In cities, especially during the rush hour, the public transport system is often on its limit - crowds are gushing everywhere, everything is overfilled, and just that is not working, what exactly should.
Either on your way to work, as a student or just simply while spending your holidays, you use the public transport system on a daily basis - and so it’s normal to have the expectation, that Google Maps will help you with that. But have you ever found yourself in the situation, where the suggested journey by Maps just can’t be done? Or you just simply don’t want to take the risk of showing up somewhere in the middle of the night, where after everything no trains are coming at all?
If yes, that’s sad to hear, but be happy: also You can do something against it!
At least, this is what I’m (also) doing by editing Google Maps. In this post, I’ll describe you how I share (or would I share) all the relevant infos for your perfect journey. Let’s start right away!
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Problem 1: The names of stations
I often see the situation, that the same station has several different names on Google Maps. They are all similar, but not the exact same - however, for a clear journey description this would be a critical requirement.
In some other cases although the station has one name on Maps, but that doesn’t match with the official name of the station, as can be found at the local transport authorities.Names of stations I can be edit easily, however, they all must be reviewed before getting published. I always take the official name by the local transport authorities as a basis, since that is the name, what people actually see on the scene.
Despite all this, big transport hubs offer a special challenge for the Maps. Here, although the whole area should be displayed as theoretically one coherent station, it is still important to distinguish the individual starting positions of the different vehicles. (Buses, trains, etc.)
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Problem 2: Informations about station facilities
The second most important info about a station (besides its name) may be the equipments, which can be found at this station. (Very important to note, that it has to be exactly in the station, not 100 m forward on the street or similar)
These facilities can be lockers, restrooms, car rental spots and many more, what a modern multimodal transport hub can offer.The infos regarding this topic are also quiet easy to put on the Maps - in many cases there are prepared questions which I can answer with yes or no. Alternatively some of the facilities I can add as photos as well. (Unfortunately the direct questions and answers (Q&A) are available only for Google devices, which I don’t own)
However, a central overview on the Maps would be extremely useful in my opinion. Let’s hope it’s coming sometime.
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Problem 3: Different lines from different sources
An other common issue is, that at one certain station there are several different lines signed as departing - however, after a more accurate check, it turns out, that these are actually the same departures, from many different sources.
It would be necessary to review these infos by eliminating the double departures and reducing it to one single data.
Unfortunately Local Guides can’t do much here, since the database for the public transport informations is not in our hands. (At least regarding the Google Maps) -
Problem 4: Real-time infos
The last, but maybe the most important part of by navigating through the transport net, are the real-time updates.
These are essential features, which are already functioning in some cities - however, where they aren’t, it is practically impossible to plan a journey with Google Maps. Especially by complex transport networks even one single disruption can have enormous effects, and when Maps doesn’t give any information about this, well, it is practically useless.Also in this situation, Local Guides can’t take the handling directly - at least not on Maps yet. However, in the apps of the local transport carriers it is already possible to report delays and disruptions directly into the system. Google could introduce a similar feature to involve Local Guides in this process.
If not so, real-time datas are publicly available by many transport authorities - Maps should just simply import them.
I believe that with my work on Maps I contribute to a better environment - since travelling by the public services is more environment-friendly than doing the same with a car. But still, people would use them only, if they have excellent informations in every situation - which are, exactly in this case, the most difficult to deliver.
I’m also convinced that local (or global) transport authorities need a hand from Local Guides - since we are the people, who are actually on the road every single day, so our contribution is highly valuable.
