Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Bus times go mobile with beta test of Countdown app in London
Are you a five-minute walk from the bus stop, and wonder if you should run or just walk to catch the next one? If you were at the stop, you'd know because of the "countdown" systems in place. But now if you've got a smartphone, wonder no longer: Transport for London has made public its Countdown service, which indicates how long it will be until the next bus on any service arrives at a location.
The service's existence leaked out after an internal memo was sent to all TfL staff telling them about it, at countdown.tfl.gov.uk. Though it was meant to remain in private beta, news of the service rapidly leaked out and was spread around by open data fans. There is also a mobile test version, though it's intended for developers only.
Here's what I got a few minutes ago using the app on my mobile. (The first two screenshots are top and bottom of the first page):
Read the full article at The Guardian.....
Tags for Forum Posts: apps, bus stops, buses, public transport, tfl
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Hugh on
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Ah, perhaps there speaks the voice do experience. It's bus checker I'm talking about and it's been okay for me. Perhaps I just haven't used it enough.
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Permalink Reply by Stephen Middleton on
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Thanks a lot Hugh, I will certainly give it a go.
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Permalink Reply by Abi on
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I've been using the website for this since it launched a few months ago. Since then, I've downloaded one of the many apps ('buscount' for Android) and found it to be extremely accurate. The other half and I use it every day to time our departure before leaping on the 259.
I haven't seen the 'official' ap you've screengrabbed in the Google Play market yet Hugh - is it only on iPhone for now?
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It's not an app, it's a mobile website - access here or on your mobile via the 'mobile test version' link in the original post.
Bus Checker always seems to work well if you use it for the stop you're at, but when last night I was checking buses from the centre of Town, whilst I was in Harringay, it took an age to load the bus stops - so long on fact that I ave up.
The mobile site I linked to seems to work better for this.
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Permalink Reply by Kamila on
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Hi Hugh I agree with you about the taking ages to load. It sometimes takes ages to load when you are actually at the busstops too. I really like the mobile site - a god send!! In fact I am just going to use it now to find out when the W3 will leave!
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Ah OK - interface looked a bit app-like from the pic, but it does strike me as high time that TfL did make some official apps (if only their Journey Planner) and slightly odd that they haven't done so already.
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It looks very app-like (though if my spellchecker has it's way that'll be ape-like).
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There is the wonderful app Tube Deluxe. I think you have to pay for it but not much. Also a friend of mine told me there is also one called Travel Deluxe which covers all the transport in London and I guess it's like the Journey Planner. Apps are funny things - the companies don't make them themselves but computer boffins do - it's all very odd. I'm sure Hugh understands better - Hugh??
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