BC students know the drill when it comes to grabbing the Comm. Ave. bus—you don’t go anywhere near the bus stop without checking TransLoc. Now, the arrival of the Green Line can be similarly predictable.
The Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) announced this morning that it would begin releasing real-time tracking data for above-ground trains, starting this afternoon. The tracking data, collected via GPS hardware, will be fed to “dozens of MBTA real-time apps,” according to a press release. This is a substantial change for the Green Line, as similar data has already been released for the Orange, Red, and Blue lines.
“Today marks an important milestone in one of the most highly-anticipated projects the MBTA has undertaken in recent years,” said MassDOT Secretary and CEO Richard A. Davey, according to the press release.
The launch of this real-time tracking capability is the first phase of a project that hopes to bring real-time information for all Green Line trains. By the end of the fall, the MBTA plans to begin releasing predicted arrival times, beginning with the above-ground branches.
Given that GPS does not work underground, more track sensors are being installed to provide data for trains that are in the tunnels, which will allow for predicted arrival times to be released for underground trains in the third phase of the project.
Featured Image by Emily Fahey / Heights Editor
