Comments on: Just in Time for Tomorrow’s Memorial, Google Transit Arrives in L.A.

By: Karen

Karen — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 20:38:22 +0000

I just tried it again, and now I get my station, so there have definitely been some improvements already

By: Stephen

Stephen — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 01:43:56 +0000

@ Karen: That’s a good find. The probable reason for that is b/c Google hasn’t figured out that there is a walking route from your dead end street to the station, so it routes you around. It does the same if I search Union Station and I’m trying to get to the El Monte Busway Station, it tells me to take a bus from Patsauras all the way around to Alameda, because it doesn’t understand the tunnel underneath the tracks.

By: Damien Newton

Damien Newton — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:38:25 +0000

FYI – I should have an update on google transit and Metro tomorrow. I have heard that the system is already getting better.

By: Rich Alossi

Rich Alossi — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:35:32 +0000

Looks like more updates have hit the Google Transit system. A trip from my place in DTLA now recommends a much faster trip to Sylmar via Metrolink, instead of the Red Line + bus. This is awesome! Now just add the Flyaway data…

By: Karen

Karen — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:36:33 +0000

My street dead-ends into a Gold Line station, but Google Transit has me bus to a different station in the wrong direction to get on board.

I’m sure it’s just a matter of giving it time to shake out the bugs, though.

By: Rich Alossi

Rich Alossi — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:01:20 +0000

One thing I don’t like is the inconsistent application of Metrolink schedules. Example: For me to get from Union Station to a friend’s place in Cypress/OC, Google suggests the Orange County Metrolink line. To get to Chatsworth, it recommends the Ventura County Metrolink line.

But to get from Union Station to Sylmar/San Fernando Metrolink? It has me taking the Red Line to a bus, instead of suggesting the much-faster Antelope Valley Metrolink line.

Also, Google needs to include Flyaway schedules. I shudder to think how many people will think the only way to get Downtown from LAX is a 2-hour local bus ride.

By: calwatch

calwatch — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 07:24:35 +0000

Google Transit is probably using the normal algorithm it uses to plan vehicle trips, which generally considers a geographically shorter trip than a trip with fewer connections – although that breaks down big time for transit.

By: Davidagalvan

Davidagalvan — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 06:47:39 +0000

I find it depends heavily on the time you request. When multiple routes are available, it seems to suggest the route that starts soonest first.

Also, perhaps the rapids aren’t included in this dataset somehow?

I used it on my iPhone today to get from Pasadena to long beach, and it worked a treat when I missed a train and wanted to know when my new connection times would be.

Heck the mta trip planner gives you weird routing too, but the google directions are so much less of a hassle to use. Way better.

By: Wad

Wad — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 06:42:35 +0000

Angle wrote:

It’s already confusing enough to use LA’s transit system if you’re going somewhere unfamiliar

The buses that most people use stick to one street.

You have to find it pretty terrifying that people who can’t grasp this fact are somehow determined in the eyes of the law to have the skilled deemed fit to operate a multiton piece of machinery capable of traveling at high speeds.

By: 72HW

72HW — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 05:02:12 +0000

Really am interested to see how the Jacko Bash affects the city tomorrow, the real circus rolls in a day later though right?

Anyway, the Google Transit thing is cool – though my daily commute is most efficiently done using public transit in a wholly different way than Google recomends. Rather than putting me on the LRT, it chooses a much slower bus route on surface streets using Metro to hook up with the muni bus line.

Makes me wonder if other routes might be slowed down by bad recommendations.

By: Rosemary

Rosemary — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 05:02:11 +0000

Yes, weird routing indeed. I entered my commute to work and instead of taking the rapid (which I already do), it suggests taking only local lines which of course doubles my commute time. I’m hopeful though! As others have mentioned, I think it will prove much more user friendly to new riders than metro trip planner.

By: angle

angle — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 02:20:52 +0000

An automated transit planning system needs to be sophisticated enough to figure out routes that are efficient and trustworthy, otherwise no one is going to use it. It’s not that hard to build an application that can offer multiple choices depending on a given person’s willingness to walk or bike to a subway station, or deal with variables like how many transfers are reasonable for a single trip.

It’s already confusing enough to use LA’s transit system if you’re going somewhere unfamiliar – people will just jump in their cars if they can’t easily get reliable and complete information about how it works.

By: JRider

JRider — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 23:35:46 +0000

As far as the hypothetical trip from Woodland Hills to Staples Center, the person didn’t ask how to get from an Orange Line station to the Staples Center, but rather from their home. It’s no wonder that Google complied with the request and computed a complete transit trip from the home, involving many more buses. It’s not a bug and it’s not an issue with Metro and Google.

By: Damien Newton

Damien Newton — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 22:24:24 +0000

And, don’t plan on taking your bike on Metrolink tomorrow.

http://www.metrolinktrains.com/news/?id=4101

By: Damien Newton

Damien Newton — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:42:48 +0000

David, I actually moved an appointment for Downtown tomorrow because I decided that since I had the option of staying away from that mess, I would.

Spokker, It’s unreal to me that they would even consider shutting down the Blue Line. Just unreal. It’s like they want people to have no option but to drive there.

Also, I’m glad to see the Dodger Stadium Parking lot is finally achieving a higher purpose: that of a drive-through.

By: Spokker

Spokker — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:52:29 +0000

They are saying that Blue Line service is not guaranteed tomorrow. It can be shut down at any time.

This is really getting out of control. I wonder if the people who work in Downtown LA are pissed that they are going to have to bum rush their asses into downtown to get to work while these people find the time to go mourn a stranger.

By: David Galvan

David Galvan — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:20:38 +0000

As for the memorial: I would usually be traveling from Pasadena to Long Beach using transit around noon on Tuesdays, however I do not want to be anywhere near the staples center during the memorial, so I will actually be driving and taking the 710 all the way, rather than using the gold/red/blue lines. I’m worried that the blue line will be extremely packed or even delayed with the 700K people that are expected to be in and around Staples center tomorrow. Am I chicken little?

By: David Galvan

David Galvan — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:14:04 +0000

As far as I can tell, even with sometimes-weird routing, it’s still way better than the MTA trip planner. And, if you do get a weird route, at least the map is right there in front of you and you can use that to brainstorm a change.

One annoyance as of right now: L.A. DOT buses (and presumably buses from other municipal agencies) aren’t included, just MTA bus and rail.