Leveraging Resources for

Customer Information by

Exposing Transit Data

Business Intelligence: Focusing on Customers

APTA TransITech 2008

Tim McHugh, CTO

TriMet’s Developer Resources

began with GM request to

promote innovation and public transit

by providing resources to an

emerging creative class

TriMet’s Developer Resources

began with GM request to

promote innovation and public transit

by providing resources to an

emerging creative class

Can we leverage existing software development

by exposing data to the public?

TriMet’s Developer Resources

began with GM request to

promote innovation and public transit

by providing resources to an

emerging creative class

Can we leverage existing software development

by exposing data to the public?

developer.trimet.org

TriMet Developer Resources

for Customer InformationPromotes use of transit and

information related to transit

TriMet Developer Resources

for Customer InformationPromotes use of transit and

information related to transit

License AgreementWorked with Legal Dept

Provides protection &

defines Terms of Use

License AgreementWorked with Legal Dept

Provides protection &

defines Terms of Use

Registration ProcessAgree to Terms of Use

Notification for Updates

Monitor Usage & Thresholds

Registration ProcessAgree to Terms of Use

Notification for Updates

Monitor Usage & Thresholds

Direct access to most current

Schedule Datain common open format

Direct access to most current

Schedule Datain common open format

Direct access to most current

Schedule Datain common open format

Direct access to most current

Schedule Datain common open format

“GTFS is a lightweight, open

format that provides a

common, easy way to

exchange transit data. You

don't have to be Google™

to use it.”

Tim Moore, Bart

“GTFS is a lightweight, open

format that provides a

common, easy way to

exchange transit data. You

don't have to be Google™

to use it.”

Tim Moore, Bart

Developers are

scraping schedule dataoff websites anyway.

GTFS offers a more stable

solution with Terms of Use.

Developers are

scraping schedule dataoff websites anyway.

GTFS offers a more stable

solution with Terms of Use.

Developers are

scraping schedule dataoff websites anyway.

GTFS offers a more stable

solution with Terms of Use.

Developers are

scraping schedule dataoff websites anyway.

GTFS offers a more stable

solution with Terms of Use.

Developers are

scraping schedule dataoff websites anyway.

GTFS offers a more stable

solution with Terms of Use.

Developers are

scraping schedule dataoff websites anyway.

GTFS offers a more stable

solution with Terms of Use.

iamcaltrain.comSource: “Caltrain station and route data was

scraped from the Caltrain Website… The

results of their work can be downloaded in

the form of a MySQL Dump.”

iamcaltrain.comSource: “Caltrain station and route data was

scraped from the Caltrain Website… The

results of their work can be downloaded in

the form of a MySQL Dump.”

Who is using Schedule Data

in the GTFS format?

maps.google.comGet Driving Directions

AND

Public Transit Directions

maps.google.comGet Driving Directions

AND

Public Transit Directions

transittrips.comSits on Google Transit

Make save links to common trips it

easier to

transittrips.comSits on Google Transit

Make save links to common trips it

easier to

mtsotp.com/mts/stop_finder/stop_finder.cfm

Built on the GTFS – other agencies coming Finds all stops, buses & trains in an area

mtsotp.com/mts/stop_finder/stop_finder.cfm

Built on the GTFS – other agencies coming Finds all stops, buses & trains in an area

“As a public service, publicroutes.com believes in allowing public information to be shared openly

by municipalities across the country in hopes of

maximizing travel efficiency and better

serving the greater public.

By pooling available data and advocating an open

source platform, PublicRoutes.com and municipal trip

planners will accurately ensure that all people will have

the best possible information available when

traveling via public transportation.”

Submitted on behalf of PublicRoutes.com February 13, 2008

“As a public service, publicroutes.com believes in allowing public information to be shared openly

by municipalities across the country in hopes of

maximizing travel efficiency and better

serving the greater public.

By pooling available data and advocating an open

source platform, PublicRoutes.com and municipal trip

planners will accurately ensure that all people will have

the best possible information available when

traveling via public transportation.”

Submitted on behalf of PublicRoutes.com February 13, 2008

spek.org/trimet/map.phpDraws route lines using GTFS

spek.org/trimet/map.phpDraws route lines using GTFS

TimeTable Publisher

Uses GTFS Data

T3 Webinar

How to Implement the TimeTable

Publisher: An Open Source

Application for Transit Agencies

May 14, 2008

TimeTable Publisher

Uses GTFS Data

T3 Webinar

How to Implement the TimeTable

Publisher: An Open Source

Application for Transit Agencies

May 14, 2008

Direct access to

Real-Time Datavia web services

Direct access to

Real-Time Datavia web services

Who is using our Web Services

for Customer Information?

