Mobile Schedule Options?

[mattapoisett]

I have been tryig to use Public Transit more and more which means buses and I frequently find myself somewhere, needing to find a way to get somewhere else unplanned. I've tried to load the SoCalTransport trip planner site and it doesn't work even though I can enter data into the trip planner from Metro.net I can download PDFs of schedules from Metro and Culver City Bus, but am unable to zoom into them enough to be able to read them on My Treo. Google Transit does not support LACMTA, Culver City Bus or most of the options in SoCal.

Is there another website which might be helpful in this instance?

Take Care

- P.

[wad]

Metrolink is the only one with PDA-specific schedules.

If I need a schedule, I'd try to make my own.

If you enough about what file formats your device uses, convert them into a format suited for the PDA from Excel.

Find a schedule and type in the first lines of the timetable.

Then use this formula =sum(Above cell+(Frequency/1440)) and convert the cells to time. This process only takes a few minutes.

[dasubergeek]

I have the same problem, mostly that Metrolink don't support BlackBerry. When I e-mailed them they said they weren't sure there was demand.

...um, what?

[nickv]

Hopefully this map I'm putting together will help for now; no schedules but the map is color coded by frequency. I've been trying to put together a series of regional transit maps of SoCal, color coded by service frequency. I'm still learning to figure out how to overlay it into google maps. Note that the map also includes both the portions of the Expo and Gold lines currently under construction:

picasaweb.google.com/nventrone1/LosAngelesAreaTransitLines/photo?authkey=OnQA6XKxg8k#5105813463571433954

(Public Disclaimer - This map is checked for accuracy; however since changes do occur I cannont be responsible for any variations from the information printed. This map is presented on an "as-is" basis and I assume no liability for damages arising from errors or omissions)

The Metro Rail Lines are coded by their colors with dots indicating the station stops; same for Metro Rapid.

Color code key (Wait time between busses):

Local & Rapid Service on Weekdays and Saturdays (to keep the map simple, I omitted Sunday & Holiday service):
White: <15 mins weekdays , <15 mins Saturdays (Go Metro without a timetable)
Ivory: <15mins weekdays, 16 mins - 35 mins Saturday
Yellow: 16 mins - 35 mins weekdays and Saturdays
Dark Yellow: 16 mins - 35 mins weekdays, 35 mins+ Saturdays
Green: 35 mins - hourly weekdays and Saturdays
Dark Green: 35 mins - hourly weekdays, 65 mins+ Saturdays
Thin Green: 65 mins+ or limited service Weekdays and Saturdays

Local Service Weekdays Only:
Thick Dark Aqua: <35 mins
Dark Aqua: 35-65 mins
Thin Dark Aqua: 65 mins+ or limited service
Thin Dark Blue: Rush Hour Trips Only

Express Busses & Trains:
Thick Lighter Blue: <15mins weekdays, <35 mins Saturday
Thick Cyan: 15-35mins weekdays, <65 mins Saturday
Thinner Cyan: 35-65mins weekdays, 65 mins+ Saturday
Thin Cyan: 65 mins+ or limited service Weekdays and Saturdays
Thin Dark Blue: Weeday or Rush Hour Trips Only
Very Thin Blue: Less Than Daily Service

[mattapoisett]

Thanks for the Suggestions. They are not quite what I need.

I can view excel files but would need a lot of bus lines in the Database and I don't know the system well enough yet to make this plan work.

and the Jpeg is not in my hood and still hard to see on a Treo.

I have e-mailed LACMTA about trip planner and there has been no response as of yet.

[wad]

In my experience, when buses are scheduled to run more frequently than 15 minutes, the schedules are useless. You just wait for the bus to show up. Focus on 20 minute and less services.

[nickv]

In my experience, when buses are scheduled to run more frequently than 15 minutes, the schedules are useless. You just wait for the bus to show up. Focus on 20 minute and less services.

That's actually one of the points of why I'm putting maps like these together.

Bus lines on my map that are illustrated white (Monday-Saturday), or ivory (Monday-Friday) run more frequently than 15 minutes; so other than checking on the span of service or frequency of night or owl service, you really don't need a timetable to ride these lines for daytime trips.

For example, one can travel between LAUS and Ontario Airport without a timetable by taking the Silver Streak to the Pomona TC (about an hour long trip); from Pomona, transfer to Omnitrans Line 61 which runs every 15 minutes everyday for about a 50 minute ride along Holt Bl to the airport. Certainly the time to travel between LAUS and Ontario Airport (about 2 hours) can be greatly improved, but we do have some sort of alternative.

[mattapoisett]

Ask and you shall receive.

metro.net/mobile

metro.net/news_info/press/metro_184.htm