Comments on: Testing the schedule for Google Transit and Trip Planner http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/10/16/testing-the-schedule-for-google-transit-and-trip-planner/ A New York City Subway Blog Sat, 20 Mar 2010 02:45:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Gil http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/10/16/testing-the-schedule-for-google-transit-and-trip-planner/#comment-55823 Gil Fri, 17 Oct 2008 19:49:10 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=1507#comment-55823 I agree that the times are usually wrong, but I can't really expect it to be right. I just want Google to have a checkmark option that takes into account "worst case scenario". For example, if I'm taking the 2/3 and then the 1 from Wall Street to 50th st, starting at 3:35 pm at the station, it currently tells me: a) TWO MINUTES TILL THE NEXT TRAIN (at 3:37) a) THIRTEEN MINUTES ON THE 3 TRAIN (There's a 3 train leaving Wall St. at 3:37pm, arriving at Times Square at 3:50pm) b) THREE MINUTES WAITING FOR THE NEXT 1 TRAIN c) ONE MINUTE ON THE 1 TRAIN (There's a 1 train leaving Times Square at 3:53 PM, arriving at 50th st. at 3:54 PM.) TOTAL TIME TO TRAVEL: 19 minutes. But really I want to see this: a) EIGHT MAX MINUTES WAITING (i.e., let's say a 2/3 comes every eight minutes on average at this time of day) b) THIRTEEN MINUTES ON THE 3 TRAIN (average time on a 2/3 train from Wall St. to Times Square) c) FIVE MINUTES MAX WAITING (i.e., let's say a 1 comes every five minutes at that time of day) d) ONE MINUTE ON THE 1 TRAIN (average time on a 1 train from 42nd to 50th st) TOTAL MAXIMUM TIME TO TRAVEL: 27 minutes. Yeah, eight minutes isn't a lot, but when you're a new yorker and you mostly want Google Maps to tell you how long it takes to get somewhere (or what the fastest of two routes are), this would be the most useful thing. I agree that the times are usually wrong, but I can’t really expect it to be right. I just want Google to have a checkmark option that takes into account “worst case scenario”.
For example, if I’m taking the 2/3 and then the 1 from Wall Street to 50th st, starting at 3:35 pm at the station, it currently tells me:

a) TWO MINUTES TILL THE NEXT TRAIN (at 3:37)
a) THIRTEEN MINUTES ON THE 3 TRAIN (There’s a 3 train leaving Wall St. at 3:37pm, arriving at Times Square at 3:50pm)
b) THREE MINUTES WAITING FOR THE NEXT 1 TRAIN
c) ONE MINUTE ON THE 1 TRAIN (There’s a 1 train leaving Times Square at 3:53 PM, arriving at 50th st. at 3:54 PM.)
TOTAL TIME TO TRAVEL: 19 minutes.

But really I want to see this:
a) EIGHT MAX MINUTES WAITING (i.e., let’s say a 2/3 comes every eight minutes on average at this time of day)
b) THIRTEEN MINUTES ON THE 3 TRAIN (average time on a 2/3 train from Wall St. to Times Square)
c) FIVE MINUTES MAX WAITING (i.e., let’s say a 1 comes every five minutes at that time of day)
d) ONE MINUTE ON THE 1 TRAIN (average time on a 1 train from 42nd to 50th st)
TOTAL MAXIMUM TIME TO TRAVEL: 27 minutes.

Yeah, eight minutes isn’t a lot, but when you’re a new yorker and you mostly want Google Maps to tell you how long it takes to get somewhere (or what the fastest of two routes are), this would be the most useful thing.

]]> By: Ian Turner http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/10/16/testing-the-schedule-for-google-transit-and-trip-planner/#comment-55792 Ian Turner Fri, 17 Oct 2008 17:35:25 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=1507#comment-55792 Google's trip planner is wildly optimistic; it assumes an athletic walking speed and that all transit services always run on time. Hopstop makes much more reasonable assumptions, with the result that its time estimates are far more accurate. Main complaint about hopstop? For some reason it frequently lists longer itineraries before shorter ones. Trips123 is useful when you want to use services other than MTA NYCT, but otherwise suffers from the same problems as Google. Google’s trip planner is wildly optimistic; it assumes an athletic walking speed and that all transit services always run on time. Hopstop makes much more reasonable assumptions, with the result that its time estimates are far more accurate. Main complaint about hopstop? For some reason it frequently lists longer itineraries before shorter ones.

Trips123 is useful when you want to use services other than MTA NYCT, but otherwise suffers from the same problems as Google.

]]> By: Josh http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/10/16/testing-the-schedule-for-google-transit-and-trip-planner/#comment-55769 Josh Fri, 17 Oct 2008 16:26:46 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=1507#comment-55769 That last sentence said it. Does anybody actually look at subway schedules? If I go downstairs to grab the train, am I really thinking about catching the 12:30 4 train from Fulton Street? Or am I just thinking about catching the 4 train from Fulton Street? That last sentence said it. Does anybody actually look at subway schedules? If I go downstairs to grab the train, am I really thinking about catching the 12:30 4 train from Fulton Street? Or am I just thinking about catching the 4 train from Fulton Street?

