Our Real Time Bus Info System is almost finished! Please read “It’s time to get real” if you aren’t familiar with this exciting new project.
Thank you so much to all of you who have tried out our website while it has been in test mode. We’ve gotten some great feedback and really appreciate your input.
Here are a few updates we’d like to share:
1. The special equipment for the Real Time Bus Info system has now been installed on all of the regular transit buses and trolleys that serve our Pinellas routes. The coach-style buses that run Routes 100X and 300X are still being wired up and we hope they’ll be done shortly.
2. The email and text alerts are working! Please sign yourself up for some alerts and try it out.
3. Our project vendor has assured us that we’ll be getting a software update at the end of the month that will add the ability for you to type in a specific Bus Stop #.
4. Once the Bus Stop # feature is active we intend to start installing the Real Time Bus Info signs below our new bus stop signs. The signs will explain all the ways to access Real Time Info, including text messaging (you’ll send a text with PSTA followed by your bus stop number to a special phone number and the system will text you back with a list of the next few buses serving that stop!).
We love feedback, so please share your thoughts, comments, kudos, whatever, by commenting on this post or by sending email to ride@psta.net.
Your Editor,
Cyndi Raskin-Schmitt
p.s. In case you don’t have the online site bookmarked yet, click here to try it out!
Ride PSTA 
I LOVE using the Trolly, though the same comment always comes up, when will it get here?? Although there is scheduled times, traffic and unseen time delays changes that on a reg basis. I don’t think it would be that much in cost to install GPS on each trolly and make a App for your phone, to track where it is on the route. so you will know, without standing there for a hour or missing it all together… I know myself we have scrapped ridding a few times because of this, if this was installed I would ride it at least once a week…
The Real Time Bus Info system will do exactly what you’re describing. When we say “bus” here at PSTA we really mean buses and trolleys – the equipment is on all of our vehicles. We plan to make our real time data “open source,” which means anyone with the ability will be able to write their own apps using our data and make their app available via the various app stores out there. Thanks for riding!
I just used the site to locate a bus just now and the improvements sound great. Also it was very accurate my bus was 3min late and it came exactly then. Thanks guys!
That’s fabulous, thanks for the feedback!
Something else that may be of help to the passengers…..if a bus breaks down, is involved in an accident or delayed by an accident. perhaps there could be a way to get that information to show up on the Real time signs at the Terminals and Transfer points. This I feel would give them time to make any travel changes, such as taking a different route to help them get to where they need to go… instead of standing around for excessive amounts of time and becoming very angry and belligerent by the time a bus finally shows up. This to me is Good Customer Service~!
why are the restrooms locked during peak hours. why non english speaking workers walking around being disrespectful .The Clearwater hub at Park Street and The Grand Central hub at St Petersburg?? I’m sure some redblooded Americans need work. But I see the people linig their pockets are over looking the people who put them position to make all the wrong decisions that are being made these days to insure the homeless continue to be homeless!!
Calvin – can you tell me which restrooms you’re referring to being closed? What time is that you’re trying to access them? Some of the restrooms are on automatic time locks – knowing when and where you’re having trouble will help us look into it. Thanks, Cyndi
The news that your are making the data open source is great. I have built an app that uses your app’s info until an API is released. A test version is at busstopapp.nfshost.com at the moment if you would like to check it out. It isn’t done but I use it everyday on my android phone.
We’ll have the developer info ready to share soon!
Out developer site is up! Visit PSTA.net and click the real time tab, or visit yesterday’s blog post!
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