Google To Map the Subway

August 25, 2007 | Posted by The SUBWAYblogger

Google Transit

Google is getting geared up to start mapping New York City Transit systems. Ultimately, you’ll be able to map a transit or subway route just like Google Maps.

I can only imagine that this is going to be disastrous for Hop Stop. They’re a pretty big company anyway, so I’m not losing much sleep over it. However, I do feel bad for nonprofit sites like OnNYTurf. They have a pretty sweet Google Map mashup of the subway. Google’s will obviously work much better, and have more features, because well…they’re Google.

Google is already up and running in dozens of cities around the country.

With the Google Transit online trip planner, a user enters a start and end address or landmark and gets automated directions, including schedules and transfer points. Bus ridership in Duluth, Minnesota, increased 12 percent since the Google system was added to its Web site last year, said Tom Elwell, marketing director for the local transit authority. [Bloomberg]

12% increase in bus ridership? That’s amazing.

From Google’s business perspective, they will be able to provide even more hyper local advertising. Already, Google maps will so you ads based on where you are searching for directions. With the transit maps, Google will be able to show you ads pertaining to businesses within a block or two of where you’re getting on/off the train. This opens up the opportunity for businesses that rely on business within a few square blocks to affordably and efficiently advertise.

MORE:

The Secret Battle: Online Route Planners
A review of online transit maps

Oooo Girrrrl…Gypsy Maps Bitch Slaps onNYTurf’s Map
Copycats?

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Comments

4 Comments so far

Permanent Campaigns Consulting » Better information distribution raises Duluth transit ridership by 12% in one year on August 26, 2007 12:30 pm
[...] have signed up. Duluth, Minnesota is one of them, and according to this Bloomberg report (via this post in the NYC-based SubwayBlogger), and their marketing manager reports that bus traffic increased by [...]
Google Goes Underground at on August 27, 2007 4:23 pm
[...] even Google can’t help out with the subway perv problem, Subway Blogger reports that they are “getting geared up to start mapping New York City Transit systems. [...]
Google to map NYC Transit System « TerriTek on August 27, 2007 10:05 pm
[...] Blogger, Google Transit Labs, Apple iPhone — TerriB. @ 9:05 pm According to a post at The Subway Blogger, Google Transit Labs will make it easy for NYC subway riders to map a route within our transit [...]
Google to map NYC Transit System » TerriTek on January 19, 2008 4:14 am
[...] to a post at The Subway Blogger, Google Transit Labs will make it easy for NYC subway riders to map a route within our transit [...]