WMATA lets riders down with refusal to use Google Transit

December 15, 11:52 AMDC Transportation ExaminerKatherine M. Hill

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The best thing that happened to MTA this year was the system's new Trip Planner, a service that provides directions from point A to point B using Google Transit. MTA, notoriously unreliable in Baltimore and infinitely frustrating, was suddenly easier to navigate. My nerves were calmed with the understanding that, as far as Google knew, the next bus would arrive in three minutes and I could expect to reach my destination in 20 minutes. Go ahead, click the link, and look at the podunk towns and developed cities that bask in the glory of the nearly flawless service. Anything still missing?

Continue to not count on WMATA joining the masses. Formerly "working on it," WMATA is disinterested in making our lives a little easier. Track work, long delays, and the general angst of getting lost could be avoided in WMATA had really "worked on it" and given riders the service we desperately long for. Instead, Director of Customer Service Brett Tyler told Michael Perkins:

...ultimately we decided that forming a partnership with Google was not in our best interest from a business perspective. We do believe that Metro's newly redesigned Web site, at www.wmata.com, improves customers' access to information about the Metro system. In addition, customers may get real-time information and bus and rail schedules directly on their cell phones or PDAs.

Perkins points out the obvious: it's great that WMATA provides these services, but they aren't as good as Google Transit. PDFs are inferior to step-by-step directions.

And quite frankly, the dramatic switch is disappointing. That's not to say I was holding my breath, but there was a smidgen of hope remaining that WMATA might get its act together and provide the security riders in other cities were able to enjoy. Google Transit wouldn't cost WMATA penny, making it harder to withstand the agency's attitude in holding back.

Greater Greater Washington created a petition this weekend (and if I hadn't been so blinded with rage I might have pointed you toward it this weekend) demanding Google Transit for the Washington area. 300 (and counting) petitions have been sent, and David Alpert reported this morning that WMATA has told some senders that they'll "look into it." That doesn't restore my faith in getting Google Transit, but it can't hurt to hope. Please, fill out a petition! Let WMATA to know that the new website might be great, but Google Transit would be better.