The other day, I wrote about my job application for Communications Coordinator at TransLink, and how this position is will be branching out to the online community. In that post, I included my 7-point preliminary online strategy for TransLink. I’ve been doing a bit of research, visiting a large number of others transit agencies websites to see what type of online innovations they’ve developed, and I’m actually quite surprised how many cool products are already out there.

Emails

  • TriMet sends service alerts, construction project updates, news releases, public meetings and hearings information, job openings, and Monthly Pass reminders through email.
  • inTransitBC has been providing construction updates for the Canada Line throughout the project’s development online with email lists.
  • Metro (LACMTA) has an email alerts and updates list which the public can sign up to.
  • Metro (WMATA) allows for individuals to subscribe via email to the latest news releases, and service alerts.
  • MTA NYC has an email list program for the public to receive service alerts direct to their inbox.

Newsletters

  • TriMet publishes a quarterly To Work newsletter that it made available to Portland-area employers. It’s available online in PDF (yuck!).
  • TriMet also writes the monthly RiderInsider newsletter, which is completely translated into HTML and CSS, as well as available in PDF and through email. It includes updates on construction, contests, news releases, etc.
  • BART publishes a monthly BARTtimes newsletter, however it’s only made available in PDF (yuck!)

RSS

  • TriMet has RSS icons and links throughout it’s website, and even includes a small description of what RSS is and how to use it. It provides RSS feeds for news & info, Bikes on TriMet, BrailleNote/VoiceNote GPS, Bus & Rail Projects, Feedback Forum, Handheld Schedule Viewer, Newsletters, Public Art Program, Public Meetings & Hearings, Rider Rewards, Service Alerts, and TriMet TV.
  • BART has RSS icons and links throughout it’s website, and also includes a small description of what RSS is and how to use it. It provides RSS feeds for news headlines, BARTtv news headlines, and service advisories.
  • Metro has RSS feeds for service disruptions. Unfortunately they are very deeply hidden in the transit agency’s website.

Blogging

  • inTransitBC has run a weekly Jim’s Construction photo diary, featuring new behind-the-scenes photos from construction of the Canada Line. It’s not fully blogging, considering there’s no RSS as a means to subscribe to the diary.
  • Metro (WMATA) holds frequent LunchTalk online chats with important members of the transit agency. Riders can submit questions online before or during the chat.

Widgets

  • BART has a desktop-based widget that displays the latest service advisories and news updates. BART also has an HTML embeddable QuickPlanner widget for individuals or companies to put on it’s own websites.
  • Transport for London has an embeddable Journey Planner widget for individuals or companies to put on it’s own website.
  • Transport for London has live departure board widgets on it’s site featuring the next train times. While they may not be “widgets” persay, the information provided could easily be transformed into a desktop-based, or HTML web-embeddable widget.

Photos

  • TriMet has been posting behind-the-scenes pictures of construction of the Portland Mall Light Rail project on that project’s website. The photos are unfortunately in a flash interface, making it difficult, but not impossible, for users to share with others. Unfortunately, you cannot subscribe to the latest pictures as there is no RSS feed.
  • inTransitBC has been frequently posting new, behind-the-scenes pictures of Canada Line construction on it’s website. These pictures frequently for themselves posted and linked to on popular local forums. The private corporation has also been innovative in allowing Jim to take pictures and post them weekly in a photo diary on the Canada Line website. Unfortunately, the photo diary does not feature RSS for subscription to the latest pictures.
  • Metro (LACMTA) has a number of professional photos of it’s different transit services available to the public and the media, through a copyright license, on it’s website’s photo gallery.
  • Metro (WMATA) has an online photo gallery featuring pictures of it’s many services. It’s in a Flash interface, however, you can still download high resolution versions of the photos.

Podcasts

  • TriMet recently launched a video podcast called TriMet TV, featuring news about TriMet services and transit construction projects. It’s made available on the TriMet website through a Flash interface, email lists, and RSS feeds for subscription through a podfeeder like iTunes. Each video is completely accessible, featuring closed captioning and a full written transcription below.
  • inTransitBC does not run a full podcast, but has posted a few informational, and behind-the-scenes videos on it’s website, in both Quicktime and Windows Media.
  • Metro (LACMTA) has a collection of frequently added videos available on it’s website. The videos are generally used to market the latest event occurring in the L.A. area that is accessible via Metro service. The videos are made available through Flash on the website. There is no RSS feed unfortunately.
  • BART has a BARTtv program with news about BART services, rules and regulations, and construction projects. It’s available through BART’s website via an interactive Flash interface. While you can link to individual videos, they are not embeddable, nor does the video program have an RSS feeds for subscription in podfeeders.
  • Metro (WMATA) has audio podcasts available, although there is no RSS feed for subscription, nor an archive of previous episodes. Worse yet, the webpage for the podcast is hidden deeply in it’s site. The podcast covers detours and delays, news and information, public hearings, and more. Metro (WMATA) also has live and archived audio broadcasts of public meetings.
  • MTA NYC has a audio podcast, TransitTrax, featuring customer safety tips, promotions, planning and projects, news, security information, special events, and service advisories. Furthermore, the webpage is easily found on MTA NYC’s site, and includes information on what a podcast is, and links to subscribe to the podcasts.

