OneBusAway is doing another round of user research to update their work done in 2009 and they would like your input. Info below:
Three years and many changes later, the UW team that runs OneBusAway is again looking for feedback about the service. Please respond if you are a current OneBusAway user or if you ever have used the service in the past three years. The web survey can be accessed here and will typically take around 10-15 minutes to complete. Those who take the survey will also be eligible to win a $25 dollar iTunes gift card. The survey is anonymous and will provide information related to transit use, real-time information and current OneBusAway issues. Your participation is appreciated.
You can take the survey here.
Done! My comment was that good real-time information increases the number of trips I make by a modest amount, but bad real time information decreases the number of trips I make much more significantly. The relationship for me is asymmetric.
From what I’ve seen comparing OBA’s results to Metro’s official tracker app, the bad information is coming from Metro, and simply being repeated by OBA.
+1
Since the source data reliability issues are so well known, I commented mostly on the UI for the iPhone app. I really wish the mobile apps had more of the functionality of the website, specifically the ability to set custom multiple-stop views and the ability to look up complete timetables. If I’m at a dinner in Ballard and I want to know two hours in advance when I need to leave to get back to Capitol Hill (via 18->8?, 17->8?, 44->43? etc…), it’d be nice to be able to pull up full schedules.
I made the exact same suggestions, albeit for the Android app.
I usually use Google Maps for timetables more than 30 minutes in advance. Except for the few days right after a schedule change, when I go straight to Metro/ST’s website (even though it’s more cumbersome, can trust it better to contain the most up-to-date information).
One word (well 4 actually)
GIGO.
What’s the point of doing more surveys if they haven’t got accurate data in the system?
I’d use it if it worked, but at the moment it’s useless.
Ummm… I think your comment is exactly what they are trying to learn about.
MT 255 data has been FUBAR for quite some time.
I have similar comments re: Zack Shaner’s: I wish the app for the iPhone was designed better. By the time I figure out how to input what I want for where I am, a bus has arrived…..I consider the app for phones most important since that’s how we’re accessing the info as we stand on the street waiting. Thanks.
I used to be a real champion of OneBusAway, but over the last couple of months I’ve been really disappointed in OBA since many of the results tell me of buses that never arrive or the site and the phone interface tell me that a bus is “scheduled” rather than saying arriving tells me that the system doesn’t know where a bus is. It’s often in such situations that the scheduled bus never shows up. If I can’t count on some accuracy in the system it means that the system is broken and for all intents and purposes is worthless if you can’t count on it for information.
The data has gotten much better over the last month or so. Data issues were coming form Metro’s data, not OBA.
I find it has its good days and its bad days. On good days, I can arrive at the stop and have a good idea what’s coming and make my decision on what bus to ride accordingly. I took a completely unknown route once and it performed perfectly, telling me what buses to take and when they would arrive.
On other occasions, it’s really weird. Like yesterday it didn’t show the stops at NE 45th and Roosevelt at all.
In the evenings, the northbound 60 can arrive at stops earlier than OBA says it will, making it hard to know when to be at the stop.