WMATA joins Google Transit

[Scrabbleship]

I could link to the GGW celebration announcement post, but most of you have probably have seen it. This is a very soft launch as though directions are accessible the info isn't fully loaded (no icons for bus stops, no times when clicking on an [M] icon, etc.). Good to see though it'll be interesting to see when/if ART*, Connector**, and TheBus join up.


* ART released their data under a Creative Commons license for all developers a while back.
** Connector reportedly said that their releasing their data would hinge on WMATA joining.

[WMATAGMOAGH]

Yawn.

Seriously, Google Transit (and Google anything else) is overrated in my opinion.  I highly doubt any of the GGW bloggers have had the "pleasure" of trying to work with Google to set up a feed or creating the feed itself.  Playing with a final GTFS file isn't the same thing.  If your data can be easily put into that format, then it is great, but many transits have their data set up differently and chose their formats long before the advent of Google Transit and aren't going to change it overnight now to accommodate Google.  Also, there are many things in the agreement with Google that give pause to the people who actually have to sign the legal agreements, and the fact that a feed will only be updated once a week (though there are plans to make it twice a week, I don't know if that happened yet) is a huge turnoff.  How do I know all this?  Because I was almost tasked with creating a feed.  WMATA's hesitations were very justified.

WMATA has a perfectly serviceable trip planner.  There was no good reason that I can see that they needed to also put their data on Google Transit when they have plenty of other things to worry about. 

[Tritransit Area]

Here's the Metro Press Release: http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/news/PressReleaseDetail.cfm?ReleaseID=4919 complete with video statements from the GM and Board Chair.  WMATA seems happy about it.

The headaches in partnering with Google can be appreciated, though.