New Media in Transportation
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Contents |
Daily Transit
New York's MTA has an average weekday ridership of 8,505,966 people (mta.info). Subway, commuter rail, and bus riders can now receive notifications from the MTA about any service disruptions or changes. Users being given the option to receive updates allows for them to better plan their day. It also allows for riders to alert others that may be traveling the same way.
In addition to alerts, you can now also check train schedules through text messaging for free. For example, MTA LIRR and Metro-North customers can text their train schedule requests to a certain number and will immediately get a message with the schedule of next five trains to the requested destination. This feature is part of the program to improve MTA customer service and reduce costs. According to the MTA representative, this text-messaging service will help MTA reduce the amount of printed schedules and might reduce the volume of calls to its call-center. There are also planned improvements to this service. In the future, the service will also support requests for train fare information.
To see how some of this works you can visit the MTA page here.
To see how some of this works you can visit the LIRR page here.
MTA also offers Metro Cards which is a new media in itself. Since its introduction in 1994, millions of New Yorkers could not leave home without that yellow and blue card. Metro Cards put an end to the popular tokens, allowing riders to buy MTA services for different periods of time. These cards saved New Yorkers' money and the hassle of carrying tokens on their trip and not being able to buy service for long periods of time (One day unlimited, Monthly and Weekly Unlimited services).
If lost the Single-Ride Metrocard, then it cannot be replaced. However, 14-Day and 30-Day Unlimited Ride MetroCard and the 7-Day Express Bus MetroCard provide a balance protection if purchased with a credit card or debit/atm card. So, it is better to buy the card with a credit card or debit/atm card than cash.
With new media, a metrocard works as an EasyPayXpress MetroCard. It works just like any other Pay-Per-Ride MetroCard except people now can have the convenience of one card that automatically refills itself. By using EasyPayXpress Metrocard, riders do not have to spend time to purchase another card on Metrocard Vending Machines or Subway Station Booths when Metrocards expired.
References: http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/original/mta-logo.gif
Improved Transportation
New Media is an efficient and effective way to reach the public and inform regarding traffic and travel information. Department of Transportation is actively using social networking sites to relay information. Twitter, Facebook and YouTube are used widely. Information regarding traffic, road closings, emergencies(hurricane, tornadoes, accidents)is reached instantly to everyone who has internet connection. It has led to new possibilities such as comments from public for improvements or feedback on new projects or proposals. Information regarding bus and train schedules can be accessed easily. simultaneous and instant information is the characteristic of new media.
http://www.transportation.org/sites/publicaffairs/docs/New_Media_Research_Brief.pdf
Transportation agencies has developed their own websites about their services which includes maps, schedules, rider guides, fare information, future projects, special services etc...
Blogs about public transit are community forum that shows views of riders all over the city. New Jersey blog,
http://blog.nj.com/transit/ shows the experience of commuters and has all the information regarding Newark, NYC subway, Path, Amtrak, metrocard and so on.
A bike sharing system known as Bixi,is very popular due to its ease of use, accessibility, information transparency. Users can return their bikes to any station, which are never more than 1000 feet apart in city. Bixi also offers a smartphone app that tells users locations of the closest docking stations and the number of bikes available there. due to real time, mobile information,it easy for people to access bikes without planning earlier and without thinking about specific location. New Media lead to apps that plan their routes easily and efficiently. New Media can allow a website or app that lets us compare options for getting to different places and maybe add information like carbon emissions, carbon burned and so on for each option.
In the coming years, people will prefer using mixture of things such as zipcar, private car and public transportation. New media can enable improved information access. Mobile apps will help us make better decisions: we will be able to find information about complete range of transit options(buses, trains, bike sharing, car sharing etc) including information from competitive providers. Mobile information tools (eg. apps) will allow users to choose among several options by comparing schedules, cost, availability and convenience.
Users will be able to choose a particular service when it actually makes sense for the. They will not consider themselves as a "car person" but as someone with changing needs. This challenges businesses to offer new levels of transparency and to consider partnering with competitors.This can lead to a new and deeper form of brand loyalty.
There can be transit apps or websites such as "how to get there using transit". We are able to enter information about our destination on the website about where we have to be and when,website will show us all the options relating to bus, car, zipcar, bike etc and will tell us when we will get there and how much it will cost. http://hopstop.com/ is a good website to find transportation information to reach our destination.
New Media increase awareness of what is around us - community events, local businesses, promotions, and so on with the help of real time, mobile information. Apps can tie their routes to other places of interest, signaling that transit providers should partner with local businesses to increase engagement with both parties. There is a significant opportunity to transform transit into positive experiences that are about more than just getting from one place to another: experiences of spontaneous discovery, community involvement and belongingness and so on that new media enables.
New Media has the potential to make a phone app that would tell you the fastest way to your destination using any and all public transportation options. if there are any special events such as arts, music, food, special deals (shopping, sales, coupons, happy hours) along the route they app could tell you.
There can be an app that would allow all of us to better navigate by including trip planning with platform elevators and other handicapped access, but also where nearest bathrooms are located, where your could stop and take a brief rest of necessary (benches, indoor malls food courts ect) where you could charge a phone or plug in a laptop or partake in other services that would allow you to reinvigorate yourself or your technology for free.
