Google Maps for Dayton transportation website

[eleggua76]

If you want to know the Dayton RTA routes and view the location of the buses then check out the website I'm building -
http://geek-mafia.appspot.com/

It is based on Google Maps and shows the bus routes and schedules.  At this point I'm looking for feedback about what features to add next and what people like and dislike about the site.  Currently 5 routes are mapped and adding a route takes me a few hours to generate the GPS data such as location of the stops and to convert the timetable posted on the Dayton RTA website to the Google Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) format my system uses.

When I know that there is some local interest in a cool transportation website I'll add the features people request.

The DMM board should be very useful for me - I was born and raised in Dayton but spent the last 15 years elsewhere so I have few local contacts.  I appreciate all feedback on the site, positive or negative.  I am aware of 1 technical issue currently in the Mozilla browser the page does not always come up and you must repeatedly click "Refresh" until the map shows.  No known issues in Safari or Chrome.

[Murf]

How cool! Thanks eleggua76. I like what you've done. Any chance you can add routes 14 and 17?

And welcome to the DMM Forum!

[eleggua76]

You got it Murf, I'll start on both today and they'll be up today or by this Thurs. latest.  If I knew there was interest I would have all the routes completed by now but I'm still looking for ideas on how to advertise the site.  It is easier to do the work when you know it will be used by someone.
I'll add those 2 routes instead of making a moving green bus icon today, that is another upcoming feature so you will know the direction the bus is travelling without having to wait for the map to update every few seconds.

[eleggua76]

Route 14 is up and a 3rd cup of coffee seems irresistible at this point before completing the next route.

I may have placed the stops for the new Wright Stop plaza downtown a little off, the official website is not fully updated with the correct route 14 map.

[eleggua76]

For the Dayton website I have to spend a lot of time entering data which the Dayton RTA already has, my expertise is software development.  That is what I enjoy and how I can add value.  Simply put, I'm going to invest more energy mapping a city like Austin, Texas, they, like many other agencies, publicly release their data to encourage developers to make applications.  Here is their link:
http://developer.trimet.org/

In New York City people are clamoring for the data and one group made a website explaining the pros:
http://nytransitdata.org/

If you like interactive maps that cost the customers and agency nothing then ask the Dayton RTA to release the data and you have my word I'll add every route.

[Murf]

Thanks again eleggua76 for putting this stuff together. A wee correction- looks like you listed the link to the Portland Trimet system, not Austin's.

On a somewhat related note- would you consider putting together something similar for our regional bike trails? My wife asked me last night about the distance from the bike hub at 675/35 to Xenia. I found a gob of maps for the local trails but some are listed under Mont. Co, some under Greene, etc., and the system works fine if you know the specific name of a trail. If one doesn't know the trail name. it takes a bit of wandering about to find the info. There seems to be no simple, systematic way of finding info on a trail. One advantage of a project like that is that the info IS probably available online- you won't have to depend on the cooperation of RTA.   

What do you think?

[eleggua76]

I would consider putting something together for the local bike trails but I need to know the amount of work involved.  Can you start another thread and describe in more detail what you want and where I can find the routes you want included and other relevant info? 

[Murf]

Yep, will do. Stay tuned. :-)