Trainboard takes on iSEPTA with regional rail iPhone app

There’s a new SEPTA app in town.

We must confess, ever since iSEPTA, we have been hard pressed to find a Philadelphia transit iPhone application that we would actually, you know, use on a daily basis. As of now, the Apple App store is mostly filled with nationally-focused apps that offer a Philadelphia version, such as iTransitBuddy.

Trainboard (iTunes link), however, is locally produced by Patrick Casady, as Caffeine Fish, out of his apartment near Girard College. Casady maintains the company part-time as a side project.

“New York has really good transit apps, but I looked at Philly’s selection and it sucked,” says the Drexel grad.

Read more

Azavea submits BusMinder for Massachusetts Department of Transportation contest

BusMinder, a bid from Azavea for a contest from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.

The story of a government looking for technology to do what it does better is becoming increasingly average.

And Callowhill-based GIS software firm Azavea, which recently changed its name from Avencia, has made it something of a habit of getting involved whether those discussions are happening in Philadelphia or not.

More than a month after chasing New York City’s BigApps contest, an Azavea developer has his eyes set on winning a challenge from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.

Read more

Clear 4G WiMAX mobile broadband network launches; AT&T completes subway network

A map illustrating Clear's WiMAX network coverage in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia mobile users have options and plenty of them.

Last week, Philadelphia saw the launch of fourth generation WiMAX mobile broadband network Clear and the completion of AT&T‘s cellular network on two SEPTA subway lines.

Clearwire’s wireless 4G network launched quietly on Oct. 1, promising download speeds of up to 4Mbps and uploads of up to 500Kbps throughout the Philadelphia region.

The network’s in-home and mobile packages are priced competitively and could raise alarm for other networks in the area.

Read more

Smart fare cards for SEPTA transit delayed again

SEPTA was going to put out requests for proposals on a smart fare card system — in December 2007. Then, last June, the delays came again.

One more time, Philadelphia.

Plans to accept a proposal for a system are once again being pushed back, due to unclear expectations.

This comes on the heels of a flurry of exciting news for a transit agency, including that SEPTA’s spending of its share of the federal stimulus could create more than 5,000 jobs in the region.

Also, according to the Federal Highway Administration, January’s average driving mileage declined – both nationally and locally – marking the first time in 27 years that such travel dropped in consecutive Januarys.

Some because of a rise in unemployment, but the opportunity to increase transit ridership cannot be ignored.

Read more