The CTA Approaches Efficiency Zen
By Matt Wood in News on Jan 31, 2006 4:50PM
Starting this spring, the CTA is rolling out a new system on the No. 20 Madison line that will let riders check the real-time status of buses on the internet and automated signs at stops. The system will take advantage of GPS devices already installed on the buses. Riders will know the exact location of that next bus, and whether they'll have time to stop for an Egg McMuffin or not. Although serious CTA riders make a science of knowing exactly when to leave home so they can catch the bus just as it arrives at their stop, the new system will help them stay on top of delays and weather slowdowns. Testing on the 20 route starts in May, then after six months if all goes well, the system will expand to all buses.
The CTA is taking tips from Seattle's transit systems, which already use similar alert and tracking systems for its buses. The web piece of Seattle's system is distinctly 1995, but the simplest solution usually is the best. Combine a full-blown bus and train GPS system with a 2.0, Chicago-only, Google Maps version of Getting Around Illinois, and we could really have something. Imagine getting custom text message alerts when a bus or train arrives at the stop before yours, so you know when to high-step it to the corner. They could even incorporate real-time video of routes--it's not like the city doesn't already have enough cameras installed.
Is this technology for technology's sake though? Any time Chicagoist hears the terms "GPS," "real-time tracking," and "web based" we start drooling, and we see the practical applications for the CTA dispatchers. But for commuters, is it that much of an inconvenience to pad your commute time 5-10 minutes each way to account for minor delays? Chicagoist always considered that interstitial downtime as a bonus, a little unplanned window we had to ourselves. Is spending all that time scanning web maps and setting up text alerts any better than leaving 10 minutes early and reading a book while you wait?