Is there an App for That?
In its July 2011 report, the Pew Internet Project found that one third of American adults – 35% – own smartphones. If you use a smartphone then using Apps is second nature. Apps are created and published by app developers. The work can be done independent of or under contract with an agency. Since transit schedules are readily available, apps for trip planning can be created. The more a transit agency publishes open source data, the more likely useful apps will be created by developers and published online (such as iTunes' App Store). The case for publishing open source transit data is found here.
The creation of apps by developers provides opportunities and challenges for agencies. An agency needs to decide to what extent it will cooperate with developers. An agency that seeks to control how its information is published and presented to the public will likely find great challenges to their objective. An agency can only control its website. There are many ways for information and feedback can be published online. Customers can provide feedback about public services on many websites. App developers can create apps about operations. In the case shown below, a independent app developer published a bus trip planner app for the TCAT bus system. Clearly, the app could be modified for other transit systems.
Agencies concerned that apps will present obsolete information to the public may want to collaborate with developers to ensure their access to current information. Any concerns about how well an app works, is best left for customers to address by rating and providing feedback in the app marketplace. Further, agencies and their customers can benefit from apps created to increase customer convenience. In the case for open source transit data, the MTA clearly recognizes the public benefit of apps which are created and deployed at a velocity that far outstrips the agency's capacity to achieve the same results.
The creation of apps by developers provides opportunities and challenges for agencies. An agency needs to decide to what extent it will cooperate with developers. An agency that seeks to control how its information is published and presented to the public will likely find great challenges to their objective. An agency can only control its website. There are many ways for information and feedback can be published online. Customers can provide feedback about public services on many websites. App developers can create apps about operations. In the case shown below, a independent app developer published a bus trip planner app for the TCAT bus system. Clearly, the app could be modified for other transit systems.
Agencies concerned that apps will present obsolete information to the public may want to collaborate with developers to ensure their access to current information. Any concerns about how well an app works, is best left for customers to address by rating and providing feedback in the app marketplace. Further, agencies and their customers can benefit from apps created to increase customer convenience. In the case for open source transit data, the MTA clearly recognizes the public benefit of apps which are created and deployed at a velocity that far outstrips the agency's capacity to achieve the same results.
Ride14850: TCAT Bus Trip Planner for the iPhone
iPhone app developer, David Kornreich, lives in the City of Ithaca and regularly rides TCAT buses. In 2011, Kornreich decided to make TCAT schedules convenient for riders by putting schedules at their fingertips by publishing the iPhone app RIDE14850 and distributing it free at Apple's iTunes App Store.
Note: an article about working with independent app developers will follow later in Dec 2011.
Note: an article about working with independent app developers will follow later in Dec 2011.