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.
Jun
4
Surprising Public Transit Trend: Young People Losing Love Affair with Cars
Filed Under Municipal Transit, Sustainability, Transit Trends, Transportation Trends | Leave a Comment
Bad News for Auto Makers but Good News for Sustainable Transportation
Although Ad Age is a surprising source for public transit information, their recent article about a transformative transportation trend highlighted research that has powerful implications for the future of buses, trains, and automobiles One quick snippet: In 1978, 75% of American 17-year-olds had drivers licenses. 30 years later fewer than half were licensed to drive.
As Ad Age indicates, there is a sea change in behavior among young people that suggests fewer cars on the road and more bus and train riders in the years to come:
The automobile, once a rite of passage for American youth, is becoming less relevant to a growing number of people under 30. And that could have broad implications for marketers in industries far beyond insurance, gasoline and retail.
In fact, the trend extends to overall driving behavior among those 30 or younger who accounted for just 13.7% of miles driven in 2009 versus 20.8% in 1995–that’s an astonishing drop of 34%.
The phenomenon apparently springs from the new digital culture in which young people are so attached to smart phones and other electronic devices that they will readily swap the freedom of car driving for the luxury of interacting with their smart phones, games or more recently, their iPads.
In addition, young people value their time and find that they can work during a public transit commute but not in their cars on the freeway. And, there is also a fair degree of sensitivity to issues of transportation sustainability.
Fewer Drivers Mean More Trains May Be on the Way
Today, only 30 of the 100 metropolitan areas that account for 75% of American population have trains, but, pressure is intensifying to build more. For example, Denver, Charlotte, N.C., and Portland, Ore., are developing systems while Cincinnati is debating the development of a streetcar system that would link its downtown with uptown neighborhoods increasingly popular with young professionals.
The bottom line: The shift away from young folks’ passion for automobiles represents a long-term trend and not a blip on the radar screen. It suggests that there will be a greater aggregation of population in urban centers and a concomitant need for more reliable public transportation.
Oct
12
Slippery Rock University Student Government Association Implements NextBus Solution
Filed Under Feature Stories, Financing University Systems, Real-time Passenger Information Systems, Sustainability, University Transit | Leave a Comment
The Happy Bus System Will Now Make Riders Even Happier By Getting Them Where They Want to Go On-Time
Faculty and staff, as well as Slippery Rock University students, are now just one phone call away from tracking the arrival of the next bus. The Student Government Association(SGA) recently installed the GPS-based NextBus passenger information system on the campus buses it operates to help SRU become more environmentally friendly while providing up-to-date bus stop information.
The SGA Shuttle made its debut route around the campus loop in January of 1994. The Shuttle, or the "Happy Bus" as it’s affectionately known to many students, has been a Slippery Rock icon ever since.
The Shuttle takes trips to various regional shopping centers throughout the year. In August of 2008, a second Shuttle was added and new routes were created to get students where they need to be.
The nine-stop, on-campus 20-minute route runs 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays; the 12-stop, off-campus 30-minute loop runs 7:20 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. The evening route runs 4:30-9 p.m., and the late-night bus, operated Thursday through Saturday, runs 10 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.
Passengers can now access information about the popular “Happy Bus” schedules either by a dedicated phone line or by selecting “Slippery Rock University” on the NextBus.com website. The system tracks both the on-campus bus and its off-campus cousin that travels to area apartment complexes and stores.
Improving Sustainability with Leading Edge Technology
Tyson Johnston, SGA vice president for public relations, said the idea for the bus schedule computer systems was submitted by SGA to the Green Fund last spring.
“We applied for a Green Fund Grant for $20,000 to help pay for the system, and were selected to receive funding,” Johnston said.
The new systems cost $40,000 with SGA funds covering the remaining half.
“They can hop on a nice warm bus and come to campus,” Johnston said. In addition to saving time, riding the bus will also help faculty and staff save money on gasoline.
Johnston said the system also allows the SGA to count the number of passengers on the buses at any given time as well as track at which stops passengers are getting off.
“Those reports are helpful because it lets us know which stops are being used, which aren’t, and it allows us to make our schedule better,” Johnston said.
One commenter to a NextBus article in the student news site,TheOnlineRocket.com indicated how useful the new system can be:
You can use your Smartphone to get the arrivals information, you can use SMS Texting, you can set alarms that tell you when the bus is coming a set number of minutes before it is predicted to arrive, i.e. send an alert 12 minutes before the bus is predicted in real time to arrive at my stop every weekday morning.
NextBus Info Simplifies System Management
Reporting tools enable efficient operation of the shuttle system. For example, SGA’s Johnston noted that the system also allows the SGA to count the number of passengers on the buses at any given time as well as track at which stops passengers are getting off.
“Those reports are helpful because it lets us know which stops are being used, which aren’t, and it allows us to make our schedule better,” Johnston said.
All in all, the NextBus system will improve transportation life for both riders and managers.
Nov
30
How to Get to Carfree Cities: The Technology Component
Filed Under Best Practices, Feature Stories, Municipal Transit, Real-time Passenger Information Systems, Sustainability, Transit Trends, Transportation Trends | Leave a Comment
Our Director of Engineering Points the Way to the Future of Public Transportation
If your community is trying to lessen its dependence on automobiles to improve the collective quality of life, you may be able to adapt this insightful presentation that Mike Smith delivered at the “2008 Towards Carfree Cities” conference in Portland Oregon.
He emphasized that technology needs to be part of the public transit solution–with real-time information at the heart of 21st century bus and rail systems.
Enjoy and share Mike’s presentation below:
Jul
10
NextBus is Key Sustainability Component at U of S. Carolina
Filed Under Best Practices, Feature Stories, Sustainability, University Transit | Leave a Comment
NextBus technology powers 50% increase in student ridership
The University of South Carolina takes sustainability seriously. They apply the concept of sustainability broadly throughout the campus in everything from green buildings to student transportation. NextBus has been able to play an important role in developing a more sustainable transportation environment.