Mobile

  • TriMet has developed a schedule viewer application for Palm and Pocket PC.
  • BART has schedules, maps, and station information available via Apple’s iPod. BART also has a QuickPlanner application for Palm and Pocket PCs.
  • Metro (WMATA) has system maps available for Apple’s iPod. Metro (WMATA) also has a WAP mobile web site with Trip Planner, Next Scheduled Departure, Next Train Information, and Service Alerts.
  • Transport for London has a WAP (mobile internet) website that features a mobile Journey Planner, Departure Boards, Live Travel News, and other useful information.
  • MBTA has a schedule planner for Palm and Pocket PC.

Google Transit Feed Specification

  • TriMet has opened up it’s Google Transit Feed Specification to outside developers.
  • BART has made it’s Google Transit Feed Specification available to outside developers, and also includes a small license agreement.

Online Store

Other

  • TriMet hosts a large webcam for construction of Portland Mall Light Rail on that project’s website.
  • TriMet has detailed information for each of it’s MAX Light Rail stations, including the stop ID number, the address, other transit connections, amenities (parking, accessibility, bike lockers), and the station’s design.
  • Metro (LACMTA) has a page on their website with clearly defined, annually updated ridership statistics for all it’s transit systems, and links to PDF graphs of more detailed information.
  • AC Transit’s routes are made available via an interactive, Google Maps interface, while their schedules are highly customizable and structured in what appears to be the Google Transit Feed Specification.
  • BART has a myBART program where customers can join and then receive weekly emails with entertainment news, ticket giveaways and big discounts on events happening close to BART stations.
  • BART has detailed information for each of it’s stations, all accessible right from the website (i.e. in HTML), including the address, information on parking and car shares, bike racks, lockers, disabled access, a local area map (through MapQuest), schedules for transit connections from each specific station, directions to the station, and even an estimated parking fill time.
  • Metro (WMATA) has an Adopt a Bus Stop program. Volunteers (either individuals or groups) are given supplies to care for their stop, in exchange for having their name(s) posted at the stop.
  • Metro (WMATA) recently launched a 21-member Rider’s Advisory Council which allows Metro customers an unprecedented level of input on bus, rail and MetroAccess service.
  • Metro (WMATA) has a section of their site, The Real Deal, where they respond to the local media’s stories, many times correcting inaccurate information.
  • Metro (WMATA) also has detailed information for each of it’s Metrorail stations, including the address, driving directions to the station, a neighbourhood street map, a Google map, next train arrival, schedules, amenities, and other transit connections.
  • Metro (WMATA) has an extremely detailed section of their site giving extensive ridership information, and service disruptions for all of it’s transit services. Some information is online (in HTML) and some is in PDF.
  • Metro (WMATA) has built an interactive, clickable Google Map with an overlay of the Metrorail system on it.
  • Transport for London has a live traffic microsite that is updated in deal time, 24/7 by the London Traffic Control Centre.
  • MTA NYC has detailed monthly information available on it’s website, including visual graphs, showing the ridership, monthly failures, on-time performance, schedule adherence, and injury rate, on it’s subway and bus routes.
  • MTA NYC has an interactive survey made available through the Rider Report Card program on it’s website, allowing the public to rate and submit improvement suggestions for specific routes. Following the collection of the data submitted, MTA NYC keeps an open dialogue with the public through the website explaining what improvements will be coming and when.
  • MBTA has fully integrated interactive Google Maps into it’s online Trip Planner. MBTA also has a cool web map, again integrating Google Maps, in which you can search for service nearby any address or point on the map.
  • MBTA has very well designed webpages to find detailed information about it’s services. Rail line webpages feature amenity icons and transit connections, in addition to nice graphics. Rail stations feature amenity icons and information on car parking, cycling parking, car share programs, transit connections, fares, station specific service alerts, plus an interactive Google Map of the location and area, and a photo of said station. Bus routes feature simple, interactive schedules, route specific service alerts, an interactive Google Map, plus PDF maps and schedules.
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