EXCERPT: “For years, city dwellers have had access to an array of apps, such as Apple Maps and Google Maps, to plan their public transportation trips. These options are more readily available in urban areas because of how public transit in urban areas works: transit agencies run fixed routes, and their schedules change infrequently. Some transit agencies also run these schedules into a feed, which developers incorporate into trip planning apps. These feeds give users the ability to track the exact location of transit vehicles within the app. In most rural areas, public transit looks a little different. Rural transit agencies generally do not have consistent schedules. In fact, most schedules — and consequently, the routes buses operate — change daily based on whoever calls-in for a ride. Rural transit agencies also often lack the resources to build a feed that developers could integrate into their trip planning apps. The variable and underappreciated nature of rural public transit systems is why both Minnesota and Vermont decided to develop their own trip planning websites for rural areas. ” FULL STORY: https://fluence-media.co/4c73ry6
