Monday, January 2, 2012

Stand clear of the closing doors please….

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First and foremost I would like to say to those reading this blog, Happy New Year! In 2011… we came, we saw…. we did something (I hope). If you did not do something YOU are fortunate to have a fresh start. Let’s see if I can aid you in being a little smarter, savvier and of course productive this year by introducing technology that can make some of your daily tasks easier.

Being a resident of New York City, navigating via public transportation is essential for daily life. Whether it be work, leisure, or when YOU were stumbling to find your way home on New Year’s Day the best way to get around the city is by buses and trains.

Public transportation has undergone useful improvements over the years, and no I am nor referring to their being more environmentally friendly. I’m referring to the schedule displays that are in almost every station. Now commuters are able to know how long they have to wait for the next train. However, I wonder how much good does an in-station schedule display do since you are already at the station? It is like a timer at a public restroom that alerts you when its you turn to use the facilities.

Well fret not, someone out there has pondered the same thing and has done something about it. There is an app called “NextStop - NYC Subway”. It provides to you the same information that you would get on the in-station schedule display on your smart phone. This is possible because the MTA has opened its information resources to developers who are looking to make apps such as this for commuters. As a bonus it even displays service changes through its alert feature. Now when you are wondering if you have time to hop into Starbucks and get your coffee now than after your train ride, you will know how much time you have to do so. While I have used this app there has been very few times the time was off by a minute, but it was always early. Best of all its FREE, which means you won’t have to sacrifice coffee funds.

If this blog post has helped share this with your family and friends and let me know what you think. Feedback is important people: yes just as important as Starbucks coffee.

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