Metro working out deal with Google

Government

by David Alpert • October 22, 2009 11:50 am

Metro has decided to move forward with Google Transit. I'm traveling from NYC back to DC today, so couldn't listen to the meeting audio, but according to an email from someone there, they expect to be up and running by January 1st. Metro will arrange the deal to maintain an option to pull out if for some reason it turns out they could get a lot of money or something.

Board members asked some questions about indemnification (which Metro should be able to work out as their sister agencies did) and the cost of providing data to Google (which I thought was nil as the data is already in the necessary format, unless the data quality is not good enough).

You can get the audio on the wmata.com site (under About Metro -> Board of Directors, and look for the Customer Service, Operations, and Safety Committee). If you listen to it, please post any additional details in the comments. Michael or I will follow up tomorrow with more.

14 comments — Share	— tags: data openness, Google, WMATA

Innovation resistance at Metro, part 2: The Google bugaboo (Sep 30, 2009)
Zimmerman and Linton debate Google (Sep 28, 2009)
Metro "punts": Will release transit schedule data for Google and others (Mar 11, 2009)
Metro responds; wanted money from Google Transit (Dec 16, 2008)
Metro refuses to participate in Google Transit (Dec 13, 2008)

Comments

Outstanding - Greater Greater Washington is to be commended for raising public awareness of this issue and keeping the pressure (in a logical, adult, but persistent) way on WMATA. I am very happy that WMATA may finally join the 21st century and hope that this is the first step for WMATA to recognizing the real value of open access to public data.

by Jeb Stenhouse on Oct 22, 2009 12:35 pm

Here is a link to the board meeting discussion in .pdf.

by Cullen on Oct 22, 2009 1:10 pm

Here is a link to the board meeting discussion in pdf.

http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/board_of_directors/board_docs/102209_3DAccessToTransitData.pdf

by Cullen on Oct 22, 2009 1:11 pm

Don't get overly excited...I just read the PDF with the details. I put up a post about this on Moving Momentarily as well.
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I've read the PDF with the presentation from the meeting, including the outcome. Basically, WMATA says they already provide the data if the recipient plays be their rules. They also include a couple of slides about how their site generates revenue for them ($200k since it started selling ads a few years ago), although it does not specifically say this would be hurt by Google Transit. It definitely implies it.

The next steps that came out of the last meeting (not sure if this should give us hope or fear of more of the same):
Staff will move forward to explore an interim agreement with Google Transit
Staff will continue to research details of Google Transit agreements with other major transit properties

by Karl Johnson on Oct 22, 2009 1:25 pm

Too bad you couldn't fire up the laptop and listen to the WMATA meeting live online. Some of the Chinatown buslines to NYC offer wifi. When will Amtrak get with it?

Also, good job on keeping up the pressure on WMATA on Google Transit.

by Trulee Pist on Oct 22, 2009 1:28 pm

My first reaction to the news was "fantastic." But Google is not going to design a system on their site for WMATA passengers based on an interim agreement.

by Arslan J on Oct 22, 2009 1:31 pm

Here's something I've realized that could stem the possible loss of ad eyeballs when Google comes around: slip banner ads on WMATA's mobile site. They may be tiny on a small screen, but it would be additional money in the bank and there are phones out there where the mobile version of Google Transit won't work on.

Such technology is possible, I know the mobile version of a Caps fan blog I read has such ads.

by Jason on Oct 22, 2009 2:09 pm

This decision is thanks to FOI laws and the superior performance of the staff at NYC MTA and Chicago Transit. They responded within 10 days with copies of the Google Agreements, even though those documents said "CONFIDENTIAL" on them.

On the flip side, I am still waiting more than a month later (requested 9/11/2009) for copies of the FY 1999 and FY 2001 WMATA budgets, which should already be posted publicly on their websites along with the other budget documents.

by Michael Perkins on Oct 22, 2009 2:16 pm

Interesting, Metro stated that they would put a choice of either the Google planner or their own trip planner right on the WMATA.com home page.

by Michael Perkins on Oct 22, 2009 2:25 pm

Peter Benjamin asked why Google gets to have a special agreement, which is a valid question. Metro staff had a reasonable explanation. Google wasn't willing to go with Metro's terms and conditions. Metro called their terms and conditions "benign".

by Michael Perkins on Oct 22, 2009 2:41 pm

Metro staff is totally confusing. According to staff, Google wants Metro to do additional work to reformat the data for Google? I'm not sure that is true.

by Michael Perkins on Oct 22, 2009 2:43 pm

Yay, Zimmerman brought up the web and did a demo to show everyone what this looks like.

by Michael Perkins on Oct 22, 2009 2:50 pm

This is fantastic news. I am still a little worried that Metro hasnt completely changed their views though. Did anyone else think that the slides were spun in Metros favor? Can anyone confirm that Google really does only pull new data once a month? This would seem to preclude Google Transit from recognizing planned station closures for maintenance.

by James on Oct 22, 2009 7:55 pm

I just listened to that whole recording and I'm not optimistic. The women presenting seemed confused and biased against Google Transit and the men on the board seemed backward-looking or to actually believe the confused women.

The January 1 date sounded like it was to have yet another Metro contract ready to then perhaps maybe discuss with Google. I didn't interpret the talk of January 1 as being of the nature, 'we will have contracts signed and data feed established to Google'.

From the tone the presenting women set, I seriously doubt that anyone at Metro has the meager programming skills to manipulate data or set up a simple sftp server.

I heard alot of talk and backpatting but nothing that impressed me.

by James on Oct 22, 2009 10:13 pm