MBTA May Text Commuters Updates
System Still Years From Implementation
POSTED: 6:57 am EDT August 29, 2008
UPDATED: 7:21 am EDT August 29, 2008
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BOSTON -- The MBTA said it hopes to take the guessing game out of commutes soon by providing riders with a new system that will tell them when the next train or bus will arrive.
VideoNewsCenter 5's Steve Lacy reported that the aim is to drive more people to public transportation by taking the guesswork out of travel times.Some of the ideas include LED signs at bus and subway stations, similar to those already in use on the Silver Line, or a system that sends text messages to riders' cell phones.A number would be assigned to each bus stop and people could text the number to the MBTA to get an estimated time of arrival. The MBTA is currently seeking bids for the multimillion-dollar project, which is still several years away from implementation.The 'T' hopes to have a similar system in use on the commuter rail by next spring. By the end of the year, the MBTA plans to have GPS systems installed on most of its buses, which would make the real-time updates more of a reality.
VideoNewsCenter 5's Steve Lacy reported that the aim is to drive more people to public transportation by taking the guesswork out of travel times.Some of the ideas include LED signs at bus and subway stations, similar to those already in use on the Silver Line, or a system that sends text messages to riders' cell phones.A number would be assigned to each bus stop and people could text the number to the MBTA to get an estimated time of arrival. The MBTA is currently seeking bids for the multimillion-dollar project, which is still several years away from implementation.The 'T' hopes to have a similar system in use on the commuter rail by next spring. By the end of the year, the MBTA plans to have GPS systems installed on most of its buses, which would make the real-time updates more of a reality.Copyright 2008 by TheBostonChannel.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
