Comments on: Report: Bus GPS plan on its last legs http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/11/04/report-bus-gps-plan-on-its-last-legs/ A New York City Subway Blog Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:03:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: cmdrtebok http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/11/04/report-bus-gps-plan-on-its-last-legs/#comment-56987 cmdrtebok Sat, 08 Nov 2008 13:48:17 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=1592#comment-56987 Seriously for 99 million I could have implemented this with consumer available devices. Who the hell are these guys hiring? How transparant was this contract? Do we even know who is responsible for the failure? I really hope they don't get another contract EVER. Seriously for 99 million I could have implemented this with consumer available devices. Who the hell are these guys hiring? How transparant was this contract? Do we even know who is responsible for the failure? I really hope they don’t get another contract EVER.

]]> By: Josh http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/11/04/report-bus-gps-plan-on-its-last-legs/#comment-56941 Josh Tue, 04 Nov 2008 22:34:08 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=1592#comment-56941 Its projects like this that really bug me. The Dept. of Defense does the same thing. I don't understand what odd engineering criteria drove the system designers to not chose off the shelf systems with proven track records. Sure NYC is dense, with deep concrete canyons, which aren't conducive to radio transmissions. But if ADVERTISERS can use GPS in NYC on MTA buses, then why can't the MTA do the same? Even still, if off-the shelf wasn't doable, they could still build a reasonable system that functions similar to GPS, but on a local scale. All a GPS receiver does is compare the timing signals from several different satellites and triangulates based off the calculated distance. The MTA could put little lo-power transmitters that broadcasts a timing signal and a serial number, mounted on lamp posts or bus stops that allow the bus to calculate its location. Then the bus should be able to upload that position to an MTA operated wireless data network, that the displays at the stops use to display wait times. It isn't that hard. Hell, with Verizon rolling FiOS out in the city, the MTA should be able to just lease some capacity and have a wired network for the station terminals. --Josh Electrical Engineer Design and Construction Group NYS Office of General Services Its projects like this that really bug me. The Dept. of Defense does the same thing. I don’t understand what odd engineering criteria drove the system designers to not chose off the shelf systems with proven track records.

Sure NYC is dense, with deep concrete canyons, which aren’t conducive to radio transmissions. But if ADVERTISERS can use GPS in NYC on MTA buses, then why can’t the MTA do the same?

Even still, if off-the shelf wasn’t doable, they could still build a reasonable system that functions similar to GPS, but on a local scale. All a GPS receiver does is compare the timing signals from several different satellites and triangulates based off the calculated distance. The MTA could put little lo-power transmitters that broadcasts a timing signal and a serial number, mounted on lamp posts or bus stops that allow the bus to calculate its location. Then the bus should be able to upload that position to an MTA operated wireless data network, that the displays at the stops use to display wait times. It isn’t that hard. Hell, with Verizon rolling FiOS out in the city, the MTA should be able to just lease some capacity and have a wired network for the station terminals.

–Josh
Electrical Engineer
Design and Construction Group
NYS Office of General Services

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