Comments on: MD Exclusive: Q&A with Michael Smith of NextBus http://www.munidiaries.com/2009/03/06/md-exlusive-qa-with-michael-smith-of-nextbus/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=md-exlusive-qa-with-michael-smith-of-nextbus Tue, 14 Feb 2012 01:38:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Neil http://www.munidiaries.com/2009/03/06/md-exlusive-qa-with-michael-smith-of-nextbus/comment-page-1/#comment-3196 Neil Wed, 12 Aug 2009 23:20:24 +0000 http://www.munidiaries.com/?p=1984#comment-3196 Does anyone know when the new muni subway displays, like the one at Van Ness Station, will be out of beta/testing? Does anyone know when the new muni subway displays, like the one at Van Ness Station, will be out of beta/testing?

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]]> By: jeff http://www.munidiaries.com/2009/03/06/md-exlusive-qa-with-michael-smith-of-nextbus/comment-page-1/#comment-2230 jeff Fri, 08 May 2009 06:48:17 +0000 http://www.munidiaries.com/?p=1984#comment-2230 Jamison, would you happen to know when the designs for the shelters will be released to the public? Jamison, would you happen to know when the designs for the shelters will be released to the public?

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]]> By: TransitNut http://www.munidiaries.com/2009/03/06/md-exlusive-qa-with-michael-smith-of-nextbus/comment-page-1/#comment-1990 TransitNut Sat, 04 Apr 2009 17:35:01 +0000 http://www.munidiaries.com/?p=1984#comment-1990 Erik - NextBus does take into account day and time of day, i.e. NextBus predictions are based upon a proprietary algorithm - whenever a new system is implemented or a schedule/route change made, the algorithm is updated. Thus NextBus knows to predict a "faster" arrival time at 11 p.m. than at 6 p.m. Erik – NextBus does take into account day and time of day, i.e. NextBus predictions are based upon a proprietary algorithm – whenever a new system is implemented or a schedule/route change made, the algorithm is updated. Thus NextBus knows to predict a “faster” arrival time at 11 p.m. than at 6 p.m.

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]]> By: eugenia http://www.munidiaries.com/2009/03/06/md-exlusive-qa-with-michael-smith-of-nextbus/comment-page-1/#comment-1838 eugenia Sun, 08 Mar 2009 02:39:54 +0000 http://www.munidiaries.com/?p=1984#comment-1838 Jamison, I'm so excited to hear about the solar panels being used for the shelters! Thanks for the details - knowing the technology behind what we use every day is really great. Jamison, I’m so excited to hear about the solar panels being used for the shelters! Thanks for the details – knowing the technology behind what we use every day is really great.

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]]> By: Kathryn http://www.munidiaries.com/2009/03/06/md-exlusive-qa-with-michael-smith-of-nextbus/comment-page-1/#comment-1837 Kathryn Sat, 07 Mar 2009 18:08:00 +0000 http://www.munidiaries.com/?p=1984#comment-1837 Wow - what a comprehensive interview. I feel like I got a great education about NextBus from reading this post. Good stuff. Wow – what a comprehensive interview. I feel like I got a great education about NextBus from reading this post. Good stuff.

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]]> By: Erik http://www.munidiaries.com/2009/03/06/md-exlusive-qa-with-michael-smith-of-nextbus/comment-page-1/#comment-1833 Erik Sat, 07 Mar 2009 04:36:47 +0000 http://www.munidiaries.com/?p=1984#comment-1833 It needs to take into account that a bus can travel a lot further down Market Street in five minutes at 11pm than it can at 6pm. It needs to take into account that a bus can travel a lot further down Market Street in five minutes at 11pm than it can at 6pm.

