Using crowdsourcing techniques to collect and analyse transport data. Including citizen science, sensor design and implementation, open data, open data analysis, API feeds, creation of data dashboards.
Alan Bell has used machine learning to develop a program that analyses data from traffic cameras to identify blocked bus and bike lanes. He analysed a section of St. Nicholas Avenue in Manhattan and found that the bike lane was blocked 55% of the time and the bus stop was blocked 57% of the time […]
The Transit Alliance Miami has created a simple graphic display illustrating the time between Miami Metrorail trains (frequency) at the Government Center station. They have taken Metrorail data and displayed it in an easy to understand format. It is an excellent example of how city residents can use open data to analyse and publicise the […]
Over the holidays I had a chance to update crowdsourced-transport.com with new information. Here are the highlights: Crowdsourced Public Transport page – added: WikiRoutes – site where users can add information about public transport routes and suggest improvements (PT Mapping). Digital Matatus – an application for using smartphones to map public transport routes (PT Mapping). […]
The Transit App can now collect tracking data from users to help them predict real time arrival information. This is an excellent tool especially in cities where there is no current real time data available. It’s also quite helpful because it can be more accurate than vehicle GPS signals since these signals may only be sent […]
The Making Sense project is funded by the European Commission and has the mission to make advances and experiments in participatory sensing. According to making-sense.eu Making Sense aims to explore how open source software, open source hardware, digital maker practices and open design can be effectively used by local communities to fabricate their own sensing tools, […]
Getting Smart on Data: Challenges and Opportunities for Transport Authorities from Emerging Data Sources was produced by the Urban Transport Group and presents results of an emerging data catapult meeting held in May 2016. The report presents very helpful and interesting information.
Our Analyse page describes ways to crowdsource data analysis and collection. Here’s an interesting post from the Open Knowledge International Blog about a new report on the subject: The report “Making Citizen-Generated Data Work” asks what makes citizens and others want to produce and use citizen-generated data. It was written by Danny Lämmerhirt, Shazade Jameson, and […]
DataPlace is a fascinating idea, it allows users to place sensors on a map to collect (visualise) data. It’s designed to help regular people understand and use open data, which can then help them develop ideas for improving their surroundings. Here’s the paper title and abstract: Towards a DataPlace: mapping data in a game to […]
Project Sidewalk is designed and operated by the Makeabilty Lab at the University of Maryland. The project’s interactive tool allows you to rate the accessibility of sidewalks in the Washington DC area based on Google Streetview photos. According to the website “You virtually walk through city streets and mark accessibility attributes such as missing curb ramps, blocked […]
The Boston area public transport operator MBTA held a competition during the summer to select an “endorsed” user application. The agency decided that having a single, full service app can provide a tremendous improvement in customer experience. The MBTA evaluated four apps: Transit App, Moovit, Swiftly and Moovel. In September 2016 the MBTA chose Transit App […]