Bus tracker

Wondering when the next bus is coming may soon be a thing of the past thanks to a new system developed by two University of Washington (UW) students.

Over the past year, Brian Ferris, a doctoral student in computer science and Kari Watkins, a doctoral student in civil and environmental engineering, created the new tool, OneBusAway, which allows bus riders to use a mobile phone, iPhone or computer to keep tabs on their bus.

OneBusAway has processed 20,000 automated phone calls since June, and the associated website gets an average of 1,000 hits a day. People have found out about the tool on blogs, from stickers posted at a few UW campus bus stops, from a mention in a Seattle magazine and by word of mouth.

To use OneBusAway in Seattle, users need to dial 206-456-0609 from any phone. Users then punch in their stop number, if they know it already, or follow the prompts to look it up. A computer checks a database of current bus locations, and a voice announces how long it will be until the bus arrives. Users can also access the system online at www.OneBusAway.org or using an iPhone.