TTC's Fancy New Technologies Thread

[wyliepoon]

Hong Kong's MTR subway lines have no branches (yet), and normally has frequencies of 2-3 minutes, yet it does employ the next train timer. The timer runs like clockwork... the last train leaves, the timer resets to 2 or 3 minutes, next train arrives on time, and the timer resets again.

The end of the countdown is accompanied by an automated announcement on the station PA: "The train to (destination) is arriving... Please let passengers exit first."

 

[nfitz]

It won't be useful for bus branches (A,B,E,whatever) because these buses weave in and out of each other and arrive in whichever order they feel like.

Presumably as the bus approaches, and the order changes, the information would update. I'd think it would be more useful to know the bus you can see in the distance is the one you want or not - if not, you can walk back to the shelter, and stay dry.

 

[Whoaccio]

I wish they integrated the next train info into their surprisingly effective station banners (at least, the ones on the Sheppard Line).

For instance:

Something like that.

 

[fiendishlibrarian]

They must view trash bins as "fancy new technology" as they haven't seemed to figure out how to install them on the Yonge line as yet, or even conduct routine maintenance on the ROW as I'm seeing trash continue to accumulate under platform edges and along the trackbeds.

 

[markel]

Signs saying a vehicle will be here in 10 minutes are only useful if the vehicle actually shows up in 10 minutes.

It won't be useful for bus branches (A,B,E,whatever) because these buses weave in and out of each other and arrive in whichever order they feel like.

When I was in Christchurch, NZ a few years ago they had very simple bus arrival info at all stops. There was a small box that had a button for each bus route served by the stop. When you hit the button it told you how many minutes until the bus arrived. Super simple and gave real time info due to GPS on actual bus. If time was indicating 2 minutes and bus got stuck in traffic it would just indicate 6 minutes the next time you pressed the button. At least you knew "Real time" when the bus would arrive.

 

[PaulG]

Grey Island says its Next Vehicle Arrival System, or NextBus, will use GPS satellite technology, the internet, interactive signs and cellphones or other wireless devices to inform the public of when vehicles will arrive at a stop.

I made a TTC schedules app for wireless devices a while ago, just for fun. I haven't run my web crawler program to extract the data from the TTC web site and update my database in a few months though. If only I could get access to that new GPS database, now that would be fun

 

[scarberiankhatru]

When I was in Christchurch, NZ a few years ago they had very simple bus arrival info at all stops. There was a small box that had a button for each bus route served by the stop. When you hit the button it told you how many minutes until the bus arrived. Super simple and gave real time info due to GPS on actual bus. If time was indicating 2 minutes and bus got stuck in traffic it would just indicate 6 minutes the next time you pressed the button. At least you knew "Real time" when the bus would arrive.

And of what real use is that, particularly in a city where most routes have almost comically frequent buses? Saying "6 minutes" but showing up in 10 is little more than an annoyance if you're just standing there waiting, but what if you're deciding whether or not to walk instead of wait? Or take a different route? Or go shopping or find food while you're waiting? Unless you're given reliable times, you're forced to stand there exactly as you were before the next bus signs were installed.

I'd rather signs say how far away buses/streetcars were (in m & km)...displaying minutes is only useful if the headways and travel times are reliable.

 

[ap70]

Getting off/in subway cars.

Sao Paulo has an sign on each door, green for get in and red for get off on both sides of the doors. Much easier and faster. People line up on the green and at the same time people getting just use the other door...Toronto well...sometimes is hard to deal with the by standers...

 

[markel]

And of what real use is that, particularly in a city where most routes have almost comically frequent buses? Saying "6 minutes" but showing up in 10 is little more than an annoyance if you're just standing there waiting, but what if you're deciding whether or not to walk instead of wait? Or take a different route? Or go shopping or find food while you're waiting? Unless you're given reliable times, you're forced to stand there exactly as you were before the next bus signs were installed.

I'd rather signs say how far away buses/streetcars were (in m & km)...displaying minutes is only useful if the headways and travel times are reliable.

I don't really see the difference between it showing time vs. distance. Wouldn't it be just as annoying to know that a bus is sitting 2 km away, only to discover that it is stuck in traffic and will take 10 minutes to arrive. The next day you see it is 2km away, decide to grab a coffee only to see the bus drive past because there was no traffic.

The point I think is that it is nice to have some more info about arrival times. Sure you can't do much to change them but it doesn't make it useless. I can now call friends, etc. and tell them when I will be on my way.

 

[scarberiankhatru]

The difference is that people will schedule themselves (walk or not walk, find food or not find food, etc.) around minutes and will be incredibly frustrated if the minutes are not counting down steadily and accurate to, well, to the minute. Displaying km allows one, knowing how reliable or not the particular route may be, to judge the situation for themselves and not put their faith in a sign that is virtually guaranteed to "lie" to them. I can't think of anything more annoying than a countdown clock that stops counting down when you could have walked or waited indoors or whatever else...it's like a download getting stuck at 99% for an eternity. At least displaying distance lets one know if the vehicle is moving or not. I'd say display both but it'd be confusing and more expensive.

The streetcar routes are often unpredictable, but almost every suburban bus route either runs at near comical frequencies or at lower but much more reliable frequencies (yes, it's true...some TTC routes run like clockwork). In some cases, having more info may be nice, but for the money and effort this will cost, I'd rather they put the slightest effort into maintaining proper headways or posting schedules at stops. The way I see it, posting next vehicle displays gives the TTC another excuse to provide not-so-optimal service, and they'll be able to get away with it because they'll be directly telling riders that they're waiting helplessly.

 

[fiendishlibrarian]

About @&*! time

 

[Le Gique]

etiquette on Hong Kong's MTR subway ...

The end of the countdown is accompanied by an automated announcement on the station PA: "The train to (destination) is arriving... Please let passengers exit first."

how's that working? do people pay attention to the last part?

here in the big TOe, I've seen a marked change in folks' willingness to leave space for exiting passengers

-yesterday at Yonge I saw several riders boldly walk into the train as soon as the doors opened
-- before she could even make it out the door, one passenger was forced to stop and move aside for this display of me-firsting

-that is so bass-ackwards.

 

[299 bloor call control.]

Hong Kongers are pretty good at lining up and letting passengers exit first. The fact that there's platform screen doors and automatic train control, so that you know exactly where to wait (and it's marked on the floor), helps as well.

Source: Flickr

 

[lokyin]

ya hk's subway-riding is very organized and efficient i'd say... singapore has the timing thing too and it's so convenient to know when the train is coming... don't have to look up and out every few seconds cuz ure so anxious. paris has it too and lots of cities have it so for those who are more traveled, they should know the convenience of this technology, and know it's not a waste of money. where they need to put the timer signs is actually above at the ticket gates of the subway stations as well as downstairs in the platform. so people know whether they can go grab a coffee quick, or stay and chat with a parting friend for another minute, or run for the train cuz it's coming in 30 seconds.

 

[Whoaccio]

I don't know if this is a "fancy new technology" or anything, but every now and then I keep seeing these random green and red dots along the subway platform. Usually one in the middle and one at the end of the platform. I've seen them in pretty much every station and can't figure out what they are there for. Anyone know? I will try to get a picture up.