The buzz around the local blogosphere (ie two of the sites I read regularly) is that a couple of guys who, like most of us, grew frustrated with with SEPTA's website and its inability to offer clear, coherent, well-planned trips, came up with their own.
And they made it available for mobile devices, which you are more likely to be using when you are out and about and looking for a way to get from point A to point B.
Philebrity's Technologicology column has an interview with the creators and a detailed explanations about how their creation makes SEPTA suck just a little less.
So in essence, these guys created something for all of us and for SEPTA that would have taken tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of dollars for the transit agency to do and most likely, do poorly.
Technologicology columnist Brian James Kirk sums it up with the most important question: "Could a public utility ever be this organized on their own?"
If so, why don't they? If not, what hope do we have for any kind of customer service from PGW, the School District, SEPTA or the city?
So loyal readers - all ten of you - can you think of any other volunteer efforts like this that folks have undertaken to improve our connection with our government or our public utilities?
I can think of one off the top of my head: Hallwatch.org's Property Tax Info search, which preceded the BRT's own efforts at putting that info on-line.
Even if someone could come up with a clear, coherent, step-by-step set of instructions for, say, how to turn your house into a rental property, that would be helpful.
Your comments and suggestions are welcome.
Comments (1)
That's pretty cool! Next step: Get something with GPS tracking, like SF has:
nextmuni.com
Amazing for people with internet-enabled phones who don't want to wait 40 minutes in the cold for a bus/train or just want to see a list of stops while on the go.
Posted by Evan | May 20, 2008 6:46 PM