I wish to develop a mobile app to encourage commuters to travel by bus. While there are many apps already available, I wish to develop a new app that is easier to use. I need the following data and will appreciate advice on how they can be retrieved for free or at a modest cost:
- GPS location and number of all bus stops in Singapore
- Numbers of the bus services stopping at each bus stop
- Arrival time of the next bus for each service and bus stop (this need access to the servers of the bus operators)
If you have any information on the above, please write to kinlian@tankinlian.com. Thank you.
13 comments:
I took bus 163 from Thomson Plaza to my home in Yio Chu Kang. It was not crowded (time 6.30 pm) and I could get a seat after a few stops. The journey was comfortable and fast. Total journey time was 20 minutes.
My colleagues, who used to take train and bus, has now switched to a direct bus. He found it to be convenient as well.
We need to learn how to take bus, and not rely entirely on the MRT trains.
Taking bus(in Singapore) has to face two unexpected inconveniences:
1. Untimely arrival of buses. Very common to see the same number of bus arrives at the same time at BUS-STOP. In addition, the waiting time for some bus numbers can be as long as 30 minutes or longer.
2. Heavy traffic jam(peak or non-peak period) along the way to the destination is not uncommon. This makes many commuters who need to arrive on time for their plan-destination shying away to use this option.
Some of our bus drivers' bad driving habits of zooming in and out of the bus-lane aggravate the traffic situation. Although we have a COE system to control the growth of car population, my experience of taking public buses in Hong Kong is a more pleasant one. I notice that the drivers(both private and public transport)
in Hong Kong are more disciplined and the traffic management is more advanced, e.g. traffic lights computerised to tune/time in according to traffic volume, more orderly pedestrain-crossing and observing/obeying the rules of yellow-box junction, etc..
Anyone cares to share more?
Sad trend for the buses is that more & more seats are removed to make way for 'standing'.
When i'm seated inside msian bus in JB i find sg buses a joke when Msian buses are the usual all seats compared to standing space on sg buses.
Orang Tuas can't take buses, there are fewer seats now, and buses here always jerk here and there, and waiting time for arrival is unpredictable, climbing up overhead bridges to get to bus stop is damaging to creaky joints.
Solution, take taxis no matter how expensive, bo bian ah.
Hong Kong's high standard of traffic management in easing/minimising the traffic congestion includes good management of diverting traffic flow and keeping all construction materials and equipments within a limited fencing-off area on the site. So that all moving traffic is ensured a continued smooth ride when the construction for building or road work is underway. All pedestrain malls are cleared freely for human traffic too.
In Singapore, one can notice easily that the same does not occur. A lot of inconvenience caused to both vehicles traffic and pedestrians suffer hazardously in moving around(for months/years) when the construction work is in progress.
All these arrangements deeply impressed me and I believe Singapore can learn from them and improve upon it. Note that Hong Kong does not implement COE and ERP system and the city traffic is yet considered 'GOOD' if one takes into account the density of land in Hong Kong is higher than Singapore.
The same Orang Tuas(in Hong Kong) can choose to climb up the overhead bridges by stairs to exercise the leg muscle or to use the lift provided to prevent damaging the creaky joints.
I wonder why Singapore takes so long to catch up in becoming a friendly city for the aged, the handicaps and the sick.
Regrettably, we proclaimed prematurely in a popular book titled 'from Third World to First - the Singapore Story'. Could it be an insult to Singaporeans?
One need to put up some minor inconveniences when taking public buses. Extra time taken to reach destination as buses need to stop at every bus stops & traffic lights, lack of seats during peak hours, etc. But given all the above, we have a very respectable public bus system. Though I won't say it is world class.
I take bus to work daily, as it frees me up to read a book, enjoy the scenery, day dream or simply listen to music. Taking bus is almost stress free and a low-cost way to travel.
There are some Singaporean who own cars for the wrong reasons, and sees taking public transportation as degrading themselves. This mindset has to change and it will take a few generations to do so.
In Singapore context, public transport, be it buses or MRT, is the way to go.
Does any one know where I can get the data of bus stops and the bus services at each stop?
Bus Number Info & Bus Stop Number :
http://www.transitlink.com.sg/eguide2.html
Bus Stop Location :
http://www.streetdb.com ( with bus number indicated )
or
http://www.onemap.sg ( only Bus Stop Number indicated )
I think need to build some software to auto-search these databases, and then correlate into a new database with ( Bus Number / Bus Stop Number / Bus Stop Location ) info.
Currently only SBS Transit has bus arrival time info on IRIS. SMRT has none.
If I were an entrepreneurial bus company, my CEO will make a personal phone call to you for an appointment.
With the head of my IT department accompanying me for a meeting to discuss.
I rather cycle if my planned journey is attainable by my own "leg-power".
Really, it is time that citizens of this land start exploring this mode of transport just like Japan, Netherlands, France, UK, etc, are already doing for decades!!
Promotes general well-being in terms of having more exercise and saving money and having fun.. sometimes even saving time too!
Cycling is NOT just for the poor, you know?? So do explore this option for yourself and family, if possible ;))
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Charles
It is great that there are individuals like you that would like to promote bus travel. Surely, those who are in the industry such as bus charters Los Angeles (for example) would be thrilled that such efforts are being done. Thanks for sharing this article and best of luck on your endeavors.
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