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]]> By: Barna http://www.munidiaries.com/2009/03/06/md-exlusive-qa-with-michael-smith-of-nextbus/comment-page-1/#comment-1832 Barna Sat, 07 Mar 2009 04:05:17 +0000 http://www.munidiaries.com/?p=1984#comment-1832 Thanks for the interesting interview. I find that NextBus is working amazingly well given the unreliability of Muni. My only feedback so far is that the "1 minute" predictions are usually too optimistic. Often it says "1 minute" or "Arriving" when the bus is not even in sight. 5 NextBus minutes >> 5 real minutes. I understand the need to overshoot though. It's better than the alternative. Thanks for the interesting interview. I find that NextBus is working amazingly well given the unreliability of Muni.

My only feedback so far is that the “1 minute” predictions are usually too optimistic. Often it says “1 minute” or “Arriving” when the bus is not even in sight. 5 NextBus minutes >> 5 real minutes. I understand the need to overshoot though. It’s better than the alternative.

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]]> By: Jamison Wieser http://www.munidiaries.com/2009/03/06/md-exlusive-qa-with-michael-smith-of-nextbus/comment-page-1/#comment-1830 Jamison Wieser Sat, 07 Mar 2009 03:16:55 +0000 http://www.munidiaries.com/?p=1984#comment-1830 I can add a little more information to Michael's explanation about powering more signs at stops. As a member of the SFMTA Citizen Advisory Council, I've been meeting regularly with staff members who've been working on the design of replacement shelters that will be installed over the next several years as part of the new bus shelter advertising contract. The money isn't there to buy signs, but everyone hopes we can find funding someday to install more of them, they've planned ahead for them. The roofs of the new shelters will have solar panels, so even the shelters without electrical conduit will have the power to run NextBus signs, and more immediately, add lighting to the shelters that don't. For the shelters that do have conduit, the solar panels will allow them to add power back into the grid. I don't think they were figuring on them generating anything significant in revenue, but they could at least cover their own costs. I can add a little more information to Michael’s explanation about powering more signs at stops. As a member of the SFMTA Citizen Advisory Council, I’ve been meeting regularly with staff members who’ve been working on the design of replacement shelters that will be installed over the next several years as part of the new bus shelter advertising contract.

The money isn’t there to buy signs, but everyone hopes we can find funding someday to install more of them, they’ve planned ahead for them. The roofs of the new shelters will have solar panels, so even the shelters without electrical conduit will have the power to run NextBus signs, and more immediately, add lighting to the shelters that don’t. For the shelters that do have conduit, the solar panels will allow them to add power back into the grid. I don’t think they were figuring on them generating anything significant in revenue, but they could at least cover their own costs.

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]]> By: Michael Smith http://www.munidiaries.com/2009/03/06/md-exlusive-qa-with-michael-smith-of-nextbus/comment-page-1/#comment-1829 Michael Smith Fri, 06 Mar 2009 23:32:23 +0000 http://www.munidiaries.com/?p=1984#comment-1829 By the way, if you spot glitches with the system we really sincerely want feedback. And when you send us info to feedback@nextbus.com please include the date, time, route, direction, and stop, along with a short description of what happened. By providing us this information we can investigate what happened and further improve the system. By the way, if you spot glitches with the system we really sincerely want feedback. And when you send us info to feedback@nextbus.com please include the date, time, route, direction, and stop, along with a short description of what happened. By providing us this information we can investigate what happened and further improve the system.

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]]> By: jenny http://www.munidiaries.com/2009/03/06/md-exlusive-qa-with-michael-smith-of-nextbus/comment-page-1/#comment-1828 jenny Fri, 06 Mar 2009 23:20:42 +0000 http://www.munidiaries.com/?p=1984#comment-1828 So many mysteries unraveled here! Great interview and feedback from Michael. On an aside, I used the send-me-a-reminder-text feature the other day on the 43-masonic. I asked for NextBus to send me a reminder when the 43 line was 4-minutes away from my stop, and it worked like gangbusters. So many mysteries unraveled here! Great interview and feedback from Michael.

On an aside, I used the send-me-a-reminder-text feature the other day on the 43-masonic. I asked for NextBus to send me a reminder when the 43 line was 4-minutes away from my stop, and it worked like gangbusters.

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