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Greater Greater Washington's Michael Perkins has been doing great work chasing down why, exactly, WMATA and Google can't come to an agreement and get Metro data into Google Transit. This post gets into the details, but the short version is that WMATA isn't inclined to play nice with Google, apparently because the agency thinks its schedule data might be worth something. No, they're not sure if they can get any money for it, but they'd like to find out: Metro has been talking about bidding out a half million-dollar contract for a consultant who can tell them whether they might be able to monetize their schedule data.
Today Perkins saves them the trouble by reporting the likely answer: no. He's got Google on record saying that they don't pay New York for its transit data, despite a history of the MTA trying to extract money from those using its data. If the Big Apple can't shake down Google, what hope do our local transit bureaucrats have? It's looking an awful lot like WMATA is stonewalling developers, inconveniencing its riders and preparing to waste $500k for nothing. Maybe Metro should focus on moving people around the city and leave the dreams of internet mogul-dom to the Californians.
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WMATA would be better off spending that half mil on an ad campaign to brush up its tarnished image and attract new riders. Imagine billboards showing a happy-go-lucky Nazi and his jackbooted hipster girlfriend sort of smiling and shrugging, with the caption proudly pronouncing, "WMATA: We're Not Nearly As Bad As Hitler!"
Honestly, these guys have their heads so far up their a$$es, they're farting earwax.
I'm curious as to how the data could be worth much . . . especially since there appears to be no nexus between Metro rail and/or bus schedules and when trains and buses actually show up. Moreover, how would one take into account 2 trains and/or busses arriving at the same time, or for that matter leap-frogging one another?
(I would have said the leap-frogging was only applicable to the busses . . . that is, until about June 22nd)
Didn't GGW founder David Alpert make his money at Google? Unless I'm mistaken, yes, he did.
That's probably worth a footnote in any story by GGW about Google.
Yup, that's my understanding, and I agree that it's worth noting. Mr. Alpert has addressed this before, though, and as he noted then, Google Transit has very little to do with Google's fortunes.
I don't think the link goes to the right address within the GGW blog, fyi. It goes to the top of the main page.
D'oh. Not sure what happened there -- probably just our lovable comment system being its wacky ol' self. Here's another attempt, but if this doesn't work I suggest you google for "david alpert google stock"
http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post.cgi?id=1503#comment-15647
I'd be tempted to write something about "synergy", but, eh, why bother.
Owning stock in Google, or being a Product Manager (disclosure: I have a shitload of Google stock) doesn't give one the right to make decisions for Google as to transit schedules.
As for "making" your money at Google, only the few of us who bought at the IPO ($85) and sold shares at a high ($474) "made money.
FYI, it's not like David Alpert made a fortune with his Google stock. People with that kind of money don't take the bus at all.
Then again, if you spend all your time riding the bus and writing about it, then maybe you really have made a fortune on Google stock.
California? Schedule data is free in California...
Where can I apply for this job to tell them their data aint worth s*#t...
No kidding I wish I could get a piece of that chunk of change...
Here's some real time Metro data for you Google....
Union Station
Red Line Glenmont 10 MIN
Goes one stop, FAIL!
New York Ave-Gallaudet-10 other places
Red Line Glenmont 6 MIN
Packed train...Wait... Wait
That'll be 500 large!
How much can WMATA's transit data be worth if it can't keep two trains from colliding with each other?
Idiots!
They really do stiffle development... they do the same thing with their map, anyone who tries to use a diagram even remotely accurate or resembling of the real system map is hunted down and threatened with law suits... I mean come on people!
Stop wasting time and resources on fruitless ventures; just let the data be public and start fixing those "crumbgling platforms" you talked about having fixed by now!!!
A wise man once said: you go to work with the WMATA you have, not the WMATA you want