Google Transit coming to L.A.

Soon, it'll be as easy to get public transit directions as it is to get driving directions via Google. By the summer, Angelenos will likely be using Google Transit, a Google Maps-based application that seamlessly links up walking to various public transit modes, to easily plan their bus and train rides in L.A.

Although L.A. transit agencies won't make the Earth Day 2008 challenge deadline proposed by Google, Metro and Metrolink are working hard to get their system info into Google Transit. Both agencies are currently in the testing phase.

Matthew Barrett of the Metro Library says the Metro bus information's ready to go -- and is already being tested -- but that they're waiting to get the rail info in there before the roll out. No firm dates -- aside from the fact that the launch will be after Earth Day -- have been set yet -- but since Metro and Google Transit had a conference call yesterday, more details should come out soon.

Metrolink, for its part, is planning an early May rollout. "Google Transit is a huge opportunity for us," said Francisco Oaxaca, Metrolink's manager of media and external communications, "because we think we're the ones most vulnerable to not having a multi-agency trip planner." Oaxaca pointed out that many Metrolink riders require multiple transfers between different agencies, and often have to go cobble together a route using multiple trip planners from various agencies. Google Transit, by contrast, would give people "an opportunity to plan door to door."

Of course, the success of Google Transit for L.A. requires that ALL of our many transit agencies in the area join Metro and Metrolink to really offer Angelenos a comprehensive trip planner. The OCTA and the Burbank Bus are a step ahead and already in the Google Transit system, but most local agencies are not. The Big Blue Bus, the Culver City Bus, and all the various bus lines also need to format their schedule and fare info to work with the Google Transit system. It's only when all the agencies get involved that riders will be able to take full advantage of both the Google Transit app and L.A.'s network of transit systems.

According to Oaxaca, Google Transit can be a real money saver for transit agencies. Building a trip planner from scratch could cost an agency "easily over $100,000," Oaxaca said, while formatting the transit information to fit into Google Transit cost Metrolink just "several thousand." Oaxaca also noted that once transit agencies put up the front end cost of getting into Google Transit, updates will be painless. "It really takes a lot of the burden off the transit agencies."

So encourage your local transit agency to get on to Google Transit! There's certainly great support for Google Transit among transit riders, as evidenced by a recent MetroRiderLA post and the ensuing 20+ comments.  I have a call in to the Big Blue Bus, but haven't heard an update yet. More to come on that soon.

In the meantime, look forward to Metro and Metrolink's debuts on Google Transit. After the initial rollout, Metrolink will work on getting Amtrak information onto Google Transit, since the two agencies have a joint "rail to rail" service that allows passengers to ride either agency's trains interchangeably. Metrolink also plans to start testing its real-time train status function in May. Happy riding.

Comments

[jrb]

Thank you, thank you, thank you, google!

The MTA.net trip planner is the most, worthless, POS, user unfriendly, search program I've ever used!

After they get the google site going they need to either fire the programer who created mta.net trip planner, or demand their money back from what ever company designed it!

It is absolutely useless unless you already know the routes and just need the times they run.

[Felicia Friesema]

Foothill Transit is also working with Google to get our system, which covers the San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys, onto Google Transit. We're hoping to be up and running this year, pending some software upgrades.

-Felicia Friesema
-Marketing and Communications Manager, Foothill Transit

[Dave]

This is great news. Been waiting for this feature in Google Maps for a while.

[Richard Michael]

I have news for Mr. Oaxaca. Metrolink train riders already know how to get from home to work and they had to figure it out on their own. The most that Google Transit will do is help Metrolink find a few more passengers for its already over-crowded trains. It might possibly also help improve Metrolink's dismal record of losing 25% (that's Metrolink's number) of its ridership every year.

When Metrolink introduced its new web site in November 2006 (actually not fully functioning until April 2007), it was the first time it put detailed station information on its web site. But try finding out where to park by looking at those little maps. Or try finding out where the connecting transit stops. Not even Google Transit will be able to help out with that. And, of course, to be really useful, the station information would have to be correct and up-to-date.

I've have personally commuted from all of these stations.

• Burbank


• Covina


• Glendale


• Industry


• Norwalk

Based on the information provided by Metrolink's web site, I dare anyone to drive to any one of these stations to catch a train and find where to park. And I double-dare you to try to get to there using public transit.

When Oaxaca says that "Metrolink riders require multiple transfers between different agencies," he's right. And to help out on that score Metrolink is now planning to make train riders go through more hoops and pay more for the privilege to use connecting transit.

When it comes to Metrolink and anything that benefits its passengers, I'll believe it when it actually happens.

For instance, Oaxaca says "Metrolink also plans to start testing its real-time train status function in May."

Metrolink has been promising that service since 2003. In April 2007, in its PR sheet, Metrolink Matters, Metrolink boldly announced "New Passenger-Information System on the Way." Well, guess what? We're still waiting, Francisco.

And then, of course, it also announced the advent of "New Locomotives" in the October 2007 issue of its PR sheet. "We expect to see the first of the new locomotives on the rails later this year. Most of the new locomotives will be in service by early next year, with all of them expected to be on track by July 1." As I write this on April 19, 2008, not a single one of those engines is in service.

Metrolink has been promising new equipment for years. For several years it has been leasing entire trains from the Seattle and San Jose rail systems to deal with a shortfall while it continues to lose existing equipment from crashes and old age while quadrupling weekend trains over the past two years.

In the November 2006 Matters, Metrolink teased, "We expect those new cars to begin entering service in December 2008."

In the November 2007 issue, it back-tracked. "The first of the new cars are expected to be on the rails by the fourth quarter of 2009."

And then in the December 2007 issue, it announced "New Cars -- Delivery Delayed" with a "delay of up to six months from our earlier projections. Projected delivery of the new cars has been pushed back to start in the middle of 2009."

Well, call me stupid, but if I add a six-month delay to the fourth quarter of 2009, that puts me into the middle of 2010.

So much for Metrolink's promises. But it keeps making promises, instead of actually delivering on them. It's all about perception, you know.

The only thing you can rely on is that Metrolink will deliver on its promises to increase fares (7% last year and 11% this year) for existing passengers and that it will say its sorry when the passengers are delayed for hours.

I wish reporters and bloggers for the Times and the other media in Southern California would stop being so lazy and get their information from someone other than the Metrolink PR people, of which there are legions. If they actually did a little research or spoke to critics, they may actually have some news worth reporting.

[John]

I'm overseas and am planning on visiting LA in July and using the train to get from the airport (LAX) to some of the downtown tourist sites. I hope I don't get mugged or killed.

[john]

I'm from overseas. Will I be mugged of killed if I use the train to get around LA? Such a lovely place...

[NuShrike]

It's July 2008.. What little Metrolink information inside Google Transit is now entirely GONE, as in WIPED.

It's pointless to rely on these public agencies that have no personal, executive, nor fined care attached to making the schedule this available to the public.

This is most egregiously malicious now that gas prices have gone up and driving people toward public transit, but there's little return from tax payer money to support the people.