By Tom Fudge
San Diego’s transit agency, the MTS, is giving out real-time information via web and cell phone so you know when the bus is coming, even when it’s late. MTS has partnered with Google Maps to make the data available online.
Buses often run late because they get stuck in traffic or stuck behind red lights. Local transit agencies are trying to solve the perennial problem by slowly phasing in rapid bus lines. Those cutting-edge alternatives use dedicated lanes – and technology to favor buses at stoplights – to make them stay on schedule.
But until they become common there will be lots of passengers waiting at bus shelters and glaring at their watches as they wait for a bus they know should have arrived 20 minutes ago. This is where the Google Maps feature comes in. At least it lets you know when the bus will actually arrive.