{"282351":{"#nid":"282351","#data":{"type":"news","title":"OneBusAway App Now Tracks MARTA Trains in Real Time","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe app pulls GPS data from buses and trains and provides real-time arrival and departure data on users\u2019 smartphones, computers or on large video displays in stores or public areas. The app was integrated into Atlanta\u2019s transit network by Georgia Tech researchers last year, and the app\u2019s developers plan to add bus data for Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA) Xpress, Cobb Community Transit (CCT), Gwinnett County Transit, the Atlantic Station shuttle, other local university systems, and other systems equipped with GPS tracking. (\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/atlanta.onebusaway.org\/\u0022\u003EDownload and try the app by clicking here\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis app helps people who want the information before they get to the train station or bus stop,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ce.gatech.edu\/people\/faculty\/5861\/overview\u0022\u003EKari Watkins\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Georgia Tech. \u201cFor bus and shuttle stops where there is no sign for next arrivals this app is the rider\u2019s only source of information.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/onebusaway.org\/\u0022\u003EOneBusAway\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;is free to download and has information on transit systems in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/atlanta.onebusaway.org\/\u0022\u003EAtlanta\u003C\/a\u003E, Seattle and Tampa. The app automatically recognizes which city the user is in, and captures data from the local transit source. The coding for the transit-tracking app was used to develop New York City\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/bustime.mta.info\/\u0022\u003EMTA Bus Time\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe app gathers real-time location data by tapping GPS units already installed on buses and trains. Recently, MARTA made their GPS data publicly available so that software developers might use it to build apps and other tools to improve the rider experience. Riders can search OneBusAway for nearby train and bus stops and receive up-to-the-minute arrival and departure information.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMARTA also has a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/app\/marta-on-the-go\/id386648039?mt=8\u0022\u003Ereal-time transit-tracking app\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;that provides information exclusively for its bus and train network.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOne of our priorities is improving the overall customer experience through the use of technology,\u201d said Keith T. Parker, MARTA\u2019s CEO. \u201cThat\u2019s why we launched the On-the-Go mobile app providing real-time train and bus arrivals. We\u2019re also excited to work with OneBusAway, and the metro Atlanta tech community, in developing solutions that will help retain and attract transit riders.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOneBusAway\u2019s ability to combine data on multiple transit agencies in the Atlanta region might be one way to attract riders, by helping them transfer more easily between transit systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe goal is to make OneBusAway multiagency, multiregional and multimodal,\u201d said Watkins, who co-founded the app while at the University of Washington in Seattle and is known on Twitter as\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/twitter.com\/transitmom\u0022\u003E@transitmom\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Atlanta version of the app is run by Watkins\u2019 research group, the Urban Transportation Information Lab. It has been developed by students Tushar Humbe, from the School of Computer Science, and Landon Reed, from the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe program is funded by Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/ipat.gatech.edu\/about\u0022\u003EInstitute for People and Technology\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(IPaT), Georgia Tech\u2019s\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gvu.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGraphics, Visualization, and Usability (GVU) Center\u003C\/a\u003E, the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/nctspm.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ENational Center for Transportation Systems Productivity and Management\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and a U.S. Department of Transportation Eisenhower Fellowship.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe idea behind the app is to take a lot of the guesswork out of riding public transportation. When riders are still at their desks, at home or in a coffee shop, they can open the app on their smartphone or computer, search for nearby transit options, and know exactly how many minutes they have until the next bus or train arrives.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWatkins and Candace Brakewood, a PhD student with Watkins\u2019 group, are launching a new study in April that seeks to quantify how real-time transit information affects ridership through studies in Atlanta and New York City.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPrior studies from Watkins and colleagues of the OneBusAway app in Seattle and Tampa found that the app\u2019s users have a more favorable view of transit, feel safer on transit, spend less time waiting on buses and trains and report riding transit more.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOneBusAway utilizes open-source software, so enterprising transit riders can suggest tweaks to the app or develop their own transit-arrival signs. On the web, OneBusAway features a mode that is compatible with large displays, so that businesses near transit can display real-time information for patrons wishing to ride a bus or train.