Bus Tracker Pilot Launched on #20 Madison Route
- By Kevin Zolkiewicz
The CTA today announced the launch of the “Bus Tracker” pilot program. Bus Tracker allows CTA riders to access real-time arrival information for buses on the #20 Madison route.
An LED sign installed inside a bus shelter on Madison at Jefferson displays the estimated arrival of the next two buses.
The information can be viewed online at www.ctabustracker.com using either a Web-enabled computer, PDA, or cell phone. When accessing the Web site from a computer, riders can view a real-time map which pinpoints the locations of all buses on the route.
The CTA has also installed an electronic LED sign inside a bus shelter on Madison at Jefferson. The sign displays estimated arrival times along with the current time and temperature.
Bus Tracker also allows riders to receive alerts when a bus nears their stop. This feature can be accessed by viewing the real-time map and clicking on a bus.
When testing the system for accuracy on the afternoon of August 5, 2006, ChicagoBus.org found buses to be arriving approximately three minutes ahead of Bus Tracker’s estimates. It is likely that the system will be tweaked over the next few months to improve its accuracy.
Bus Tracker uses GPS technology and is powered by Clever Device’s BusTime system. Clever Devices technology also powers automated next-stop announcements on buses as well as passenger tracking devices.
The Bus Tracker pilot program will run through December 2006. The results of the pilot and the availability of funding will determine whether the Bus Tracker system will be expanded to additional routes.