Tulsa's Transportation Model

[TheArtist]

A conservative city looked to the future and decided they did not want to develop like Los Angeles and decided to build up transit, and also encourage a healthier lifestyle with transit culture in the mix.

Watch Video Here
http://vimeo.com/69338793

[TheArtist]

  Can someone point me to a bus route/bus stop map for Tulsa.

Just had someone in the shop from Italy and they were wanting to get from downtown to Philbrook.  Several of us dug through the Tulsa Transit website and couldn't find what we needed.  

Did find a nifty little map that had colored arrows (indicating different busses) on it that moved around.  Saw that there was a bus heading toward the shop but there wasn't any indication on that map as to where the bus would go? Couldn't find a good ol "bus route" map with the colored routes and stops marked out, anywhere. You would think it would have been with the "arrows"?

[AquaMan]

You can buy a map at the station. I found the online version worked well for me in planning which busses went from downtown to West Tulsa and at what times. It does require some close attention to detail. The bus drivers themselves are also very helpful since they've all driven most of the routes.

Its the 105. Found Philbrook at "frequent destinations" menu (105). Then went to schedules pull down and found the 105 route with its stops and times. Southbound stops at 5th and Boulder, then 6th and Boulder. Just took less than three minutes actually.

[rdj]

I believe Tulsa Transit routes are also tied in with Google Maps meaning you can search the routes from that website.

[TheArtist]

You can buy a map at the station. I found the online version worked well for me in planning which busses went from downtown to West Tulsa and at what times. It does require some close attention to detail. The bus drivers themselves are also very helpful since they've all driven most of the routes.

Its the 105. Found Philbrook at "frequent destinations" menu (105). Then went to schedules pull down and found the 105 route with its stops and times. Southbound stops at 5th and Boulder, then 6th and Boulder. Just took less than three minutes actually.

They had one of those maps but it wasn't at all helpful.  For one thing the map didn't show downtown in any detail, nor did it show the location of any bus stops, what side of the street they were on etc.  I tried the route finder but apparently typed in the wrong thing for when I put in 6th Boston on the Tulsa Transit website it showed a stop in another city.  Didn't know our city bus routes went to other cities.  Tried it again later typing in something different and it worked.

But still, the first line of attack for me, and many others, is to look at a map that shows the routes through town. They usually have them in different colors, then show where the stops are on that map so you can look at it and go "I want to go here...the green route using "this # bus" goes by it, I am here and need to take this bus to get to that one, or the closest stop for that green line/#bus is over there on this side of the street. And then you go to it.  Usually all that info is at the bus stops or on a foldout map, or an image/link to that map is on the first page of the transit website.  First I start with the basic map for thats usually enough, then if I want more detail I search further and on a website the link to a "trip finder" is usually on that page as well. None of us could find that first general map that you expect to see.

[AquaMan]

But it does work that way. Go to http://tulsatransit.org/. Then pull down the menu that says, Maps & Schedules. That pull down has a section that says,  Maps, then choose "System Map".

You have to enlarge the system map but when you do it clearly shows different colored routes with their numbers. Note the number, then you can go to "Schedules" under the same Maps & Schedules pull down.

Since you knew your destination, Philbrook, all you had to do was pull down "Maps & Schedules" and choose Frequent Destinations then pull down "Schedules" for that route number.

I remember in high school merely going to the bus stop where a schedule was in place behind plexiglas with routes and times. Vandals screwed that for us. The rest of it was screwed by folks who think "there's an app for that!"

[Conan71]

Maybe the lack of ease of use for everyone could be a disincentive to using the system.  Might be a teachable moment for Tulsa Transit.

[AquaMan]

Maybe the lack of ease of use for everyone could be a disincentive to using the system.  Might be a teachable moment for Tulsa Transit.

Conan, I'm the generation that is supposed to be computer averse. Just took three minutes! That particular route has the most stops, and is the busiest route of them all. It runs from far north Tulsa to far South. Lots of poor, dumb people have figured it out.  I haven't tried their app though. Maybe it is harder.

[TheArtist]

But it does work that way. Go to http://tulsatransit.org/. Then pull down the menu that says, Maps & Schedules. That pull down has a section that says,  Maps, then choose "System Map".

You have to enlarge the system map but when you do it clearly shows different colored routes with their numbers. Note the number, then you can go to "Schedules" under the same Maps & Schedules pull down.

Since you knew your destination, Philbrook, all you had to do was pull down "Maps & Schedules" and choose Frequent Destinations then pull down "Schedules" for that route number.

I remember in high school merely going to the bus stop where a schedule was in place behind plexiglas with routes and times. Vandals screwed that for us. The rest of it was screwed by folks who think "there's an app for that!"

I still don't see it.  I see the same map she had and that I saw earlier online, but don't see one that has the stops on each route.  Is there one for downtown?  That map has downtown a big blob of lines that you can't tell what streets each bus goes down or which side the stops are on and where the stops even are?

