This post originally appeared on Talking Transportation. Soliciting rider feedback helps transit agencies offer insight on the best use of their data.It’s common throughout the transportation industry to make data available for private use, often ending up being presented in mobile apps. No surprise, if a department of transportation or local transit agency has rapidly, or even regularly, updated data that includes route conditions, a mobile public wants to know. The Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority not only makes its data available to those who build apps, it went a step further and asked its customers which app they find most useful. Then, based on the customer feedback, established a handy summary chart, that not only lists the most popular apps, but where people use the app and the features that customers find most helpful.
An excerpt from the MBTA’s app chart.
Not only does the MBTA seem as if it’s listening, it also is providing an additional service for its customers. Which, by the way, beats the alternative.
Monday @MBTA commuters! I drew a map for you of which stations are actually open: pic.twitter.com/ZHyjQ6sX8b
— Sara Morrison (@SaraMorrison) February 16, 2015
Photo: Boston T riders (Alex Banakas, Flickr, Creative Commons).