Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - Real Time

Now that our buses are fitted with sophisticated equipment with the operational support and rider information system, we are able to track their movement in the system at all times, and therefore also provide information in real time through the use of different information tools. This information includes bus location and the adjusted schedules based on a bus's location (its GPS position) on a route.

As a result, the real-time information is much more precise than the scheduled time because it takes account of the real situation in the bus system.

It is important to note that the next real bus stop times are still predicted based on the information supplied by a bus on the route. Moreover, this is not instantaneous information. A mobile app may take several seconds (15, 30, 45, 60 seconds…) between the time the information from the bus is sent, and the time it is processed and transmitted to your cell phone. This may not seem like much, but a bus can travel a fair distance along its route in one minute. Note, however, that most of the time, this delay should not exceed one minute.

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Bus stop times identified as being in real time are actually future predictions based on information supplied by the bus on the route, according to the distance to travel to your stop.

Real time is not instantaneous information. There is a delay between the moment the information is sent from the bus and received by the information tool. In a mobile app, this delay may take up to a maximum of one minute. This may not seem like much, but a bus can travel a fair distance along its route in one minute.

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Real time is available:

• On all variable message signs (Rapibus stations and busiest stops);
• On the displays inside De la Cité station;
• With the Infobus service (telephone, mobile site at m.sto.ca, and text message);
• On the variable message signs on the buses (next stop announcements);
• In the Transit app;
• Soon in the apps of other developers and on Google Maps thanks to real-time open data.

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In the STO's information tools, this is the schedule information.

In an app, the information includes the bus stop times and vehicle locations. Alerts are also sent when the system is affected by unforeseen situations or detours.

The next bus stop announcements on the buses are also real-time information because they use the geographic location of the bus to determine the next stop. 

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Because real-time open data sharing is new for the STO, we turned to experts in the field. We worked together with our real-time data provider and the Transit app developers who, with their help and expertise in this area, assisted us in verifying and validating the information contained in our real-time data (GTFS-RT).

In addition, the Transit app met our requirements and the needs of our clientele. This app has proven itself worldwide and is highly rated by public transit customers.

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Planned schedules are the scheduled bus stop times for a given route, at a given stop, based on the bus system plan. This is what allows you to plan your trips in advance. The planned schedules are contained in Plani-Bus and printed in the User's Guide and on the Infopost displays in the system. The planned schedules are modified up to 4 times per year – in mid-June for the summer service and in August for the fall service. Early January and March are also two common periods when adjustments might be made in the system. 

Real-time schedules are predictions based on the information supplied by the bus on the route. Thus the predicted bus stop time displayed is adjusted according to whether a bus is ahead of or behind schedule, making it possible to provide riders with more reliable and precise information about the time that a bus will be passing a given stop.

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This occurs because the information refresh rate varies from tool to tool. For instance, on our variable message display panels in the Rapibus stations, the information is refreshed within a maximum of 10 seconds. The same applies to the Infobus service.

In an app, the information is transmitted by more than one system and can thus take up to about a minute before reaching your phone.

Consequently, there can be a variation of 1 to 2 minutes in the different tools, which is why it is important to keep a good habit of going to the bus stop early.

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There are various reasons why some trips are not displayed in real time:

• It might be an old model bus and the required equipment has not been installed because the bus will be decommissioned soon;
  
  
• The trip was not scheduled and was added to fill a specific need in the system (such as overloading). Note that we are working with our real-time data provider and the Transit developers to get these trips posted. 
  
  
• There was a technical problem or temporary loss of connection.

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For 3 minutes now, the display has been showing that the next bus is in 5 minutes? When a bus is stationary, such as when it is stopped at a red light or stuck in traffic, its predicted arrival time at the stop stays the same, because the vehicle is not moving! Once it starts to move again, the time displayed in real time will begin to decrease until the bus arrives at the stop.

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Because the real time is not instantaneous information. A mobile app may take several seconds (15, 30, 45, 60 seconds…) between the time the information from the bus is sent, and the time it is processed and transmitted to your cell phone. This may not seem like much, but a bus can travel a fair distance along its route in one minute. 

Which is why it is important to keep a good habit of going to the bus stop a few minutes early!

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The information for the guaranteed accessible routes is available only as scheduled times. This information has been in Plani-Bus for a long time, and is also incorporated into the Transit app. In addition, we are currently working on enhancing the information in these tools to make several transportations options available.

The scheduled and real-time open data are globally standardized and this type of information is not yet included in the standard.

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Yes, because the real-time data must be refreshed every few seconds. A Wi-Fi connection or data plan is therefore required to be able to benefit from real-time information. However, the planned schedules are available in offline mode.

Remember, all Rapibus stations offer free access to Wi-Fi service. 

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Information about short-term detours does not appear in the data provided to developers. However, this information appears as alerts. A message is also added on the variable message signs on the buses. 

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Yes, because they are needed for efficient system planning. In addition, the planned schedules make it possible to plan a trip several days in advance, such as with the Plani-Bus itinerary feature.

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Yes, we will be working on that.

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Yes, the Infobus service announces the real time. We are currently working on modifying the way the information is transmitted to ensure consistency on all platforms (telephone, cell phone and text message), so that the real stop times are identified by minutes (for example, 5 minute) and the scheduled stop times are identified by hours (for example 3:24 PM).

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Yes, we are working on making the real-time open data available to all independent developers.

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Yes, we are currently working with Google to incorporate our real-time data starting this spring.

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Yes, OC Transpo's real-time open data is available on Transit app.

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In the Transit app settings, click “Send Feedback”. The message is sent directly to Transit, which will conduct the necessary checks and inform the STO if needed.

Your collaboration will thus help to continuously improve the information. Thank you in advance.  

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