The impressively named ConstantineXVI’s Tumblr points out that Google’s new Google Transit service does not have TARC’s data in the system. So the exquisitely named one encourages us all to write to TARC asking them to send their data to Google.
Yesterday (June 5), Google updated their Google Maps for Mobile application to include routes for public transportation
in various cities. Unfortunately, Google does not have data for TARC’s
service in Louisville. Google’s help page for the service includes an
address for transit companies to send them their data. I ask you to help me convince TARC to work with Google to make it easier for us to get around Louisville via bus. Please contact TARC
and pass this message along to them, especially the above links. If
you happen to have direct contact with TARC officals or Metro Goverment
officials, I encourage you to exploit those connections.
Update: Michael from Metro Mapper has been keyed into these kind of issues for a while and TARC has responded with a deaf ear. He’s even offered his expertise for free and got no response. Come on TARC, step it up. If there is anyone who knows who we can contact at TARC, to have an actual conversation instead of just sending emails that never get responded to, about this kind of stuff please drop a comment or email.
June 6th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
TARC doesn’t seem to be to hip to the idea. I have asked TARC about this and several other things lately and apparently they don’t have any plans to do much of anything. Typical progressive Louisville. They don’t have money to hire the consultants to tell them if they should do this or not I guess.
June 6th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
TARC is probably bummed because they spent so much time and money trying to create their online route map.
I tried out their service and it told me it would take over 2 hours to commute from the highlands to downtown and it wouldn’t recognize the convention center or Actors Theatre as landmarks.
They should provide their data and let Google show them how it ought to be done.
June 7th, 2008 at 11:26 pm
Michelle,
I had a blog post about this a few months ago, where I contacted them twice about it with no response, and would even offer to help Tarc get up and running with this a no charge. I’m sure others in the city like me would like to help out and see this suceed too. I’ll post a link to it on Monday when I’m at a computer instead of on a phone. Or you can just search for tara on my blog. Seems relatively easy to accomplish based on google’s published tech specs.
June 8th, 2008 at 10:55 am
Michelle,
Ok I’m at my computer now.
Here is the link to my blog post about asking TARC to participate:
http://metromapper.blogspot.com/2008/03/public-transporation-getting.html
On a related note, Google also offers a similar service with regards to 3D models of buildings. Getting governments to participate in this one might be tough, but some have come on board, even in Lexington:
http://metromapper.blogspot.com/2008/03/cities-in-3d-getting-government-to.html
And there is a third area for mapping in Louisville that I have offered to help out on, but am not sure who to contact. It’s about putting historic overlays on top of current satellite images. I know a few teachers and historians in town who use these maps to teach and learn about our past.
http://metromapper.blogspot.com/2008/01/historic-map-overlay-test-and-proof-of.html
June 10th, 2008 at 12:11 am
Thanks for the heads up on this! I left a comment over on the Metro Mapper post volunteering myself to help out with getting the data into the correct format for Google to work with.
The perfect counterpart to this would be bike route mapping for Google Maps. Austin, TX is working with Google as a test city for a possible biking feature, and Louisville, as an up-and-coming cycling city, would be wise to make similar efforts.
w00t for mass and human-powered transportation.
June 10th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
I emailed the Metro Council about this and it was fowarded on to TARC. Here’s their response – just the one we were hoping for:
Dear Mr. Coan — Thank you for your suggestion regarding Google Transit. We have been in touch with Google and intend to get our data included in their system as soon as possible. We are currently engaged with finalizing our own trip planner, working out some inevitable bugs, but we will be proceeding with Google in the coming months. Thank you for your interest.
Nina Walfoort
Transit Authority of River City
Director of Marketing and Planning
1000 W. Broadway
Louisville, KY 40203
502-561-5122