Customer Information

at AirportPort of Portland’s Use of Data

Customer Information

at AirportPort of Portland’s Use of Data

trimet.onmyiphone.net

Free Application for iPhoneTransit next arrival times

“At first I was just going to scrape the

Trimet site to get the information. But

then I came to find out that Trimet

actually has a really nice API to all their

tracking information!”

Matt King, TriMet Rider & Software Developer

trimet.onmyiphone.net

Free Application for iPhoneTransit next arrival times

“At first I was just going to scrape the

Trimet site to get the information. But

then I came to find out that Trimet

actually has a really nice API to all their

tracking information!”

Matt King, TriMet Rider & Software Developer

portlandtransport.com

Transit Surfer & Transit BoardNext arrival times for cell phones, handhelds,

full-size screens, text messaging

portlandtransport.com

Transit Surfer & Transit BoardNext arrival times for cell phones, handhelds,

full-size screens, text messaging

traincheck.com

Free SMS Services for

Cell PhonesAccess to transit next arrival times

traincheck.com

Free SMS Services for

Cell PhonesAccess to transit next arrival times

TransitCast

Presents arrival times and locations

of buses that are approaching a

selected stop

TransitCast

Presents arrival times and locations

of buses that are approaching a

selected stop

Future plans for

developer.trimet.org

Web Service for

TriMet Trip PlannerAccess to Planned Trip Itineraries

Offers alternative to screen scraping

for applications like Dadnab

Web Service for

TriMet Trip PlannerAccess to Planned Trip Itineraries

Offers alternative to screen scraping

for applications like Dadnab

Formatted

Return

Formatted

Request

Web

Service

API

Trip

Planner

Trip Planner Web Service Example

TriMet builds the API and the

applications are unlimited

Trip Planner Web Service Example

TriMet builds the API and the

applications are unlimited

Formatted

Return

Formatted

Request

Web

Service

API

Trip

Planner

Trip Planner Web Service Example

TriMet builds the API and the

applications are unlimited

Trip Planner Web Service Example

TriMet builds the API and the

applications are unlimitedMobile Trip Planning

Using my cell phone, I can

get public transit directions

to the nearest pizza place

from my current location.

Formatted

Return

Formatted

Request

Web

Service

API

Trip

Planner

Trip Planner Web Service Example

TriMet builds the API and the

applications are unlimited

Trip Planner Web Service Example

TriMet builds the API and the

applications are unlimitedMobile Trip Planning

Using my cell phone, I can

get public transit directions

to the nearest pizza place

from my current location.

Current GPS

Location, Current Time,

Requested Event/Place

En Route

Planned Itinerary

To Event/Place

Location-

Based

Service

(LBS)

Who else is making their

data publicly accessible

and why?

Public Feeds Page

By making the GTFS data publicly

accessible, you can avoid addressing

multiple and varied data requests on

an individual basis.

Public Feeds Page

By making the GTFS data publicly

accessible, you can avoid addressing

multiple and varied data requests on

an individual basis.

DART

Dallas Area Rapid Transit

Public Records Act

Any person has a right to request

public data, and the public agency has

a responsibility to provide it.

DART

Dallas Area Rapid Transit

Public Records Act

Any person has a right to request

public data, and the public agency has

a responsibility to provide it.

Sacramento

Regional Transit

GTFS file available for download

Sacramento

Regional Transit

GTFS file available for download

Capital Metro

Austin, Texas

“…is making stop and schedule

data available in several formats

including GTFS.”

Capital Metro

Austin, Texas

“…is making stop and schedule

data available in several formats

including GTFS.”

OCTA

Orange County, CA

Now offers 2 options to plan

your trip online

OCTA

Orange County, CA

Now offers 2 options to plan

your trip online

Redwood Transit System

Humboldt County, CA

GTFS file available for download

Uses Google Transit as

Agency Trip Planner

Redwood Transit System

Humboldt County, CA

GTFS file available for download

Uses Google Transit as

Agency Trip Planner

BART

San Francisco Bay

“We want to foster innovative new

applications, reach a broader

audience and encourage more people

to choose BART.

…we just can't justify spending

time on some of the things our

customers have asked for.”

BART

San Francisco Bay

“We want to foster innovative new

applications, reach a broader

audience and encourage more people

to choose BART.

…we just can't justify spending

time on some of the things our

customers have asked for.”

Thank You

For more information, please visit:

developer.trimet.org