Metro News Release

For immediate release: October 26, 2007

Metro to Hit the Pause Button on Next Bus Real-Time Information System

On Wednesday, October 31, Metro will pause its Next Bus information program, which provides real-time customer information for determining when the next Metrobus arrives at a bus stop.

The decision to pause the Next Bus program was based on the low accuracy levels of the system, currently operating on 32 Metrobus routes throughout the District of Columbia, suburban Maryland and northern Virginia. The system is accurate about 80 percent of the time in its predictions. Metro requires accuracy to be at 95 percent before expanding the program to all bus routes.

Next Bus is designed to inform bus riders when the next buses will be arriving at a stop or departing from a station. It uses global positioning satellites and advanced computer modeling to track buses on their routes every 90 seconds. Taking into account the actual position of the transit vehicles, their intended stops, and the typical traffic patterns, the system estimates the bus arrivals. These estimates are updated constantly as the vehicles are tracked.

“For Metrobus customers using Next Bus on these 32 pilot routes, they might accept an 80 percent accuracy level, however, we will not,” said Suzanne Peck, Metro’s Chief Technology Officer. “The pilot results have demonstrated how we can achieve that high-level of accuracy by better integrating the individual parts of this complex system. We want the system to be as accurate as possible for all Metrobus users.”

Metro estimates that it will take 12 to 18 months to upgrade its technology systems that provide data to the Next Bus system, before expanding the next phase of routes.

“We have asked for and received feedback from customers, and we know they like the concept,” said John Catoe, Metro’s General Manager. “Those customers have provided us with valuable data, and we thank each and every customer for providing us with this information.” 

A pilot program was launched last November on Metrobus routes 9A and 9E in Northern Virginia, F4 and F6 in Suburban Maryland and the 90, 92, and 93 in the District of Columbia. This spring, Metro added 25 routes which included the 70/71, 79, 16A, B, D, E, F, J, 16G, H, K, W, 16L, 16Y, 38B, 30, 32, 34, 35, 36, J1, J2, J3, and J4.

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News release issued at 12:00 am, October 26, 2007.