MBTA, Google Transit Promote Customer Friendly Trip Planning

At South Station, Boston's largest multi-modal transportation center, the MBTA's General Manager announced the T's partnership with Google Transit and the convenience and ease travelers will have when planning a trip on the authority's bus, subway, commuter rail, and boat service. Similar to the MBTA's Trip Planner, Google Transit, a feature of Google Maps, is a web-based application that plans a trip using public transportation options. The service calculates the route, transit time, and any necessary walking directions.

This on - line feature which provides directions in various languages using the [public] transit option on Google Maps; and reaches people that the MBTA trip planner does not by surfacing public transit itineraries as an alternative when a user does a directions search within Google Maps. Including the Boston Metro area, Google provides transit information for many major cities across the United States and elsewhere around the world. Transit trip planning is also available on mobile phones including iPhone, Blackberry, Windows Mobile, S60, and other Java enabled phones.

As America's first and oldest transit agency we strive to keep up with the latest technology," said the MBTA's General Manager. "Joining Google Transit enhances our
on- line information capability for people locally and abroad seeking transit options. With Google Transit, travelers unaware of the convenience of public transportation can do a search and choose for themselves."

"This is a major step forward for the MBTA, and a terrific partnership between modern technology and a historic transit system," said Senator Steven Baddour, (D-Methuen) Chairman of the Joint Committee on Transportation.

Google Maps provide written directions and maps to stations, schedule information and trip directions, and the ability to search by landmarks, businesses and other locations. Google Maps will now automatically show MBTA itineraries as an alternative to driving directions when available. It also provides a link to the MBTA's website www.mbta.com, where riders can find scheduling information, customized planning tools and fare information.

"It's wonderful to welcome the MBTA to Google Transit," said Steve Vinter, Engineering Director, Google Boston. "Many of our engineers and salespeople commute into our Kendall Square office by public transportation, so we appreciate first-hand just how helpful this feature can be for planning local travel."

"In addition to its benefits for commuters, Google Transit opens up new opportunities for exploring the region -- for visitors on holiday, for new residents, and for all the students who will call the Boston area home this fall," Vinter said. "Whether you're looking to save money on parking for a game at Fenway Park, considering alternative options for getting to or from a flight at Logan Airport, or eager to plan a day trip out to Newburyport and Plum Island or elsewhere, we're pleased that users will now be able to learn about the MBTA's offerings directly from Google Maps."

Get started in three easy steps:

1) Go to http://maps.google.com
2) Click on Get Directions, then enter your start and end points.
3) Select By Public Transit from the drop down menu

Sampling of U.S. transit agencies who have partnered with Google Transit:
Boston, Ma Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA
Maryland MTA (including Baltimore and Maryland Transit bus stops within DC)
Fairfax, VA
Alexandria, VA
Loudoun County, VA
New York MTA (including the New York subway and commuter railroads)
Chicago Transit Authority
BART (San Francisco Bay Area)
San Diego, CA
Denver/Boulder, CO
Miami, FL
MARTA (Atlanta, GA)
Portland, OR
Dallas, TX
Los Angeles Metro

Google Transit automatically creates transfers between agencies in overlapping service areas. Agencies that connect with the MBTA in Massachusetts and New England include the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority, Lexington's Lexpress, and the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority.