DC’s Dr. Gridlock Suggests NextBus Maps to Put Riders Where They Need to Be

Filed Under Feature Stories, Municipal Transit, Success Stories

In Major Metropolitan Areas, Detailed and Current Maps with All Routes Can Improve on What’s Available in Print and PDF Format

When using large, complex public transportation systems, passengers often find it challenging to understand unfamiliar routes and bus stops. But, as they increase their reliance on public transportation they need to obtain accurate location information so that they can be in the right place at the right time in order to keep to their schedules.

The well-known DC transportation blogger, Dr. Gridlock, suggested to a frustrated rider, who found print or PDF versions unhelpful, that he consider using NextBus Google maps as his primary guide to figuring out where he was and where he wanted to go: “But you might get some satisfaction out of Metro’s NextBus page online. I’ve been using it to help track down the location of stops, in addition to its primary purpose of telling people when the next bus is going to arrive there.”

As an example, this map of the route in Chevy Chase, Maryland, enables you to drill down for find the exact location of the bus stop nearest you. It incorporates Google’s hybrid mapping capability so that you can identify landmarks to better orient yourself. Of course, it also shows you the precise location of the next bus as well.

The map is easy to navigate and to manipulate so that riders can position themselves precisely. That’s a lot simpler than trying to work with a paper map or taking the time to view or print out a static PDF file. And, that makes for a lot more happy public transit passengers.

Click here to link to the page that will generate your example map.

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