new paradigm
GOOGLE TRANSIT
prepared by
TransitHead, LLC
http://www.transithead.com
TransitHead, LLC

“When an organization seeks to serve
the user’s full trip and addresses the
broader outcomes of how these trips are
to be served, partnerships are
inevitable” (TRCP rpt 53 pg85).

Google Transit?
• It is an online, destination-based trip planner
• In May 2008, Community Transportation Association
of America (CTAA) held a webinar on Google Transit.
As part of the session a poll was taken from members
and affiliates. They found:
– 39% knew of Google Maps
– 45% knew of Google Transit
– 41% of the transportation agencies surveyed
use automated scheduling software
– 100% feel it would be useful

History of Google Transit
• Google allows their employees
to spend “twenty percent of their
Other Graduates
weekly work hour allocation to
work on any projects they want a Google Maps: View maps, get driving
directions, and search for local businesses and
week” (Wei 1) services.
800-GOOG-411: Search for local businesses
using your voice, from any phone, for free.
– Called Google Labs Google Scholar: Search through journal
articles, abstracts and other scholarly
• In October 2007, Google Transit literature.
Google SMS (US): Get precise answers to
graduated from Google Labs. specialized queries from your mobile phone or
device.
• In June 2007, Google Transit was Search by Location: Restrict your search to
a particular geographic area.
integrated into Google Maps and Google News Alerts: Specify a topic and
receive email updates when news breaks.
Google Earth. And many more…
Source: http://labs.google.com/

Evaluating Trip Planners
(Agency)
SUPPLY
(Rider)
DEMAND
In response to rising fuel, maintenance and labor costs
•
– Rider demand and agency need increase for online trip
planning applications
The reasons:
•
– easy way for new riders to learn transit systems
– enables personalization (21st century priority)
– familiar operating platform (Google Maps)

Cost of Trip Planners
• In 2002, Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP)
released a report entitled, Effective Use of Transit
Websites
– 47 agencies participated
• They reported:
– A trip planner estimated developing costs range from
$75,000 to $1.3 mil
• In addition to the ongoing costs of updating and tweaking
– 13% had a full trip planner on their websites and
– 19% linked to a trip planner typically provided by a regional
transit agency

New Priorities in the Digital Age
• Ancillary projects are the last to get funding and/or completed
• In the same 2002 report by TCRP they made…
Schematic Summary of Transit Website Development Process
Source: TCRP Report 43, pg. 20
• In 2008, Google Transit is a free trip planning alternative
– Enabling agencies to restructure their development processes

SUMMARY OF COST AND ADMINISTRATION OF WEBSITES (2002)
Visitor
No. of
Website Vendors/
Agency No. of
Staffing Updating Sessions
Rail
Administration Consultants
Size Buses
(monthly)
Cars
Primarily internal
Daily, may
200- 33- hosting design, and 50,000 and
Very large 2-3 full-time $0-$300,000 include
1,500 1,000 updating, although up
weekends
some exceptions
Primarily Internal
1-4 times a 10,000-
100- hosting, design, and
Large 25-50 1 full-time $0-$20,000
1,000 updating, although week 70,000
some exceptions
Once a
Hosted externally: No
week to
design and updating
Medium 30-50 0 1 part-time $0-$20,000 information
externally, internally, once a
available
or a mix month
Once a
Hosted externally;
¼ part-time week to
design and updating
Small 15-100 0 $1,000-$5,000 200-6,000
externally, internally, once a
or less
or a mix month
Source: TCRP Report 43, 2002, Pg 49

SUMMARY OF COST AND ADMINISTRATION OF WEBSITES (2002)
Google Transit Equals Visitor
No. of
Website Vendors/
Agency No. of
Staffing Updating Sessions
Rail
Administration Consultants
Size Buses
(monthly)
Cars
Primarily internal
Daily, may
200- 33- hosting design, and 50,000 and
• No development costs
Very large 2-3 full-time $0-$300,000 include
1,500 1,000 updating, although up
weekends
some exceptions
• Minimal staffing needed 1-4 times a
Primarily Internal
10,000-
100- hosting, design, and
Large 25-50 1 full-time $0-$20,000
1,000 updating, although
• Eligible for federal and state
week 70,000
some exceptions
matching funds Once a
Hosted externally: No
week to
design and updating
Medium 30-50 0 1 part-time $0-$20,000 information
externally, internally, once a
• under “New Technology”month available
or a mix
Once a
Hosted externally;
¼ part-time week to
design and updating
Small 15-100 0 $1,000-$5,000 200-6,000
externally, internally, once a
or less
or a mix month
Source: TCRP Report 43, 2002, Pg 49

A New Paradigm
NUMBER OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
SERVICE PROVIDERS BY MODE (USA)
MODE NUMBER
• Google Transit enables Aerial Tramway 3
Automated Guideway Transit 8
interagency and intermodal travel Bus 1,500
Cable Car 1
better than ever before Commuter Rail 22
Ferryboat (b) 47
• 6,435 transportation service Heavy Rail 15
Inclined Plane 4
providers in USA Light Rail 33
Monorail 2
Paratransit 5,960
• Today, 92 North American transit Trolleybus 4
Vanpool 69
systems utilizing Google Transit TOTAL (a) 6,435
(a) Total is not sum of all modes since many providers
operate more than one mode.
(b) Excludes International, rural, rural interstate, island,
and urban park ferries.
Source:http://www.apta.com/research/stats/factbook/docum
ent08/2008_natsummary_final.pdf

North American Coverage
…and counting

Thank You
Visit Http://www.transithead.com
for more information

Sources:
1. Transit Cooperative Research Program. New Paradigms for Local
Public Transportation Organizations, Report 53. Transportation
Research Report. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press, 1999.
2. ––. Effective Uses of Transit Websites, Synthesis 43. Transportation
Research Report. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press, 2002.
3. Wei, Jessica. “Using Google Transit as a Planning and Customer
Information Tool.” Webinar,
Http://web1.ctaa.org/webmodules/webarticles/articlefiles/Google
_Transit_transcript.pdf. 2008.
Fall 2008
TransitHead, LLC http://www.transithead.com