Zipcar allows users to unlock the car they have reserved. It is possible due to wireless network. When a user reserves a car, online or over phone, user get authorization through their card for a particular vehicle. Zipcar is able to monitor remotely due to wireless networks. Streetcar also like zipcar lets users unlock their reserved vehicles with the swipe of a card over the windshield or by using an iPhone app. Avancar is also a car sharing system equips each vehicle with a small computer and keypad below the rearview mirror that allow drivers to make reservation changes and contact customer service representative when they enter a pin
http://gigaom.com/cleantech/how-zipcar-can-scale-car-sharing-tech-on-the-cheap/
Transportation system is a very complex system, especially in advanced countries. therefore, without new media, it will be very difficult to stay updated and find easy access to information on the go. New media has led to access to real time mobile information which could raise the status of public transit. it has given a new meaning to traveling where imagination is the only limit.
The Auto Industry
This section analyzes and describes how car companies are using new media to lure new customers and keep existing customers.
"New York cabs to get TV and GPS connection"
Those who took a yellow cab in New York City might have noticed the new technology that includes credit card readers. Now people can pay their fares by credit cards, watch some NBC shows and of course ads. The system is also equipped with GPS that can be helpful to many tourists.
The auto industry is using new techonologies very wisely by introducing a car that drives on it's own. The new cars are coming out in which one just puts the address in the navigation and the car drives on its own. The car will follow all the traffic regulations, will be programmed to stop at red lights, brake when needed to and get a person to their destination safely.It would decrease the number of accidents on the road. Many say this is not possible but many years ago, auto industry declared that something like this will replace our cars very soon.
Toyota's New Concept Car
Toyota has just introduced a new concept car that integrates new digital media with the exterior of the car. The car is dubbed the Fun Vehicle interactive internet or Fun Vii and goes to show how far we have come from the original template of a car. The Fun Vii and a large digital display on body of the car which makes it possible to control the color of the car, voice and facial recognition. With the Fun Vii HGH Advanced drivers could customize the vehicle to match their mood, display messages, or it could be used for skin care products review
commercial use to promote products with it large display. Along with its futuristic exterior the interior also is very ahead of its time with large displays that allows users to check the temperature, use it as a GPS, and even check e-mail. This by far shows the potential of what the future of the auto industry might look like.
Smart Dust Technology
"Smart dust aims to monitor everything"
By: Doli Kumar
The smart dust idea was first presented by Kristofer S. J. Pister (University of California) in 2001. He wanted to build an integrated device that has capabilities of collecting and communicating the data the other computers wireless. Smart dust is a system of many tiny electromechanical systems. These electromechanical systems can be sensors, robots, or other devices that can record temperature, vibration, light and movement. Typically a smart dust is a combination of computer, sensing equipment, wireless radios and a battery. Smart dust can be helpful in factories to get information about equipment that can be faulty. These motes can be used in machines to predict a possible defect that can cause a serious unique hoodia injury. As I already have said that these motes can detect vibration and if a machine starts rattling too much or the frequency of the vibration changes, it can alert main capsiplex computer about the problems. The engineers than can collect data from computer and can repair the defective part and thus saving a possible injury that can be result due to malfunction of the machine. Similarly they can be attached to the big infrastructures like bridges and buildings to indicate a problem before a big chaos. Researchers also say that these motes can help companies save energy costs of up to 50 percent. These motes can be used to find natural resources under the earth. According to Pete Hartwell, a senior phen375 fat burner researcher at HP Labs in Palo Alto, HP has already made proactol plus plans with Royal Dutch Shell to install 1 million matchbook-size motes to aid in oil exploration by measuring rock vibrations and movement. These sensors, which already have been developed, will cover a 6-square-mile area.
References:
Bigelow, S.J. (2004), "Microscopic Monitors: A New Breed of Wireless Sensors Can Bring Senses to Networks," Processor, http://www.processor.com/default.asp?guid=FE83CBFA9A744628BA9C6FDA9F85FCF5. (july,2004)
Sutter, John D. "'Smart Dust' Aims to Monitor Everything." CNN.com. 3 May 2010. Web. 21 Nov. 2010. <http://edition.cnn.com/2010/TECH/05/03/smart.dust.sensors/index.html>.
The Airline Industry
This section describes airlines' uses of new media and, like the car companies, how this attracts new customers and retains existing customers.
New media can be used by the airline industry to connect with customers and generate revenue. Every year the airline industry generates billions of dollars but their profit margin is still less than one percent. Many problems facing the industry are high slimming pills labor costs, varying seasonal demand, and vulnerability to weather conditions. The airline industry can offer travelers a Web interface customized to their travel needs and also save time by letting customers check in by credit card instead of going through the airport staff. Also they provide that they give a discount when they reserve tickets by airplane company website. For instance, in jetblue website, they shows featured webfare. (http://www.jetblue.com/) Additionally, they send an e-mail for promotion fare whenever they have.
Also, airplanes can introduce new media by providing their clients with internet service. Travelers will continue to work, even in the air, allowing them to get more work done. The airline that introduces this idea will be at a greater advantage than others and can increase it's fares without losing travelers.
