Just in case you missed this, some amazing news from the CTA:Chicago Transit Authority President Richard L. Rodriguez today announced that a pilot version of the highly anticipated CTA Train Tracker will be launched in early January via a dedicated website. Customers using desktop computers or mobile web-enabled devices, such as iPhones, BlackeBerries or smartphones, will be able to access estimated arrival times for trains on all eight rail lines."Following the popularity of Bus Tracker, the CTA has been developing a similar tool for riders to get estimated arrival times for trains," said Rodriguez. "We are just as eager as our customers for this pilot program to launch so that our rail customers have the information they need to better plan their trips and make their experience on the CTA even more convenient and reliable."
This is great news. We're huge fans of the CTA's Bus Tracker and anything that is remotely similar is an improvement in our mind. However the CTA did warn that this is a "Beta" version and probably won't be as accurate initially as the Bus Tracker.
For those of you who are really interested in the technology read this interesting post on the CTA Tattler.
Anything is better then the system we have now (which is looking down the tracks to see if a train is coming)!
(Image From: Transitchicago.com)
6 comments:
I would love to see this work, but I remember them putting in the LCD screens at the stops promising arrival times on approaching trains (similar to Wash DC). That lasted for about a week before they turned into full-time advertisements.
The bus tracker is the best thing to ever happen to the CTA. I can avoid shivering at the bus stop and now wait indoors until I see the bus 3-5 mins away on the tracker. Hopefully the same is true of the train tracker for those who make use of the el.
FINALLY!! I have written CTA about this several times! Always seemed weird that they could track buses (not well), but not trains that were ON THEIR TRACKS!
Am I the only one who've been using apps like AnyStop Chicago all along?
The Map app that is included on the iPhone does a decent job of giving an arrival time for the most part when I use the L. I do wonder where the app gets the info. In any case, CTA's Train Tracker is a step forward. The fact that this thought was executed is amazing. Next step, new L trains please.
this is a great idea... until you have 50 people rushing to catch the train at the same time. I can just see the race own the subway stairs...
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