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESomeday, Watkins envisions, transit riders will have an app that knows their route to work, what time they want to arrive, and sends alerts if a bus or train is going to be early or late.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt gives back some of the power you give away as a transit rider,\u201d Watkins said.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003EWatkins is a Georgia Tech alumna (CE 97) and was recently named to Mass Transit Magazine\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.masstransitmag.com\/article\/11107313\/top-40-under-40-2013-dr-kari-edison-watkins-pe\u0022\u003E40 Under 40 list\u003C\/a\u003E. Her\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/cycleatlanta.org\/\u0022\u003ECycle Atlanta\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and OneBusAway apps have been making the rounds in local and national media for the ways they could change how people commute. She\u2019s also been an expert source for transportation stories by NPR and The Atlantic Cities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019re all figuring out how we can optimize what we have and make better use of the space that exists,\u201d Watkins said. \u201cEven those who aren\u2019t environmentally minded recognize the congestion and space issues and are tired of it. We have to make all our modes function better, which includes providing better information.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDownload the free apps for\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.joulespersecond.seattlebusbot\u0026amp;hl=en\u0022\u003EAndroid\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/app\/onebusaway\/id329380089?mt=8\u0022\u003EiPhone\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003Eand\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/apps.microsoft.com\/windows\/en-US\/app\/onebusaway\/9210f431-94f5-4bfa-8d0f-4a948d7fceb7\u0022\u003EWindows Phone\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;or visit\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/onebusaway.org\/\u0022\u003Eatlanta.onebusaway.org\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;for more information.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research is supported by the National Center for Transportation Systems Productivity and Management, a U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s (DOT) Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) University Transportation Center. Any conclusions or opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the sponsoring agency.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E177 North Avenue\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAtlanta, Georgia 30332-0181 USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/GTResearchNews\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E@GTResearchNews\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;Brett Israel (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/btiatl\u0022\u003E@btiatl\u003C\/a\u003E) (404-385-1933) (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:brett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebrett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) or John Toon (404-894-6986) (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: Brett Israel\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"The mobile app OneBusAway, which tracks public transportation in real time, now includes arrival times for MARTA trains in addition to the MARTA buses and Georgia Tech shuttles already featured in the app."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe mobile app OneBusAway, which tracks public transportation in real time, now includes arrival times for MARTA trains in addition to the MARTA buses and Georgia Tech shuttles already featured in the app.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The mobile app OneBusAway, which tracks public transportation in real time, now includes arrival times for MARTA trains in addition to the MARTA buses and Georgia Tech shuttles already featured in the app."}],"uid":"27714","created_gmt":"2014-03-11 10:10:28","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:15:58","author":"Kyle James","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2014-03-05T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2014-03-05T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"281011":{"id":"281011","type":"image","title":"Kari Watkins","body":null,"created":"1449244184","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 15:49:44","changed":"1475894973","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:49:33","alt":"Kari Watkins","file":{"fid":"199046","name":"kariwatkins_bus_rotater.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/kariwatkins_bus_rotater.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/kariwatkins_bus_rotater.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":214098,"path_740":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/kariwatkins_bus_rotater.jpg?itok=9MUP-dKD"}}},"media_ids":["281011"],"groups":[{"id":"1224","name":"School of City \u0026 Regional Planning"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"61421","name":"Kari Watkins"},{"id":"65181","name":"OneBusAway"},{"id":"488","name":"transit"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E177 North Avenue\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAtlanta, Georgia 30332-0181 USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/GTResearchNews\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E@GTResearchNews\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;Brett Israel (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/btiatl\u0022\u003E@btiatl\u003C\/a\u003E) (404-385-1933) (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:brett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebrett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) or John Toon (404-894-6986) (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: Brett Israel\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}