BMTC is inviting suggestions for new routes

[srinivas kodali]

All,

BMTC is inviting suggestions for new feeder routes in Bangalore.

https://twitter.com/BMTC_Bangalore/status/870518764273516544

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/bmtc-seeks-public-opinion-on-priority-lanes/article18683094.ece

In the past we sent them suggestions to improve there ITS application. Sajjad's analyses of BMTC route network was also shared with them. http://datameet.org/2016/02/14/analysing-bangalores-bus-network/

If people are interested, we could analyse some real-time GPS data and other route information asking them to improve public transport further.

An old repo of BMTC API's to access real-time GPS data https://github.com/iotakodali/bmtc-realtime-api

Regards,

Srinivas Kodali

www.lostprogrammer.com

[Nagesh Aras]

Wonderful visualization!

I would like to join this effort.

Bangalore roads are choked because many people still don't use public transport, because of issues (see below).
If these issues are addressed, a lot of single-occupancy cars will vanish from the roads.

First of all, we need to understand the daily movement of people in the city (mobile data?).
Then BMTC can target large movements of private vehicles, by deploying convenient routes through the day.
Most software parks are ready to share their employees' transport needs.

Some major issues with BMTC are-

1. BMTC routes are typically too long, so even short-journey passengers are forced to use long-route buses, causing jam-packed buses.
   
   
2. The frequency of long-route buses cannot be adjusted freely to respond to the fluctuation in the number of passengers.
   
   
3. As buses are tied up with long routes, BMTC is unable to divert buses to meet to sudden increased demand at any major stop.
   
   
4. When long route buses get stuck in traffic, they fall behind their timetable by huge margins, and their arrival becomes unpredictable.
   
   
5. Drivers exploit this unpredictability by halting the bus outside software parks at the end of each shift.
   
   
6. BMTC pulls out most Volvo buses during peak hours and deploys them as contract buses for software parks. These contract buses carry very few commuters, and do not allow pass-holders or paying passengers to ride.
   As a result, the rest of the buses are jam-packed during peak hour.
   And since most buses are long-distance, this is an exhausting experience.
   
   
7. Buses that are meant for small trips and interior areas are plied on major roads.
   This decreases the frequency, and defeats their very purpose.
   
   
8. The BMTC app suffers from many shortcomings. It is not intuitive as Google Maps.
   A lot of buses are not shown in it. Further, it cannot show if the bus has empty seats.
   There are many usability issues, which are not being corrected.
   
   
9. Although BMTC has day pass, it has not introduced "through (transit) tickets".
   The through tickets are cheaper, which may attract many more passengers to BMTC.
   

***
I have met the BMTC senior management, and they were ready to share route/ticketing data on a one-time basis.
I guess they would not deny sharing of live data.

• We need to specify what data is needed, and through which interface.
  
• Their concern regarding excessive queries and overloading their servers can be addressed If this data can be mirrored on an outsider server first.

I look forward to working with like-minded volunteers!

Regards,
Nagesh
9448239985

[Nagesh Aras]

Actually I should have started the BMTC problems list with the most critical issue:

The BMTC trips must be cheap, comfortable and reasonably fast, compared to the citizen's own vehicle.
Only then would he think of switching.

But BMTC journey offers none of these incentives:

1. It is not cheap, because the customer has to spend auto fare where there is no BMTC coverage.
   
2. It is not comfortable, because the buses are jam-packed, dusty/unwashed, and poorly ventilated.
   
3. It is not timely, because of excessively long routes, poor connectivity and low frequencies.
   

Many of these issues can be resolved by smarter deployment.

[Arun Ganesh]

Here's another map of the transit network using the BMTC data shared by Sajjad thats shows route numbers and stop names. Might be of use to explore:

View Map

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[Nagesh Aras]

Now BMTC has announced that it will share its transit data directly.
So old repo may not be not needed!

On Monday, June 5, 2017 at 12:15:58 AM UTC+5:30, srinivas kodali wrote:

[Johnson Chetty]

Hello, 

By the way, just wanted to point out that Google has more than enough granular data to describe routes, roads, congestions and general traffic flow of many cities including B'lore, at least for the direct use by BMTC for introducing routes. 

The actual impact that this can have in city planning is tremendous.

Given that Google mapping team has it's home base in B'lore, I'm wondering if we can in earnest start a participatory effort with them to introduce routes with the help of analytics and data. 
I do not see any major competitive loss that Google will have by doing such a thing. 

I'm not aware that an engagement model between Google and cities exists like this, but if it doesn't then it may be one of the best ways to improve traffic and city planning worldwide. Why not start it here first! I think it's quite within the realm of possibility. 

On 10 June 2017 at 09:46, Johnson Chetty <joh...@smylengine.com> wrote:

By the way, just wanted to point out that Google has more than enough granular data to describe routes, roads, congestions and general traffic flow of many cities including B'lore, at least for the direct use by BMTC for introducing routes.

The actual impact that this can have in city planning is tremendous.

Given that Google mapping team has it's home base in B'lore, I'm wondering if we can in earnest start a participatory effort with them to introduce routes with the help of analytics and data.
I do not see any major competitive loss that Google will have by doing such a thing. 

I'm not aware that an engagement model between Google and cities exists like this, but if it doesn't then it may be one of the best ways to improve traffic and city planning worldwide. Why not start it here first! I think it's quite within the realm of possibility. 

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Warm Regards,
Johnson Chetty

[Nagesh Aras]

The moot point is, should we ask for long routes, or hub-to-hub trips?

This discussion shows that BMTC already has too many long routes. Just this factor alone causes multiple problems to its services (link 1, link 2).

If there are frequent short trips that end at the major junctions, then people can switch at those junctions and catch the next bus in the right direction.

Most people don't make long trips on a daily basis; therefore our bus trips should be suited for daily commuters, not someone who's going to catch a bus/train/flight out of Bangalore. (Well, a few routes to these destinations are enough, but not too large at the cost of commuters' needs.)

Thus, the hubs can be interconnected with high-frequency shuttles.

Here is a partially list:

1. Agara Junction --> Silk Board (ORR) + Madiwala + Marathahalli (ORR) +Sarjapura

    (Agara junction is a surrogate for Ibbalur junction, which does not have space)

2. Silk Board --> Banashankari + Electronic city + Brigade road/Shivajinagar + Shantinagar + Jayanagar + JP Nagar

4. Marathahalli --> ITPL/Whitefield + Domlur + Hebbal +

5. Domlur --> Indiranagar + Koramangala + Shivajinagar + Majestic

6. Shantinagar --> Shivajinagar + Jayanagar+ JP Nagar +

7. Banashankari -> Kengeri + Subramanyapura + Nagarbhavi +

8. Jayanagar --> JP Nagar + Hulimavu +Subramanyapura +

9. JP Nagar --> Bannerghatta + Jignai +

10 Electronic city --> Attibele + Anekal +