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SF’s Bus Arrival Predictions Getting a Big Upgrade in 2022

New, larger graphical signs in transit shelters will show real-time positions of vehicles
By - posted 8/14/2021 No Comment

By Mariana Maguire, SFMTA

When the SFMTA first partnered with NextBus more than twenty years ago to create NextMuni, the real-time transit vehicle arrival predictions system was state-of-the-art and revolutionary for its time. As technology has advanced and our transit system has grown, we are moving to a new system that will best meet the needs of our customers.

Last year, the SFMTA Board of Directors and the Board of Supervisors approved a contract for the Next Generation Customer Information System to replace NextMuni. Set to debut in 2022, the new Customer Information System will focus on improving predictions accuracy, particularly near the beginning of routes, along with several other customer-friendly upgrades. New, larger graphical signs in transit shelters will also feature maps showing the real-time positions of vehicles. These enhancements will help improve the customer experience and make riding transit easier.

While the SFMTA has been working on the Customer Information System initiative, we are still providing customers with the best information possible within the existing NextMuni system’s technical limitations.  This week, we’ve made some interim upgrades that will make it easier for customers to navigate around the system and learn about the August 14 service changes.

New NextMuni Improvements

We have optimized NextMuni for the SFMTA website, which means some new conveniences for customers navigating Muni, and important, customer-tested accessibility features:

  • Customers can now stay on the SFMTA website for NextMuni predictions
  • Arrival predictions are integrated with stop information rather than being in two different places
  • For Muni stop information and self-updating predictions, typing SFMTA.com/ followed by the 5-or-6-digit Muni stop ID number takes customers directly to the Muni stop web page with details
  • Muni stop pages provide both a vehicle-tracking map and a vicinity map integrated with the predictions and stop information
  • Muni stop pages link to nearby transit stops so customers can consider alternative routes

High-level goals include:

  • Ensure a positive customer experience;
  • Increase equitable access to information;
  • Reduce waiting times and total travel time;
  • Shift people towards more sustainable transportation options;
  • Help customers make better travel decisions, particularly during service disruptions agnd gaps; and
  • Rebuild transit ridership as San Francisco recovers from the COVID-19 crisis and increase discretionary travel over the long-term;

The new system will:

  • Employ a more sophisticated and accurate vehicle arrival prediction algorithm
  • Replacing existing text-based digital signs with enlarged ones that can display graphics;
  • Implement solar-powered signage to expand customer access to information at unpowered shelters and stops
  • Where applicable, reduce travel times by showing nearby alternative routes with shorter waits
  • Balance capacity by providing crowding alerts and suggesting parallel services with space available
  • Strengthen Muni network connectivity by showing transfer connection times onboard vehicles (subsequent phase)
  • Provide real-time stop accessibility information and elevator / escalator outage alerts to facilitate travel for seniors and persons with disabilities
  • Improve the riding experience via an enhanced mobile platform

Read more at SFMTA and more about the Next Generation Customer Information System.