Intercity Transit, the public transportation agency for Thurston County, launches an online trip planner for local transit service. In response to customer demand, the award-winning transit agency joins many other transit agencies across the country providing on-line travel planning through Google Maps.
New and veteran bus riders can now go to www.intercitytransit.com, click on a link from the home page, enter their origin and destination information, and get a customized transit trip plan with complete trip information. The Google trip planner can also provide information for people interested in walking or bicycling to their destinations. The trip planning service calculates the route, trip time, and any necessary walking directions.
Development of the online feature follows requests from transit riders over the last couple of years. In an online survey completed by 443 individuals in 2010, 79 percent indicated that a transit trip planner was the primary improvement they wanted to see Intercity Transit make. And this service enhancement for transit users comes at a milestone for agency – it hits its 30th anniversary of service delivery to the community this month.
“Google Maps is another step Intercity Transit is taking to meet the needs of commuters and ensure the transit experience is positive for our customers,” states Intercity Transit General Manager Mike Harbour. “People new to transit and seasoned riders alike will find this tool very helpful. They now have custom trip plans at their finger tips without having to sort through timetables and plan their travel manually.”
Google Maps includes a feature component of Google.com, a “zoom-in” satellite view, a 3-D Earth view, and a street view of transit stops and the surrounding area. This helps people become orientated to their travel route and be familiar with the streetscape. Other features include an easy-to-read itinerary that includes transfers, trip times, and distances.
To plan a transit, bicycle or walking trip, go to our home page and find the trip planner. Simply fill in your origin and destination, the date and time you want to leave or arrive, and click on “plan trip.” Intercity Transit’s trip planner can provide plans for trips within its four-city service area of Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater and Yelm. Trip planning can also be done between north Thurston County and Tacoma, as well as Mason and Grays Harbor counties. (The trip planner currently does not create trip plans for transit service between Tacoma and Seattle. To do this, contact Pierce Transit or Sound Transit.)
Other technological improvements Intercity Transit has made include an advanced communications system with GPS on all buses, on-board and at-stop ‘talking bus’ audio announcements, electronic signage of transit stops on all buses, and real-time transit arrival displays at transit centers. Transit officials indicate work on real-time arrival information for all bus stops is under development and is expected to become available later this year.
For information on Intercity Transit’s trip planner, visit intercitytransit.com, call Customer Service at 360-786-1881, or e-mail tellus@intercitytransit.com.
Intercity Transit is a mid-size public transportation agency located in the capitol city of Olympia, Washington. Its mission is to provide and promote public transportation choices that support an accessible, sustainable, livable, healthy and prosperous community.