Starting Aug. 21, transit riders are able to view real-time locations for the P1 East Busway-All Stops bus route on Port Authority’s website.
This is the initial testing and demonstration phase of Port Authority’s real-time arrivals system. This initial phase will be limited to only the P1 route and only those buses on regular route (not detoured).
“The request that I get most often when we talk about bus service is for real-time information so that people can plan for when their bus is arriving,” said Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. “We’ve wanted to see this for a very long time and I’m excited that we’re taking that first step forward and am really looking forward to seeing the full system operational for all riders in Allegheny County.”
We expect to begin installing additional equipment and rolling out real-time capability to additional routes in early 2014. The project will proceed in phases, with a goal of having most of the bus system covered by 2015. Additional real-time system features will also be introduced in phases. For example, open data for developers and tracking of detoured routes will be available at a later date.
Real-time for Port Authority’s T system will be implemented separately since our light rail vehicles do not currently use GPS-enabled signs and annunciators – instead, a light rail vehicle’s position is announced when the vehicle passes over certain points on the tracks. This requires installation of additional equipment.
Currently, real-time arrival information for the P1 is only available online, but starting next month, Port Authority will install electronic countdown signs at select locations along the Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway.
To view arrival information for the P1 East Busway-All Stops route, visit Port Authority’s website.
