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New Signs to Make Metro's Nextrip Data Easier to Access

By Eric Richardson
Published: Tuesday, July 12, 2011, at 12:28PM
Metro Nextrip ID Card Eric Richardson / blogdowntown

New Metro Nextrip signage on a bus stop near Olympic and Grand.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Nextrip, Metro's NextBus-powered system for realtime bus arrival information, added a nice dose of data to the transit system when it was rolled out this Spring. Like the DASH system that was launched in late 2009, Nextrip offers the ability to find out exactly when a bus will be arriving via the Internet, text message or a phone call.

While smartphone apps can make the process a snap, those without Internet access need to know their stop number to make the most of the system.

That process should be getting easier as Metro rolls out info signage like the one found here at Olympic and Grand. The stop sign offers instructions and an ID number in one easy package, an advance on the stickers that LADOT uses to offer the same service.

Scanning the QR code on the sign takes you to as well as Metro's most recent status tweet.

Don't be surprised if it takes a while to spot a sign on your favorite stop: Given the vast numbers of bus stops around Downtown (not to mention the rest of Metro's service area), rollout for the signage may take some time.

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Conversation

Jung Gatoona on July 12, 2011, at 01:41PM – #1

Great idea! But, I do have a bit of concern with these new signs using the QR Codes.

Could not some tagger or illegal marketing campaign print out their own sticker QR codes and stick them over the original codes?

Could you imagine some innocent commuter scanning the QR code in hopes of getting arrival times, but then linked to some Adult website?!


User_32

downtown vibe on July 12, 2011, at 03:53PM – #2

That's interesting.. I was thinking digital, but that might work..


Chris Loos on July 12, 2011, at 04:10PM – #3

I love the idea of NexTrip, but it so inaccurate right now that its almost useless. If the app tells me that the next bus is coming in 5 minutes, that could me its coming in 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or that it already came.

I hope they improve upon the accuracy, because the system is a great idea.


User_32

() on July 12, 2011, at 04:58PM – #4

I use Nextrip (the mobile website is actually Nextbus) and most of the time it is perfectly accurate. On a few occasions it was wrong or there was no prediction, but I think it mostly works. It will be very helpful to have the stop numbers posted, though.


Eric Richardson () on July 12, 2011, at 06:11PM – #5

Jung: I hadn't even thought of that... I bet they could. In fairness, though, all QR implementations that I've seen show you the URL and you have to hit another button to visit it.

Bert: NextBus is the company that provides the technology. Nextrip is Metro's implementation. NextBus does provide the mobile site.


User_32

() on July 13, 2011, at 01:31AM – #6

It's nice to see Metro implementing something new. I saw a similar system in Argentina (through text message) 2 years ago and thought why it hadn't been implemented in LA yet. Well done MTA. Finally



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