Home · Maps · About

Home > BusChat

[ Post a New Response | Return to the Index ]

(272156)

view threaded

A Close Look into MTA's Bus Tracking system.... BusTrek

Posted by Gold_12th on Tue Feb 5 13:41:11 2013

edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
MTA is hiring M. Umit Uyar, a professor @ CUNY's City College to tweak MTA's bus tracking system called BusTrek.

Last month's board meeting....

...He's good to go with that salary.

His resume: http://www-ee.ccny.cuny.edu/www/web/umit/uyar_aca.html

This half-ass website shows a little info on the BusTrek product: http://u2labs.com/cloud/index.php/our-clients/mta

BusTrek website.... ID & Password: http://bustrek.mta.info/bustrek/

Supposedly, it will speed up the completion of BusTime for the 5 boroughs.


Post a New Response

(272165)

view threaded

Re: A Close Look into MTA's Bus Tracking system.... BusTrek

Posted by mr mabstoa on Tue Feb 5 17:53:22 2013, in response to A Close Look into MTA's Bus Tracking system.... BusTrek, posted by Gold_12th on Tue Feb 5 13:41:11 2013.

edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
I work in Bus-Trek now out of West Farms depot/Bronx Road Control. The Bus Trek website is what we use to log in at work and I can use it at home or a laptop anywhere else.

The system is nice because it feels like a fancy train model board almost. You see every bus, the bus operators info, bus number and schedule.

The system is not perfect however. The information is loaded every 40-60 seconds so a bus may be off a block or two from you are seeing. Also in some sections of the Bronx and Manhattan buses disappear and act strange. Manhattans WestSide (12 Av/Riverside) is bad and so is the South Bronx (138 St-Bruckner). Buses here ghost and get stuck for hours. One bus we were watching the other day was going across the Hudson river to N.J and it was a BX19 going towards the Bronx!

However the system is really nice in helping road dispatchers fixing the lines. I look for bunching and operators playing the terminal game of whose going to leave first. Also many dispatchers call looking for runs and buses.

Theres the usual politics as in everything associated with "Authorities". One day its don't do this and the next day its do this or that. Sometimes I hate the MTA for that. They have these great technologies and great innovative things they can do with them but they won't, don't or can't. Its like working for Mr Magoo sometimes they have no vision.

All said I like my new assignment and I'll see how I feel about it in December when I'm done with it.

Post a New Response

(272168)

view threaded

Re: A Close Look into MTA's Bus Tracking system.... BusTrek

Posted by G1Ravage on Tue Feb 5 20:01:20 2013, in response to Re: A Close Look into MTA's Bus Tracking system.... BusTrek, posted by mr mabstoa on Tue Feb 5 17:53:22 2013.

edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
That does sound like train dispatching, what with ghosts on the model boards and all. lol

Post a New Response

(272169)

view threaded

Re: A Close Look into MTA's Bus Tracking system.... BusTrek

Posted by mr mabstoa on Tue Feb 5 20:39:20 2013, in response to Re: A Close Look into MTA's Bus Tracking system.... BusTrek, posted by G1Ravage on Tue Feb 5 20:01:20 2013.

edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
It occurred to me at work when looking at the screen with all the buses that as a teenager I had a Commodore Vic-20 with a Train Dispatcher game that you controlled signals, switches and trains.

I literally have been training for this position for 30 years!

Post a New Response

(272197)

view threaded

Re: A Close Look into MTA's Bus Tracking system.... BusTrek

Posted by LRG5784 on Wed Feb 6 11:06:12 2013, in response to Re: A Close Look into MTA's Bus Tracking system.... BusTrek, posted by mr mabstoa on Tue Feb 5 20:39:20 2013.

edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
It's almost like you had a calling for being a dispatcher..and look where you are now!

Post a New Response

(272199)

view threaded

Re: A Close Look into MTA's Bus Tracking system.... BusTrek

Posted by RailBus63 on Wed Feb 6 12:37:32 2013, in response to Re: A Close Look into MTA's Bus Tracking system.... BusTrek, posted by mr mabstoa on Tue Feb 5 20:39:20 2013.

edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
Loved playing Train Dispatcher.

Forget all the crappy bus driving simulators - someone should develop a Bus Dispatcher game.

Post a New Response

(272204)

view threaded

Re: A Close Look into MTA's Bus Tracking system.... BusTrek

Posted by mr mabstoa on Wed Feb 6 14:29:12 2013, in response to Re: A Close Look into MTA's Bus Tracking system.... BusTrek, posted by RailBus63 on Wed Feb 6 12:37:32 2013.

edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
That would be interesting!

I could imagine simulating being a yard dispatcher in a mega-depot like Manhattanville where dozens of things have to be taken into consideration. Bus availibility, shifters, road calls, open runs, late runs, fuel line shutdowns.

It would be a fun game to play!

Post a New Response

(272809)

view threaded

Re: A Close Look into MTA's Bus Tracking system.... BusTrek

Posted by BrooklynBus on Mon Feb 18 11:29:26 2013, in response to Re: A Close Look into MTA's Bus Tracking system.... BusTrek, posted by RailBus63 on Wed Feb 6 12:37:32 2013.

edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
The most fun I ever had playing a video game was the original CGI version of Railroad Tycoon. I just loved scheduling those trains. I only played it a few times though because the last time (about 12 years ago) I became seriously addicted and just couldn't stop and it was 4 in the morning after about 7 straight hours of playing. I felt I had a real problem so I just quit cold turkey. Sometimes I had a slow freight train blocking my passenger trains and I couldn't figure out how to get it out of the way to get trains moving so I took the easy way out and just blew it up.

Then they came out with the fancy graphics version about 10 years ago, and I couldn't wait to play it. I did so only once because I was extremely disappointed. They just made it too realistic. I wanted to build my train line like in the old version and it told me I first had to raise money. When I tried it said I had no credit rating so no one would lend me any money. When I followed the instructions to improve my credit rating, it just told me I had to do other things first. All I wanted to do was play with my trains not all the real work that went along with that. They took all the fun out by making it so realistic.

Post a New Response

(272810)

view threaded

Re: A Close Look into MTA's Bus Tracking system.... BusTrek

Posted by BusRider on Mon Feb 18 11:48:23 2013, in response to Re: A Close Look into MTA's Bus Tracking system.... BusTrek, posted by BrooklynBus on Mon Feb 18 11:29:26 2013.

edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
Theres really a bus/subway dispatcher game?

Post a New Response

(272829)

view threaded

Re: A Close Look into MTA's Bus Tracking system.... BusTrek

Posted by BrooklynBus on Mon Feb 18 19:26:19 2013, in response to Re: A Close Look into MTA's Bus Tracking system.... BusTrek, posted by BusRider on Mon Feb 18 11:48:23 2013.

edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
I have no idea, but Railroad Tycoon certainly was real.

You set up a rail system between cities in the US. The game started in a certain year and you had your choice of engines available at the time. As time progressed and more modern equipment was introduced, you upgraded the rolling stock and if you were financially successful you would reinvest your gains into expanding the system. Equipment also had to be retired after a certain number of years.

You also closed unprofitable routes. You had to start with freight service and added passenger service later. It was so long i ago that I played it, I don't remember much else.

Post a New Response


[ Return to the Message Index ]