Ride-On now on Google Transit

Transit

Ride-On now on Google Transit

by David Alpert • November 2, 2009 11:43 am

Montgomery County's Ride-On bus service has joined Google Transit.

Ride-On directions from Rockville to Silver Spring.

That means someone searching for an address or business in Montgomery County using Google Maps can now get directions by public transit with one click. Mobile phone users using Google tools can also now plan Ride-On trips. Ride-On is still part of the regular Metro trip planner as well.

Unfortunately, Ride-On doesn't cover the entire bus network in Montgomery County. Many buses, especially on major routes, are Metro's. Many Ride-On routes are feeders to Metro's buses and rail. That means for some trips including longer-distance ones, the trip planner will recommend multiple Ride-On routes when a more direct Metrobus route could do, or recommend longer waits than necessary. For example, the trip from Rockville to Silver Spring requires two Ride-On buses, but the Q2 connects the two with a single seat ride.

That situation will resolve itself once Metro joins Google Transit, assuming they were serious when they said they were moving forward with a deal.

Thanks to reader Andy Gilbert for the tip.

7 comments

Tags: buses, data openness, GTFS, Maryland, Montgomery, Ride On, WMATA

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David Alpert is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Greater Greater Washington and Greater Greater Education. He worked as a Product Manager for Google for six years and has lived in the Boston, San Francisco, and New York metro areas in addition to Washington, DC. He loves the area which is, in many ways, greater than those others, and wants to see it become even greater.

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I wish there were a way to see the bus stops and the bus lines without actually asking for specific directions.

by Reid on Nov 2, 2009 12:23 pm • link • report

But when will the Ride On join NextBus?

by Aaron on Nov 2, 2009 1:14 pm • link • report

When NextBus went live, Ride On said they'd try to join or start a similar service (probably based on the same software as Circulator's "Where's My Bus") by the end of this year/early next year. As someone whose commute can involve either Ride On or Metrobus, it'd be as welcomed as Metro finally joining Google.

by Jason on Nov 2, 2009 1:45 pm • link • report

Ride-On USED to be on Google Maps a few months ago, then it suddenly disappeared for absolutely no reason. Regardless, I'm happy it's back. Makes my commuting that much easier.

by Justin..... on Nov 2, 2009 1:52 pm • link • report

The other day I forgot for a moment that Metro's trip planning results are not -- yet -- available through Google Transit. I plugged into Google Transit the below departure and arrival locations, departing at 8:40am on Tuesday, November 3rd, and I got a route -- using the Dillon Bus Company's 929 Bus:

From: 1600 Harvard St NW, Washington, DC 20009
To: 1400 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20005

The Dillon site repeatedly provides on its route schedule page its site a link to Metro's online bus system maps -- which Metro posted in January 2003 after some prodded them. Dillons' site says the link is for Metro's rail and bus system maps, it's only the buses.

It seems that in providing the public with links to Metro's website, Dillon, which serves a larger geographical area than does Metro, is not concerned about the possibility that a prospective customer just might possibly find an alternate route and ... not even buy a ticket to ride Dillon.

by Dennis Jaffe on Nov 2, 2009 2:28 pm • link • report

According to discussions with Fairfax County Transit, licensing issues are preventing a similar rollout of Google Transit service for the Fairfax Connector buses.

We will start working on this issue. The Connector is one of the larger transit providers in the region.

If you're a Fairfax County resident, ask your District Supervisor or Chairman to look into the matter.

by Michael Perkins on Nov 2, 2009 4:07 pm • link • report

When I was emailing ART about Google Transit a few months ago I think they were saying they wouldn't sign because of licensing problems, or they wouldn't do it before WMATA did.

by James on Nov 2, 2009 4:50 pm • link • report