PUBLIC TRANSIT: New app allows transit agencies to test different routes virtually

A new app developed by Urban Engines—founded by a group of former Google engineers and Stanford researchers—allows transit agencies to determine the most efficient way of getting from Point A to Point B. 

Urban Engines pulls a wide variety of data and the app will offer different combinations of travel modes to get to the user’s destination. The data software also lets public transportation agencies track their systems by vehicle occupancy and location, giving them a clearer view of patterns and what’s working well or where there are transit issues. 

The latest feature: A/B testing offers transit agencies the ability to test and compare different different routes, vehicles and travel times; and it can all be done virtually without the need of a data expert. 

Transit systems like San Francisco’s BART can use the app to see how trains and transit patterns are affected by a large public event like a concert or game, and then adjust its use of trains, buses and vehicles to more efficiently accommodate city commuters.