New Media and the TSA
The new spark of the enhanced pat downs and body scanners have sparked outrage among people and websites have popped up regarding peoples individual stories. mytsahorrorstory.com is a place where people from all over can come together and give their own experience and feelings towards the new wave of security. Many people are offended and take civil action because they feel so violated. It is a large problem that website has been getting more and more hits as of the newest actions like the full body scanners.
resources: http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/blogs/the_angle/2010/11/new_media_and_t.html http://mytsahorrorstory.com/
The Cruise Industry
This section explains how cruise lines attract customers while promoting their offerings to the public using new media.
To better understand the key performance drivers of the cruise business in the Internet Age, website is critical for reaching and influencing potential cruisers. While television and magazines remain the top two media for igniting vacation ideas, the third most popular source for new vacation ideas is now online search. Online search is one of the top sources used by the majority of consumers throughout every aspect of the vacation. Most importantly, positive website experiences influence slim weight patch consideration to book a cruise and provide opportunity for increased word-of-mouth marketing
The Social Networking Commute
This section describes how people find travel slimming reviews companions through new media and also how travel ratings on new media make a noticeable impact on the entire travel industry By: Albert Chamakala
Zimride is a new website, one of many, that offers commuters a new place to meet others. Zimride allows commuters to meet others with similar commuting schedules and get in touch with each other. The idea is that people can Phen375 meet and commute together rather than commuting individually. That means that people can split the cost of gas and tolls in half while the benefits include saving money, the ability to drive in carpool, and being more green by taking off one or more cars off the road.
Carpoolers are also eligible to use the HOV lanes for their commute. Zimride lets carpoolers find each other for one-time rides, regular commutes and shared cabs in the US and Canada. It also uses Facebook Connect so that people can see if their friends on Facebook are interested in carpooling.
Related wiki pages: New Media Web Tools in Transportation
Future - Flying Cars
Future flying cars have intrigued people for decades. Ever since Orville and Wilbur Wright took off on their historic flight from Kittyhawk, North Carolina, people were not thinking about huge jumbo jets, but rather future flying cars that could get them from point A to point B quickly, safely and aeronautically. People are yearning for future flying cars, the kind like a regular automobile, but one that could put people above the angst of rush hour traffic, highway closures, detours and traffic jam causing accidents.
Then another future flying car is the AirScooter II, which is being called a recreational air vehicle. The AirScooter II is not in production yet as the AirScooter Corporation is still testing its AeroTwin Engine and expects to go into production by the end of 2007. For under $50,000 you can have your own personal aircraft that soars above the traffic. The AirScooter II can reach 55 mph and fly for 2 hours before refueling.
So, to recap, future flying cars are not that much into the future. Within a couple of short years, your future flying car may be your present everyday car and flying will be as commonplace as honking your horn at another driver is today.
References:
http://notimefortrivia.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/flying-car-new.jpg
New Media and DOTs
New media is widely used by state departments of transportation. They are using social media websites to communicate with the public. Twitter is used the most, for traffic alerts, road closings and emergency notificafions. Also many of them have a Youtube channel and videos on their websites. Still, at this time, new media is not a replacement for traditional means of communication. In order to determine which new media to use, the government officials first examine who will be using their services. In states with large rural areas, where many people do not have computers and electronic devices with internet access, they still have to rely mostly on newspapers, radio and TV to reach the public. Some states use multiple Twitter accounts for different locations and highways within the state. Departments of transportation use Facebook to communicate with younger people as statistics showed that Facebook is used by young people the most. Their Facebook pages contain information like public service announcements, news, safety messages and job postings. By using multiple forms of social media, DOTs can reach a wide audience and save time and effort through mass distribution of information.
Statistics about DOTs and New Media:
- 81% use Twitter (26 states)*
- Of those states using Twitter:
- 83% relay traffic incidents
- 80% relay road closings
- 63% relay emergencies such as hurricanes and tornados
- 45% have an active Facebook page (14 states)
- 74% have video on their website (23 states); 4 states have a news channel or weekly news update
- 64% have a YouTube channel (18 states)
- 10% have a MySpace page (3 states)
- 7% of DOTs have a blog (7 states)
- 45% offer RSS feeds performer 5 from their website (14)
- 33% offer podcasts on their website (10 states)
- 45% participate as a member of LinkedIn (14 states
DOT uses Facebook to post:
- News
- Job postings
- Events and meeting announcements
- Safety messages
- “Don’t Trash Arizona”
- Contests and Polls/Surveys
- Teen driver safety information
- Links to public service announcements
- Video news updates
- Hours of operation
DOT uses Twitter to post:
- Referrals to Tripcheck and new video updates
- Fires
- Accidents
- Construction projects, construction clear skin max delays
- Press releases
- State responses to the Recovery Act
- Air quality
- Transit information
- Changes in traffic patterns due to construction or accidents
- Hurricane-related road closures, traffic teeth whitener reviews information, fuel availability and contraflow information
- 511 information
References: http://www.transportation.org/sites/publicaffairs/docs/New_Media_Research_Brief.pdf
