nor do I think they get the point. Google says they can have the service up and running within a matter of weeks as opposed to 12-18 months. And it would not take away from what their website has to offer either. Along with providing their information on their maps service, Google provides links to the host website. What about the visitors to our city who know more about Google maps than the Tulsa Transit website? There are a variety of different scenarios where "Google maps > other alternatives." I provided a link in my email to Google Maps "add your agency" section, which should have easily clarified the timing issue. Apparently, they are not as "appreciative" as they say if they were not aware of the timing factor. I do not even think they "looked at the Google option."


See for yourself,

Source: http://maps.google.com/help/maps/transit/partners/index.html

[nathanm]

quote:Originally posted by TurismoDreamin

After emailing Tulsa Transit about this, they replied with the following:

quote:We truly appreciate your interest in our services and improving our
communications with the bus riding public.  We have looked at the Google
option but it's not a solution we can quickly implement.  We have plans
to purchase and implement software within 12-18 months that will allow
trip planning on our website, and this will also provide times for next
bus information at timing points for people on the go.

Again, we value your input.

Sincerely,
Tulsa Transit Staff

Not necessarily the answer I was looking for nor do I think they get the point. Google says they can have the service up and running within a matter of weeks as opposed to 12-18 months. And it would not take away from what their website has to offer either. Along with providing their information on their maps service, Google provides links to the host website. What about the visitors to our city who know more about Google maps than the Tulsa Transit website? There are a variety of different scenarios where "Google maps > other alternatives." I provided a link in my email to Google Maps "add your agency" section, which should have easily clarified the timing issue. Apparently, they are not as "appreciative" as they say if they were not aware of the timing factor. I do not even think they "looked at the Google option."


See for yourself,

Source: http://maps.google.com/help/maps/transit/partners/index.html

To be fair, going by the response you got, the TTA site will have more functionality than Google, what with being able to tell you when the bus will actually be at your stop, as opposed to the time it's scheduled to be there.

Of course, I could write the software to do this in a month or two.

[TheTed]

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say this won't be done in 18 months or even 24 months.

[cannon_fodder]

Just to get this straight, it's good enough for:

California Bay area.
Burbank, Ca
LA area
San Diego
Sacramento
Miami Florida
Tampa
Atlanta
Chicaco
Lawrence, KS
Cape Cod
The Entire State of New Jersey
Minneapolis
Detroit
Baltimore
Ann Harbor
Kansas City
Las Vegas
Reno
New York City
Norman
Eugene, OR
Portland
Pittsburgh
Austin
Dallas
Richmond
Seattle
Green Bay
Milliwaukee
Vancouver
Ottawa
Montreal
Japan: Rail, domestic air and ferris
Taiwan
Perth Australia
The nation of Austrial
Bordeaux France
Genova and Torino Italy
Parts of Poland, Portugal, Russia
London area of the UK
and the nation of switzerland

to name just SOME of the places...
http://www.google.com/transit

But it isn't good enough for Tulsa Transit?

I don't buy it.  Sorry.  Even if the proprietary system is better, within a matter of weeks this system would be of use.  Even when the proprietary system was in effect certainly this would compliment it.

[grahambino]

yeah, i can't imagine anything better than google maps' service.

except some clunky, buggy website, that costs tens of thousands of dollars to implement, a PITA to maintain, that takes 3 minutes to load and won't work in any other browser except IE.

i did some minor google map hacking a few years ago and everything was done in xml.  it was pretty simple.  If I can wing it and quasi-figure it out, anyone with any experience/training & with any skill whatsoever sure can.

[grahambino]

now this is funny:
http://www.tulsatransit.org/maps-schedules/

they're using the google maps GUI on this picture to 'view maps'...

[Gaspar]

WHAT?

When I travel to large cities like Chicago or New York, I typically choose lodging based on transportation options through google.  If I can take a bus or train to my destination and eliminate a car rental, I will!

I suspect that most tech-savvy business people do the same when planning travel to trade-shows or events in a region.  Or even when relocating themselves or employees.  

