Testing Next Bus: Stop Numbers Posted at Wrong Locations
Photo by Fredo Alvarez
The Washington Post ran a brief story today detailing the difficulties some users are having with the voice recognition software in the phone-based arm of Next Bus, for example, something that isn't too surprising given the relative inadequacies of other voice recognition-based tools across the spectrum. We've heard from readers who say that road noise at their bus stops appears to be impeding their ability to get the system to recognize their queries.
We've also noticed that some bus lines aren't providing very accurate arrival information just yet. Next Bus results in some instances are showing 70+ minutes before the next bus arrival, when in fact the bus is supposed to be arriving at regular 25 minute intervals. Those kinds of kinks could be due to issues with equipment on the buses, according to Metro spokesperson Candace Smith - drivers need to log onto the system in order to be detected along their routes, so if that wasn't done properly or isn't working, that could be one explanation for the discrepancy. WMATA plans to continue to test and look to improve the accuracy of information provided by Next Bus, and if you have specific questions about a problem you're encountering, the first place to start is their Next Bus FAQ.
But completely outside of the technology behind the system, DCist has found that WMATA has accidentally placed the wrong Next Bus signs - signs which are supposed to provide the relevant bus stop number in order to look up arrival information in the system easily - at stops around the city.
DCist tested every Next Bus stop sign within one small cross section of the city, composed of the greater Logan Circle area. In an area bounded by 9th Street NW to east, 16th Street NW to the west, P Street NW to the south, and R Street NW to the north - which includes several north-south bus lines (the 60 buses, 50 buses and S buses) as well as a couple of cross-town lines (the G2 and the G8) - at least six bus stops have the incorrect Next Bus number posted on their signs.
The first stop we noticed that was incorrectly marked was the eastbound G2 stop at 14th and P Streets NW. The Next Bus number marked at that stop was #1002913. But when that number is entered into the Next Bus system, it returns results for the northbound S bus lines stop at 16th and R Streets NW. That S bus stop at 16th and R was not marked with a Next Bus sign when we checked it.
We gave information about this discrepancy to Smith, who confirmed that the sign had been posted at the wrong location, and that WMATA will be sending workers out to fix it.
But other stops are also marked with the wrong Next Bus number, or marked with no number at all.
At 9th and P Streets NW, the westbound G8 stop is marked with #1001442 - which returns results for the eastbound G2 stop across the street. That G2 stop is marked with #1001466, which returns results for the same G8 stop, suggesting that the signs were inadvertently switched.
At 14th Street NW and Logan Circle, the eastbound G2 is marked with #1001446, which provides information for a westbound stop on the same line.
Similarly, at 16th and P Streets NW, the eastbound G2 is marked with #1001457, which provides information for the westbound stop on the same line at the same location. The westbound G2 stop at 16th and P does not have a Next Bus sign posted.
DCist staffer Rachael Brown reports that she encountered a similar switcheroo on her H1 bus line commute. She says the Next Bus number marked at the northbound stop at 23rd and G Streets NW returned results for an 80 bus which stops at the opposite corner of that intersection.
It's too early to tell how widespread the mislabeled bus stop problem might be, as Metro didn't seem to be aware of the problem when we alerted them to it. Of course, Next Bus users trying to access arrival information on a smartphone at a mislabeled stop can still find that information by selecting the stop manually, first choosing the route, direction and stop location within the mobile application. But it's not hard to imagine a scenario where a user might not notice at first that their results are really for a stop across the street, for a bus that's traveling in the opposite direction.
What should you do if you discover that your bus stop is incorrectly labeled? First, go ahead and find the correct bus stop information manually in the system. Then, call Metro at 202-637-7000 and report the issue so they can investigate and fix it.