More Riders

Maps That Work

One of the first pieces of data that a prospective-rider needs when logging on to a transit site is the information about how the agency serves their particular neighborhood. Most commonly, people turn to a map for this sort of information.

While many transit websites get this important section right, there are still a few exemplary items that should be singled out for their helpfulness. Below are three features from three distinctly different systems that everyone should incorporate into their maps.

Santa Clara Valley Transit Authority (VTA)

The Santa Clara Valley Transit Authority does a nice job on their light rail map site of featuring stations that a user can select with a simple click of the mouse

The information provided includes data on connecting with other buses or transit services (in this case Caltrain), location data and even useful information about bike lockers. All interactive transit maps should feature this kind of information, which often helps users familiarize themselves with the system.

Jefferson Transit (JET)

This map for the Jefferson Transit bus service has two great features.

1. When a user clicks on any of the routes they’re taken to a smaller route map, as opposed to having to look up that data elsewhere.

2. the map places the routes over a map of the city/parish with numerous easily identifiable landmarks and easy-to-identify icons for different landmarks.

The Rapid (Grand Rapids)

Though it doesn’t serve a metropolitan area the size of New York or Los Angeles, the service map for The Rapid is fantastic in a number of ways.

1. The map is flash-based and can be adjusted to fit the level of magnification desired by the user.

2. The map features something akin to selectable layers with the “Rapid Routes” button, which highlights specific routes offered by the service.

3. The “Detail Views” button automatically adjusts the map to focus on specific areas such as the airport and downtown.

4. The best feature, in our opinion, is the “Featured Destination” button seen in the photo on the left. This allows the user to select from a large list of popular destinations and then have the map focus in on that area, demonstrating what routes can be taken to achieve that destination.

Printing Options

The one thing we’d like to see from these sites, and from most transit agency sites, is the option to print usable maps from the map page. While many agencies feature printable route scheds/maps (usually in PDF form), they don’t link to these from the map page.