UNLOCKING REAL-TIMEChris Dempsey and Joshua Robin

Massachusetts Department of Transportation

3/3/2010 2:32 PM 2

WHY IS IT SO EASY TO FIND WEATHER AND TRAFFIC REPORTS…

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BUT SO HARD TO FIND OUT WHEN THE NEXT BUS WILL ARRIVE?

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THEORY #1 –

NO DEMAND

Where’s the #%*(#&$

bus?

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THEORY #2 –

NO SUPPLY

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TRAFFIC AND WEATHER IS OPEN AS A RESULT, CUSTOMERS HAVE LOTS OF CHOICES

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=

TRANSIT INFORMATION WAS “CLOSED”

ONE CHOICE

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SO, IN SEPTEMBER 2009 WE DECIDED TO MAKE MBTA BASIC TRIP PLANNING

INFORMATION OPEN

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BY NOVEMBER, THERE WERE 6 INNOVATIVE APPLICATIONS BUILT

WITH MBTA DATA

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GREAT, BUT WHEN IS THE NEXT BUS ACTUALLY

GOING TO SHOW UP?

I WANT REAL-TIME INFORMATION!

TRADITIONAL MODEL

First, (1) Countdown Signs

Then, (2) Web and Phone Distribution

Then, Maybe, (3) Share with Others

WHAT IF WE REVERSED THE ORDER?

COULD WE MAKE MBTA BUS LOCATION INFORMATION AS EASY TO FIND AS THE

WEATHER?

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ON NOVEMBER 14th, AS PART OF A TRIAL PROGRAM, THE MBTA

RELEASED A REAL-TIME DATA FEED FOR FIVE BUS LINES

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1 HOUR 2 DAYS 1 WEEK

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2 WEEKS 1 MONTH 5 WEEKS

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7 WEEKS 8 WEEKS 8 WEEKS

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MASSDOT DEVELOPERS REAL-TIME CHALLENGE

BUILD APPLICATIONS, WIN MONEY

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MASSDOT DEVELOPERS REAL-TIME CHALLENGE

BUILD INSTALLATIONS, WIN MONEY

http://www.mass.gov/eot/developers

3/3/2010 2:32 PM DRAFT 20

http://www.mass.gov/eot/developers

christopher.dempsey@state.ma.us joshua.robin@state.ma.us

Twitter: @massdotdev