i think it's just natural tendency for people to complain about a transit system..but some are just so damn efficient that you really can't help it but to compare it to vancouver's when you come back.

Yea I'm sure they wished their transit system was just like Vancouver's

You missed my point.

Several times the population equates to a higher number of riders and therefore a business that is able to operate with greater efficiency due to the higher overall revenue. In Vancouver only two buses might realistically be profitable servicing Robson at a given time of day, but to offer the frequency of stops demanded by riders those two buses are operating at optimistically tight schedules. In New York the higher number of riders for the comparable geographic route would allow for three buses to operate at a more realistic schedule, making it easier to stay completely on time.

Overall revenue = greater efficiency? Have you never dealt with a big corporation before?

Pretty sure I got your point. You're saying that it's easier to run a transit system if there's a greater population. Do you honestly think that it would be easier to handle public transit for a city of 10 million vs a town of 10 thousand? Pretty dam sure you are getting mass transportation confused with mass production. They only sound similar. You understand we're talking about moving people here, not making circuit boards right? In NYC there's 10 times the people pouring into downtown every morning. The roads are packed.Bumper to bumper all day long. Think it's as easy as putting a few more buses out there? It just becomes another bus waiting in traffic.

Right, that's exactly what I said in my post

^Sure that's why I started my sentence with "yea". Means I agree.

Transmit GPS coords over cellular data.. If they're tracking their buses, they probably have some already equipped with a data connection.

Here's a real-time map. Watch the buses move, LOL: NextBus Google Map

I agree. I'm just saying some of the criticism is undeserved and people like to exaggerate. Hell people say things like "The SkyTrain breaks down all the time it sucks!" or "our buses are never on time". Then they go on vacation for 2 weeks in another city and come back raving about how amazing their transit system is and how punctual their buses are unlike in Vancouver.

I'm sure there are tons of locals in the other city who bitch and moan about how their buses/trains are "never on time" just like people do here. These people lived there all their lives and experience all the ups and downs with their system that a tourist on vacation will never experience.

Our system will never compare to NYC/LA and other major cities with higher population densities, but it's not as bad as people make it out to be.

There are always pluses and minuses to all systems. I lived in London for 2 years and originally thought London was the most amazing system ever. Then I realized that it isn't - there isn't any AC in the summer, the trains/systems are insanely old - and break down more than any train system I know. Their trains sometimes only run till 11:30 at night - which is ridiculous for a giant city like London. And when it snows 2 inches, most of the trains stop - because they're not all underground.

And I also thought the TTC in Toronto was the most amazing system, then I spent 5 days there - talked to people and realized just how crappy the system was. There are constant delays on the trains - sometimes 15 minutes at a time. The streetcars are horrible and get held up if there's someone turning left. It's also ridiculously stupid that traffic would basically come to a standstill if people are getting on and off the train because the trains run in the middle of the street as opposed to the curb lane.

I took a bus in Vancouver everyday for a few years - and honestly, they've been quite good. The problem with buses are that it doesn't take much to fill a bus up. If you have a class of kids going on a field trip - it'll be full. And some of the routes only have buses every 10-15 minutes because of low ridership - and you can't really book a bus in advanced if you have a big group.

Here we go again... another thread on Translink has regressed into a comparison of systems.

I don't take the bus much, but the Skytrain system, overall, is pretty good. Sure it hiccups once in a while, but the complaints about it breaking down all of the time are greatly exaggerated.

I was in NYC 2 weeks ago and while the subway is decent, it's bloody hot in the stations. Moreover, many of the stations have seen better days. You can't beat the energy in the trains though with random buskers, etc.

I've never had the pleasure of experiencing public transit in Japan, but out of the transit systems I've tried in Asia, North America, and Europe, the only system that is truly great on almost every level is the MTR in Hong Kong.

hope this app is efficient

the text msg for the bus are pretty accurate already too

i wonder if that app is free..

i use googlemaps app for my berry and its pretty accurate already. however, it doesnt take into account when busses are super late

which has only happened once in a whole year

I don't take the bus anymore. Haven't in decades, so this may not be happening anymore, but in the past, some bus drivers would purposely speed through their route to get to their favourite stop to have a longer break. This app back then would have busted those fokkers.

buses have had gps on them for a few years now...it's only a first for the public to be able to track it real time

I'm talking decades ago, LOL............ as in 35 years ago when I was at UBC.

I thought you were 18.

so you are older than those trolley buses from the 60's :okay:

sad, but yes

Sounded like sarcasm

Doesn't look like an app unless they port it over. Seems like a web base for inquiring whereabouts of the bus.
http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/...r/239929a3.jpg
Posted via RS Mobile

Currently when I open the translink app, it just closes instantly and opens safari to the insanely confusing translink route planning site. Someone has to get their shit together.

Yeah they took down the mobile website a few months back when they announced this new one and replaced it with that shitty non-mobile html planning website in the meantime.

anyone try this today?