Need a bus, train or ferry in Perth? Now you can just
pick a number and route using Google Maps.

Perth has become the first city in the southern hemisphere to have its public transport information and timetables incorporated into Google’s web-based transit system.

The move means travellers are now able to call up details of their next bus, train or ferry trip using Google Maps to plan their journey.

“Basically any Google map that displays information of the Perth area will show our bus stops, train stations and ferry terminals on the map when you zoom in,” explains Oren Vandersteen, Transperth’s data and systems manager.

“The main way to call it up is to go to www.google.com.au/transit – and that the gives you access to a simple journey planning facility similar to our own website.

“The other way is to go to maps.google.com.au – and from there you can browse around Perth and see public transport information and click on a bus stop, train station or ferry terminal and see what services are going past and when.

“The other thing is that people can use it with real estate websites using Google Maps where if they’re looking to rent or buy a house, they can see how close it is to public transport facilities.”

Mr Vandersteen says the aim of linking up with Google’s map system is to encourage more people to use public transport.

“Certainly our aim was to increase the exposure to public transport around Perth and ultimately around the State,” he says.

“When you’re in Google Maps, you can get driving directions, but then you can also click on a public transit link and that will plan a journey for you using public transport – which can be especially important these days with rising petrol prices.”

Transperth utilises GIS road datasets compiled by Landgate for its route planning, as well as its own data management system.

What most people don’t realise is that this involves vast amounts of constantly changing data about bus stops, services and timetables. But hooking up to Google’s system was relatively simple.

“The reason we were able to move forward so quickly in my opinion is that we manage our data so well in Transperth,” Mr Vandersteen says.

“We have an in-house route information system that provides all aspects of our public transport routes, timetables and stops.

“And because Google provides a very detailed but generic specification for how we provide the data to them, it was a very simple process converting the data from their terminology into our terminology, and then writing an export process.

“It only took a day to write the initial export tool.”

Country towns are likely to be included in the Google hook-up later this year.

“We’re hoping to roll the service out to all country towns where the Public Transport Authority manages public transport services – so that includes all the major regional centres,” says Mr Vandersteen.

“We’re also looking at releasing some mobile services in June where you’ll be able to use SMS services and mobile Internet applications to access details of services.

“That way, you’d be able to stand at any bus stop or train station in Perth, dial in the five-digit number for the stop, and get information sent to you on the next few services to take you where you’re going.”