Petition ACTION for Mobile App

[Buzz Killington]

Hey all,

We are a group of ANU university students, and as a born and bred Canberran, I've always had trouble with the Action Bus system. I have a hard time finding out where the stops are, the bus website is really hard to use on the go, and judging from the posts already made regarding this, I decided to go ahead and implement a mobile application for Action.

Our ideas so far involve a live-bus positioning so that you know where the bus is along its route, telling you the closest bus stop along with the times, scheduling a trip, alarms and anything people can suggest.

We developed a prototype with dummy data, and met up with Action to show them our work so far, and to try and get the data needed to get it working perfectly and accurately.

We were unfortunately told that while Action already has all the compiled Google Transit Feed data, they cannot provide us with anything due to the politics and bureaucracy involved

We want to develop our application for Android, iPhone, and even Blackberries, but we cant until we get the data and Action's help.

Petition:
If you think this application is worth it, please petition Action or the ACT government. Without your help, we cannot help you.

We placed our prototype on the market so people can see what we envision it to be, check it out on your Android mobile by entering this into your web-browser: market://search?q=pname:com.action or search for "My Bus 2.0 Schedule Canberra" in the market and feel free to give us feedback or comments!

We need and appreciate your help. Thanks,

-The Imagine Team

The petition can be found here.

[Buzz Killington]

For those who are interested, The Imagine team have a short interview tomorrow at 5 on ABC Radio

[p_stampy]

I'm not trying to sound rude, but why is it that people have lived here for say.. 18+ years can't work it out?

Are these the types of people who also cannot read a map to save themselves?

Either way, it is a good idea and good luck to them.

[Buzz Killington]

I think this sort of thing probably works better in larger cities with multiple transport modes (think Sydney and TripView). I suspect a lot of people who catch buses catch the same ones each day and can quite easily remember what time their bus goes and where it goes.

That said, if you ever need to make alternatives to your usual routes/times then it could come in handy.

[bubzie]

Convedience factor.

If i was suppose to start work at say 10am, instead of my usual 9am, i could easily look it up, on the go, instead of thinking "ah shit, better go to the website, find the route i want, then try and find it there.."


Besides. There's an app for everything!
Except action, clearly

[Buzz Killington]

Besides. There's an app for everything!
Except action, clearly

Well, there is a few timetable apps but I'm not sure if either was updated for Network 2010, and one of them was meant to have weekend routes added in June and IIRC that never happened.

[Buzz Killington]

Campaign seems to be gaining a bit more media attention - it just got a mention on a Prime News update.

[Buzz Killington]

Following an interview with ABC Canberra Radio this week, the Imagine Team, a group of ANU Students who have developed a prototype ACTION Timetable App for smartphones, have found an ally in ACT Greens transport spokesperson, Amanda Bresnan MLA.

The App, known as 'My Bus 2.0' is designed to enable commuters equipped with a smartphone to access timetable information and find their nearest bus station on the go. Whilst a smartphone user could also access the ACTION website for timetable information, the team believe there is far more potential in their application.

Read more: http://bit.ly/iaKHjK

[shneyney123]

Hey guys,
This is Zakaria of the Imagine Team, and would just like to personally thank everyone for their support. As Buzz stated, the media release around our plight is greater than we expected, and while recognition is great, our aim is to change the way things are with Action. In order to accomplish this, we need ongoing support such that the ACT government, and by extension ACTION, will be forced to at the very least provide information such that the public can compile applications, much like ourselves. So again, thank you for the support, and we would really appreciate it if the support is kept going.
Regards,
Zakaria
-Imagine Team

[shneyney123]

Hey guys, sorry to seemingly spam this thread, but we just updated our email to a new address which is mybus2.0@gmail.com and launched our new site at http://my-bus.com.au , so feel free to come by for any updates, comments, or concerns! Thanks!

[Buzz Killington]

Imagine Team on WIN News: MyBus - Canberra buses Android App

Imagine Team on ABC News: MyBus - Canberra buses Android App

[Buzz Killington]

Yesterday we met with Amanda Bresnan and Patrick Moody from The Greens. The meeting was very positive and clarifying. Today we have gained some important contacts, further publicity, and a great, realistic, yet positive outlook. Again,  thanks Amanda Bresnan and Patrick Moody.

We have a much clearer idea of the possible obstacles to the government providing us with the necessary bus route data. Independent insights into accountability and undesirable attention are hard things to be open to, at first sight, but we hope that transparency and the public's interest will encourage the government to consider open discussions with the Imagine Team.

If you're reading this, and in a position of power, it's a chance to make a positive difference that benefits everyone involved; The people, ACTION, we the developers, and you yourself.

You might even consider starting to catch the bus once our free App makes it that much easier to find the right bus, when and where.

The Imagine Team

[CNG]

It is wounderful what these kids are tying to do, however I don't want to sound rude but you may aswell give up as it is ACTION and nothing is easy with them lol  :)
However this is my opinion and I admire the lengths you guys have gone

[Aenveigh]

but why is it that people have lived here for say.. 18+ years can't work it out?

Because I'm pretty sure the target audience is younger than 18! Or otherwise people familiar with technology, but not so much with Canberra or ACTION. Not only that, as pointed out after your post, if you don't have a 'regular' bus, these sort of apps are great. I can finish work anytime between 4.30 and 6.30; is there a 'stop' timetable online? Such a feature as an app or online would be far easier than searching for any of the 5 or so routes I could catch (some of which only have a couple of services, but at times I can never remember).

Either way, it is a good idea and good luck to them.

Spot on.

[shneyney123]

Hey guys!

After reading the discussion, it seems to me that some people do not quite understand that our application is not meant to replace anything that is currently available. If people wish to use maps, by all means go for it! It is not mutually exclusive with our mobile application. Personally, I find it much easier to use a mobile app for busses because im often on the move, and not exactly great at planning ahead. Reading a map or memorizing the timetable, while certainly functional, is not what I would call optimal. Regardless, having an app and having other means of looking up timetables is what public opinion and contribution is all about. Much like the old addage goes, majority rule, minority rights. Even if just a tiny portion of commuters use our app, it would be better than having no alternative to the methods currently available.

In anycase, we just released an updated version of our app! All weekday, weekend, and xpresso bus routes are now included offline: no internet needed to check bus times!
Let us know what you think!  If you have an Android Phone, rate and review! Post a comment, sign the petition, give us an email, or drop by our site at http://my-bus.com.au ! Thank you for your ongoing support,
Regards,
-Imagine Team

[Buzz Killington]

Good news particularly for those with phones running Android. Hope to see an iPhone release somewhere down the track - the two existing apps are pretty terrible.

[lukeo25]

I'll be getting myself an android phone soon :) So I'll try the app out