MBTA offering real-time subway train location information

As part of Massachusetts Patrick-Murray Administration's proven commitment to transportation reform and focus on customer service, Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray said real-time train location and arrival information is now available for the MBTA's Orange, Red, and Blue Lines. Following the successful release of real-time information for all 187 MBTA bus routes, this program expands the Administration's award-winning open data initiative to hundreds of thousands of daily subway riders.

"This is what
successful transportation reform is all about- finding practical ways to
improve transportation services for the customers who use them every day,"
said Governor Deval Patrick.

"Today’s announcement
expands an innovative service for MBTA T riders, which is currently available
on the MBTA bus routes," said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray.  "As we continue to implement
transportation reform, we want to provide our commuters with efficient and
effective resources that will improve their commute and overall customer
service on the MBTA."

Through the widely popular
open data initiative, software developers have been allowed to build
applications and websites to put this information in the hands of MBTA
customers.  Given access to a feed
of train locations in real time, the public now has the same information that
MBTA subway dispatchers use for monitoring the movements of all trains on the
busy Red, Blue, and Orange Lines. 
Subway trains make 1100 daily trips on the three lines, and serve 53
different stations.

While at Ruggles Station,
Lt. Governor Murray also announced the activation of large electronic displays
that show Orange Line train locations and bus countdown information for the
many routes serving Ruggles and Back Bay Station.

"This is another important
step in our determined efforts to make the T one of the most user-friendly
transit systems in the nation," said MBTA General Manager Richard Davey.

Less than one year ago,
MassDOT launched the first phase of its open data initiative by releasing real-time
information for five bus routes. The data released to software developers
included real-time GPS locations of buses and arrival countdown information for
every bus route. Within just one hour of releasing this data, a developer built
an application showing real-time bus positions. Within two months, more than a
dozen applications had been created including websites, smart phone
applications, SMS text message services, and 617-phone numbers. All of these
applications were created at no cost to MassDOT or the MBTA.