Google Maps Adds Public Transit Layer
- Posted by: Andrew Price
- on January 14, 2009 at 7:49 pm
Excellent news: Google has added a new layer to their maps application that will overlay local public transportation routes on top of your map and give you clear travel directions via public transportation in over 50 cities including Chicago, Portland, San Francisco, and Seattle in the United States.
It’s hard to overestimate, I think, how many people choose driving over public transportation because it requires less planning. You don’t need to do any research to get in your car and drive somewhere. Public transportation schedules, on the other hand, can be dauntingly Byzantine. The incentive to familiarize yourself with public transportation routes is especially low in cities with spotty coverage where public transportation is only sometimes practical. And then it’s easy to slip into a completely car-oriented life.
I hope Google expands this option to other cities (Los Angeles?) soon.
The Google LatLong blog has the details, including the full list of cities where the transit layer is available.
Via PSFK.
DISCUSSION: 9 Comments
Great news!
Compare to my map of Seattle Transit Areas and you can clearly see what transit systems are covered there (Metro and ST). And the route lines look so neat and tidy inside my green and blue blobs.
Nice work, Anonymous.
That got me wondering if anyone had made a similar map for Los Angeles. I didn’t find one, but I quickly got distracted by a post from the LA Times. Apparently Google has to negotiate with each transit body to get permission to use their schedules in Google Transit. And it isn’t always easy:
“Two sources, speaking on background, said there are several issues that need to be resolved. One is boring and involves data formatting. The other is not and involves whether Google intends to make money from advertising placed on the maps. Like all transit agencies, Metro is cash-strapped and looking for new revenue and apparently doesn’t want
to give proprietary information to a firm that may profit.”
Some sort of profit-sharing arrangement for ads served on the relevant transit page might make sense.
i like this news!
This feature on the Maps application on the iPhone is really handy. I use it all the time locally and when I travel.
def. cool, but they’ve already had some stuff up for a while. i’ve been checking how to get places using public trans. here in jena, germany for a while on gmaps (just had to look for the little bus/street car icons). better is always. . .better, though.
bah humbug! metro.net sucks with their proprietary system!!!argh props 2 u guys and LAist…
It’s also added to Dallas of all places!
A great layer of information to be included.