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Web-Based Transit Trip-Planner Serves Up Two-Millionth Itinerary
1/7/2003 11:00:00 AM


OAKLAND, Calif., Jan 7, 2003 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Only a year and
a half after its launch, the online transit trip-planner operated by the
Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) has reached another major
milestone: It has provided Bay Area travelers with 2 million
personalized public transit itineraries. The milestone was reached on
Dec. 29, 2002, only six months after the first million mark was hit.

"The Bay Area public has responded enthusiastically to this service,"
said Sharon Brown, chair of MTC. "We've gotten comments from veteran
transit riders as well as those new to transit, and the consensus has
been that this is a concept whose time has come."

Hosted by MTC's Bay Area Transit Information Web Page,
www.transitinfo.org, the service currently allows travelers to plan
transit trips involving 20 connecting local bus, train and ferry
operators and approximately 440 routes and 11,500 bus stops and transit
stations. Transit riders just type in the address, intersection or
landmark they are departing from and their destination, and the system
will tell them which routes to take, when and where to board, and where
to transfer.

Starting in spring 2003, transit riders also can reach the trip planner
via a new Web site now under development: 511.org will provide traffic,
transit and other traveler information, just as the newly introduced 511
voice-responsive telephone number does.

The online trip planner currently generates itineraries for the
following transit operators:

    -- Bus operators:  San Francisco Muni, the transbay Dumbarton
Express and
       nine East Bay operators -- AC Transit, Benicia Transit, County
       Connection (Central Contra Costa Transit Authority),
Emery-Go-Round,
       Tri Delta Transit (Eastern Contra Costa Transit Authority), Union
City
       Transit, Vallejo Transit, WestCAT (Western Contra Costa County
Transit
       Authority) and WHEELS (operated by the Livermore/Amador Valley
Transit
       Authority).
    -- Rail operators:  the Altamont Commuter Express (ACE), BART,
Caltrain
       and Muni light rail.
    -- Ferry lines:  the Alameda-Oakland, Golden Gate, Harbor Bay,
Vallejo
       Baylink, Angel Island-Tiburon, and Blue and Gold Fleet ferry
services.


In addition to providing transit directions and schedule and fare
information, the trip-planner can produce sophisticated, geographic
information system-based walking maps that show how to get to, from and
between transit stops. The maps allow the user to zoom in and out and
pan from one spot to another, taking in features such as parks, schools,
hospitals and other landmarks. The color maps can be printed out to take
along on the transit trip.

The trip planner also is being used by the telephone information centers
operated by the transit agencies themselves, making the service
available to members of the public who don't have access to the Web.

By spring, MTC will add to the online transit trip-planning service
routes and schedules for Golden Gate Transit, San Mateo County Transit
District (SamTrans) and Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority
(VTA). During the summer, MTC will phase in Vacaville City Coach and
Fairfield/Suisun Transit as well as Sonoma and Napa county transit
operators.

MTC is the transportation planning, financing and coordinating agency
for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area.

SOURCE Metropolitan Transportation Commission

Tom Spiekerman, +1-510-817-3219, or Reka Goode,
+1-510-464-7706, both for Metropolitan Transportation Commission


http://www.transitinfo.org

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http://cbs.marketwatch.com/tools/quotes/newsarticle.asp?guid={5BBE48A4-1B78-499F-8722-F1FC22C5753E}&siteid=mktw&dist=nbk