When I stayed in London for that month the intersections near where I lived had about 12 bus stops within a couple blocks.   If I wanted to go to Piccadilly Circus for instance, I would look on any map at any of the bus stops and you would see which colored route went there and which busses, then it would let you know that say the blue line busses 121, 246 & 118 traveled that route and would pick you up at bus stop "H".  You would look at the map and see that bus stop "H" was around the corner to the right on the south side of the street. You would then go to the correct bus stop and wait for the correct bus. While there, if I wanted, I could then look online or at the digital signage to see when my bus was going to be there or online to see how long the trip might take.

The lady was at my shop at 6th and Boston, where was the nearest bus stop to get on the correct bus route to Philbrook?  Easy breezy, but that info is not on the map she had or that pulled up online.  Can you tell me where the nearest bus stop is that would have taken her to Philbrook by looking at that map?  I could see where the line went, and there was even a different page where I could see the bus as a colored arrow traveling down the street (but not along a colored line showing the route and that routes stops).  I could see bus stops all over the place with that map but couldn't tell if that bus was going to stop at any of them or what streets the bus would be going down. It's almost like you had to have two maps pulled up at once and I still don't know if there is one showing all the stops for each particular route.

[nathanm]

Interestingly, the bus tracker also shows the route (and its constituent stops) once you click on the given bus.

Clicking on a stop in Google Maps also gives a list of routes that stop at that given stop. The Google Maps trip planner works reasonably well for bus trips if you really just want to know how to get from point A to point B on the bus and don't want to use tulsatransit.org.

None of that is to say that the website is not in need of some serious redesign.

[Red Arrow]

Someone please show me how to find this stop on Rt 112 in the Jenks loop on Main St using the bus map.

http://goo.gl/maps/QXHw4
http://tulsatransit.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/FallWinterTraveler20134.pdf

Timing points are shown but I too cannot find the stops.  There are several along Main St.  

http://goo.gl/maps/vVh4w

http://goo.gl/maps/2P8BU

[AquaMan]

Someone please show me how to find this stop on Rt 112 in the Jenks loop on Main St using the bus map.

http://goo.gl/maps/QXHw4
http://tulsatransit.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/FallWinterTraveler20134.pdf

Timing points are shown but I too cannot find the stops.  There are several along Main St.  

http://goo.gl/maps/vVh4w

http://goo.gl/maps/2P8BU

Is this it? http://174.78.158.38/hiwire?.a=iNextBusSelectStop&Geocode=-95961673.00000001;36022788&type=Landmark&locDetail=JENKS%20CENTER,%20E%20MAIN%20ST,%20JENKS,%2074037&landmarkType=undefined

[AquaMan]

I still don't see it.  I see the same map she had and that I saw earlier online, but don't see one that has the stops on each route.  Is there one for downtown?  That map has downtown a big blob of lines that you can't tell what streets each bus goes down or which side the stops are on and where the stops even are?

The lady was at my shop at 6th and Boston, where was the nearest bus stop to get on the correct bus route to Philbrook?  Easy breezy, but that info is not on the map she had or that pulled up online.  Can you tell me where the nearest bus stop is that would have taken her to Philbrook by looking at that map?  I could see where the line went, and there was even a different page where I could see the bus as a colored arrow traveling down the street (but not along a colored line showing the route and that routes stops).  I could see bus stops all over the place with that map but couldn't tell if that bus was going to stop at any of them or what streets the bus would be going down. It's almost like you had to have two maps pulled up at once and I still don't know if there is one showing all the stops for each particular route.

I clicked the "find stops" and it brought up addresses and a map to show them. If it helps, you don't have to be at a stop to hail the bus.

Use the timing point that appears before your starting point to determine what time to arrive at the bus stop. It's better to be early than late! Bus stops are marked with a bus stop sign or bus shelter.
If there is not a bus stop within one city block in either direction from where you want to catch the bus, please stand on the far side of the intersection (past the intersection in the direction that the bus is traveling) or in a safe location for the bus to stop, visible to the operator.

[carltonplace]

Maybe the lack of ease of use for everyone could be a disincentive to using the system.  Might be a teachable moment for Tulsa Transit.

The lesson they need to learn is to reduce the wait time. I've stood in a bus shelter for 50 minutes before...I could have walked to my destination in that amount of time (41st and Yale to Downtown) but after 30 minutes I was commited.

I've also been less than a mile from my destination only to have the driver pull the bus over for a 15 minute smoke break.
Breaks should be scheduled to coincide with the arrival at Denver station.

Lots of people ride the buses and it seems like the ridership is increasing (at least based on my anecdotal observation). But you get the feeling that MTTA doesn't really care about their customers, they care more about their bureaucracy.

Side note: The smart way to ride is to bring your bicycle with you so you have some control of your destiny.

[Conan71]

Conan, I'm the generation that is supposed to be computer averse. Just took three minutes! That particular route has the most stops, and is the busiest route of them all. It runs from far north Tulsa to far South. Lots of poor, dumb people have figured it out.  I haven't tried their app though. Maybe it is harder.

I certainly appreciate that but unless it's easy to use for everyone, it's still a problem to increasing ridership.

Did someone say there is a mobile app for TT?