It's simply a hassle to locate this information on proprietary systems.  Many will simply assume that those services are not available in Tulsa because they are not on Google or Yahoo, or MSN.  

I'm lazy.  If I can't find a product or service on Google it doesn't exist.

I think more people would be prone to use Tulsa Transit for a multitude of reasons if it were an easier system to understand, and routes were viewable, and accessible through the #1 most used, most understood, user friendly, free information system in the whole WORLD.  

It's not just convenience, it's MARKETING.  Millions of people use Google Earth and Google Maps every day, and when they zoom in on a city with the "transportation" layer turned on, and see that Tulsa offers a number of transportation options, it positions us as a higher quality product.

When "Joe CEO" is considering the relocation of corporate assets and his research grunts start pulling up maps of several cities for the big PowerPoint presentation to the board of directors, you can't simply trust that they will do the leg-work necessary to pull proprietary map overlays from Tulsa Transit.  No they are going to pull Google maps because they can highlight all of the elements a city has to offer on a single map for the presentation.

[tshane250]

quote: When I travel to large cities like Chicago or New York, I typically choose lodging based on transportation options through google. If I can take a bus or train to my destination and eliminate a car rental, I will!  

That's exactly what I do.  I did it this past summer when I went to San Diego.  I located a hotel near a bus stop by using Google, then went to the San Diego transit website to print a timing sheet and buy my week pass.  Super simple!

[Gaspar]

quote:Originally posted by inteller

quote:Originally posted by grahambino

now this is funny:
http://www.tulsatransit.org/maps-schedules/

they're using the google maps GUI on this picture to 'view maps'...

yes I noticed the irony in that too.

Not irony, Copyright infringement.

Google Maps is made available for your internal use only and may not be commercially redistributed, except that map data may be accessed and displayed by using the Google Maps API pursuant to the API terms and conditions.

More specifically section 10.2 of their copyright documents: It is a violation to copy, translate, modify, create a derivative work of, or publicly display any Content or any part thereof. . .

Oops!

[TurismoDreamin]

quote:Originally posted by nathanm

quote:Originally posted by TurismoDreamin

After emailing Tulsa Transit about this, they replied with the following:

quote:We truly appreciate your interest in our services and improving our
communications with the bus riding public.  We have looked at the Google
option but it's not a solution we can quickly implement.  We have plans
to purchase and implement software within 12-18 months that will allow
trip planning on our website, and this will also provide times for next
bus information at timing points for people on the go.

Again, we value your input.

Sincerely,
Tulsa Transit Staff

Not necessarily the answer I was looking for nor do I think they get the point. Google says they can have the service up and running within a matter of weeks as opposed to 12-18 months. And it would not take away from what their website has to offer either. Along with providing their information on their maps service, Google provides links to the host website. What about the visitors to our city who know more about Google maps than the Tulsa Transit website? There are a variety of different scenarios where "Google maps > other alternatives." I provided a link in my email to Google Maps "add your agency" section, which should have easily clarified the timing issue. Apparently, they are not as "appreciative" as they say if they were not aware of the timing factor. I do not even think they "looked at the Google option."


See for yourself,

Source: http://maps.google.com/help/maps/transit/partners/index.html

To be fair, going by the response you got, the TTA site will have more functionality than Google, what with being able to tell you when the bus will actually be at your stop, as opposed to the time it's scheduled to be there.

Of course, I could write the software to do this in a month or two.

TTA being more functional, fair enough. But here's the thing...by joining Google, they will be providing a data feed to Google so that the information that TTA has is the same information Google will have. TTA will not simply provide a schedule. If that were the case, I would sign TTA up on Google for them. If there are changes to scheduling, it will be reflected on what you see on Google. Aside from that, if TTA's website is still more functional, Google still provides links to the host site so that it still would not hinder the TTA website.

[cannon_fodder]

You are a small, hate filled man.  But sometimes that is just what's needed.  Perhaps they will do it right this time and get on track with google transit.