Explore Live NextBus Implementation
We now have more than 50 North American transit systems using real-time reporting on 100s of routes. Please begin with a virtual visit to the new NextBus installation at MIT in Cambridge, MA--and from there to all of our live installations. Click here to begin your exploration.
Mar
14
Whether You are Working or Playing on Ft. Myers Beach Florida, Nextbus Makes Your Travel Day
Filed Under Feature Stories, Municipal Transit, Success Stories | Leave a Comment
A Resort Professional Counts on Our Predictions—and So Do Her Guests
Fort Myers Beach offers year round fun for residents and visitors who use the friendly Beach Trolley to travel the full length of the sun-splashed island.
In turn, the Trolley leverages NextBus to make for an easy riding experience. As we learned recently it’s also a favorite for a professional who works for Sunstream Hotels & Resorts, a hospitality company whose beautiful properties dot the colorful SW Florida landscape.
Clang, Clang Goes the Trolley Up and Down Fort Myers Beach
LeeTran of Fort Myers operates an extensive system of regular buses throughout the city and in surrounding Lee County–an area covering hundreds of square miles. Most of their buses operate along traditional routes with frequent schedules that empower commuters and shoppers who choose public transit over autos.
For beautiful Fort Myers Beach, they do something much different. They operate a classic trolley that covers the length of the barrier island from Fort Myers on the north to Bonita Springs.
In peak season, the trolley is the most sensible way to travel because the single N-S road is jammed with vacationers and snowbirds. This applies as much for local business professionals as it does for visitors and residents.
We were delighted to learn that Stacy Stahl, a Reservations Consultant with Sunstream Hotels & Resorts finds NextBus invaluable:
I wanted to let you know how much I value your NextBus service! I live and work on Fort Myers Beach, and I depend on this service to provide up-to-the-minute information for myself as an Island resident, as I use the trolley for transportation to and from work. It helps me get to and from work on time.
The service is also a very helpful tool for our guests. If they come into our office, I can jump onto your website and let them know when the next trolley will be coming by to take them where they want to go. It’s a great service, and I am going to be sure to let my friends and family know about it so they can be informed about it as well. Keep up the excellent work!
Even in sunny SW Florida, it’s important to know when the next bus—or trolley—is going to arrive. Thanks, Stacy, for sharing your positive thoughts about the value of our predictions for you and for your clients and friends.
Mar
5
Riding Public Transit Saves Mega Bucks for Riders vs. Auto Travel
Filed Under Feature Stories, Municipal Transit, Transit Trends, Transportation Trends | Leave a Comment
More than $12,000/year in San Francisco and $9,000 in Washington, DC
Public transportation riders can save on average $9,242 annually based on the January 11, 2010 national average gas price and the national unreserved monthly parking rate. Of course, they also miss traffic jams—and when NextBus is available as in San Francisco and Washington, DC, they can travel quickly and reliably, too.
Compared to last year at this time, the average cost per gallon of gas was $1.79 which is nearly $1 less than the current price of gas at $2.75 per gallon. This increase in cost equates to an additional $600 in savings per year for transit commuters as compared to last year’s savings amount at this same time.
“The Transit Savings Report” released monthly by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) calculates the average annual and monthly savings for public transit users. The report examines how an individual in a two-person household can save money by taking public transportation and living with one less car.
Transit riders can save on average $770 per month. The savings amount is based on the cost of the national averages for parking and driving, as well as the January 11 national average gas price of $2.75 per gallon for self-serve regular gasoline as reported by AAA.
Taking public transportation provides a safe and affordable way for individuals and families to cut costs, according to APTA. In addition, local public transit offers a travel option that has an immediate positive impact in reducing an individual’s overall carbon footprint while helping reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil.
The national average for a monthly unreserved parking space in a downtown business district is $154.23, according to the 2009 Colliers International Parking Rate Study. Over the course of a year, parking costs for a vehicle can amount to an average of $1,850.
The top 20 cities with the highest transit ridership are ranked in order of their transit savings based on the purchase of a monthly public transit pass and factoring in local gas prices for January 11, 2010 and the local monthly unreserved parking rate.*
Top Twenty Cities – Transit Savings Report
*Based on gasoline prices as reported by AAA on 1/11/10.
City
Monthly Savings
Annual Savings
1
New York
$ 1,147
$ 13,765
2
Boston
$ 1,030
$ 12,362
3
San Francisco
$ 1,013
$ 12,156
4
Chicago
$ 946
$ 11,357
5
Seattle
$ 932
$ 11,185
6
Philadelphia
$ 927
$ 11,121
7
Honolulu
$ 887
$ 10,639
8
Los Angeles
$ 838
$ 10,052
9
San Diego
$ 824
$ 9,894
10
Minneapolis
$ 824
$ 9,884
11
Cleveland
$ 803
$ 9,639
12
Portland
$ 798
$ 9,581
13
Denver
$ 795
$ 9,539
14
Baltimore
$ 782
$ 9,383
15
Miami
$ 752
$ 9,022
16
Washington, DC
$ 751
$ 9,015
17
Dallas
$730
$ 8,756
18
Atlanta
$722
$ 8,658
19
Las Vegas
$716
$ 8,591
20
Pittsburgh
$ 680
$ 8,162
Mar
1
AC Transit Makes Riders’ Lives Better with Bus Shelter Ads
Filed Under Feature Stories, Municipal Transit, Success Stories | Leave a Comment
Easy explanations of how to use NextBus for Efficient Public Transit Travel
The San Francisco Bay area boasts excellent public transit systems in the city itself and in surrounding counties. AC Transit is notable not only for a well-run system, but for its effectiveness in marketing the benefits of public transit to its passengers.
AC Transit is the third-largest bus-only transit system in California, serving over 400 square miles of the East Bay. For over forty years, AC Transit has been dedicated to providing quality mass transit. Every weekday, over 230,000 people ride their fleet of nearly 800 buses. They run buses on 105 routes with more than 6500 stops.
They have committed to NextBus to improve bus travel for their millions of annual passengers. To make the most of their NextBus implementation, they have recently added advertising to their bus shelters. Now, even passersby get the message about how easy it is to use public transit and to stay on time.
Learn about More Examples of Effective Marketing from AC Transit
AC Transit has created ACT for Me as “Your Guide to the Future of Public Transit.” They illustrate why AC Transit should be an integral part of your life by sharing a creative range of content—from user-generated videos, to a savings calculator, to a discussion of community and environment benefits, and the exciting future of transit. Click here to read more about ACTforMe.org