]]> By: R2 http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/10/16/testing-the-schedule-for-google-transit-and-trip-planner/#comment-55741 R2 Fri, 17 Oct 2008 15:10:49 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=1507#comment-55741 You've got to be kidding me! Obviously suggesting such an egregious transfer was done by a group of out-of-towners. Seriously, it would be helpful to consult some natives when doing this (at the very least)! Could you imagine if someone who is not in top physical form attempting to perform said transfer: walk up to street level, then four blocks (three if at front of train) north, then descend into the depths of hell for the Queens-bound F!!! Seriously.....I can imagine the devil himself saying: "Damnnnnnn!!! You’ve got to be kidding me! Obviously suggesting such an egregious transfer was done by a group of out-of-towners. Seriously, it would be helpful to consult some natives when doing this (at the very least)!

Could you imagine if someone who is not in top physical form attempting to perform said transfer: walk up to street level, then four blocks (three if at front of train) north, then descend into the depths of hell for the Queens-bound F!!! Seriously…..I can imagine the devil himself saying: “Damnnnnnn!!!

]]> By: RBC http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/10/16/testing-the-schedule-for-google-transit-and-trip-planner/#comment-55521 RBC Thu, 16 Oct 2008 20:44:04 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=1507#comment-55521 ROFL @ Patrick DiJusto I love "Taking of Pelham 1-2-3" - its a quintessential NY movie. My fav part is when the robbers announce they're hijacking the train, all the passengers start laughing. Classic! ROFL @ Patrick DiJusto

I love “Taking of Pelham 1-2-3″ – its a quintessential NY movie. My fav part is when the robbers announce they’re hijacking the train, all the passengers start laughing. Classic!

]]> By: Chris http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/10/16/testing-the-schedule-for-google-transit-and-trip-planner/#comment-55500 Chris Thu, 16 Oct 2008 18:18:10 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=1507#comment-55500 The trip planners can only tell you what the nominal schedule is. As you found out, the actual on-the-ground schedule only vaguely resembles that schedule. My thoughts on the need for trains to actually run on-schedule are in a <a href="http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/08/21/the-way-the-subways-should-be/#comment-45935" rel="nofollow">previous comment</a>. -Chris The trip planners can only tell you what the nominal schedule is. As you found out, the actual on-the-ground schedule only vaguely resembles that schedule. My thoughts on the need for trains to actually run on-schedule are in a previous comment.

-Chris

]]> By: slr http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/10/16/testing-the-schedule-for-google-transit-and-trip-planner/#comment-55495 slr Thu, 16 Oct 2008 17:46:48 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=1507#comment-55495 MTA Trip Planner is the best. Hop Stop is second and Google comes in last. Its pretty bad (if traveling from battery park to queens it tells you to transfer from the 6 to the F without explaining that it's an out of subway transfer. What if you were visiting, its confusing if you don't know where you're going and thats exactly the type of person that will be using the service. MTA Trip Planner is the best. Hop Stop is second and Google comes in last. Its pretty bad (if traveling from battery park to queens it tells you to transfer from the 6 to the F without explaining that it’s an out of subway transfer. What if you were visiting, its confusing if you don’t know where you’re going and thats exactly the type of person that will be using the service.

]]> By: Benjamin Kabak http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/10/16/testing-the-schedule-for-google-transit-and-trip-planner/#comment-55486 Benjamin Kabak Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:38:59 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=1507#comment-55486 Excellent <em>Taking of Pelham</em> reference. Well done. Excellent Taking of Pelham reference. Well done.

]]> By: Patrick Di Justo http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/10/16/testing-the-schedule-for-google-transit-and-trip-planner/#comment-55484 Patrick Di Justo Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:31:45 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=1507#comment-55484 I think the last people to rely on a subway schedule were Mr. Blue, Mr. Grey, Mr. Green, and Mr. Brown on the 6 line. I think the last people to rely on a subway schedule were Mr. Blue, Mr. Grey, Mr. Green, and Mr. Brown on the 6 line.

]]> By: Maybe Mama Didn’t Say Knock You Out - City Room Blog - NYTimes.com http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/10/16/testing-the-schedule-for-google-transit-and-trip-planner/#comment-55477 Maybe Mama Didn’t Say Knock You Out - City Room Blog - NYTimes.com Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:15:13 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=1507#comment-55477 [...] Sarah Palin wigs for Orthodox ladies. [wcbstv.com via mcbrooklyn] An unscientific study that puts Google Transit and the MTA’s Trip Planner head-to-head. [2nd Ave Sagas] Frank Bruni searches for the Brigadoon of restaurants without much luck. Is Kurve [...] [...] Sarah Palin wigs for Orthodox ladies. [wcbstv.com via mcbrooklyn] An unscientific study that puts Google Transit and the MTA’s Trip Planner head-to-head. [2nd Ave Sagas] Frank Bruni searches for the Brigadoon of restaurants without much luck. Is Kurve [...]

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