Google Transit Beta Tests With Portland Data

Want to get from Point A to Point B and NOT drive? Well, finally, someone is offering directions that use public transit rather than the automobile. Check out Google Transit (Beta).

Currently the only city up and running is Portland, Oregon but the FAQs hint others may be added in the future depending on this and that. While local transit provider TriMet offers a competing transit planner on it's website, there are distinct differences:

• TriMet Transit Planner offers more options.
• Google Transit's interface is simpler - rather than dealing with 9 separate form inputs, one can type a fairly 'plain text' request and get directions, however, trip plans don't clearly illustrate that a given route is only available on certain days (weekdays vs weekends).
  
• Google Transit includes (and is based on) maps providing visual, in addition to, verbal directions.
• Google Transit's result are simpler and show start, stop, and total travel time. It is easier to look at the options though one can't really compare them side-by-side.
  
• TriMet Transit Planner has links to it's robust online mapping system, schedules and other information to make getting there easier.
  
• Actual results will vary but depend on when and where.
• Neither is clearly superior at this point.
  

Bottom line: as it stands now, neither is truly better than the other but TriMet would do well to look at Google Transit's offering and consider providing simpler results (aka trip plans) while still offering different trip preferences (travel time vs number of transfers vs walking distance). Some will prefer one and some will like the other, but this will largely depend on the which system one is used to and the complexity of one's travel planning needs.

For more information, see TriMet's News Release and Google Transit's FAQs. Additionally, Google Transit is asking for feedback on the system - email labs-transit_feedback@google.com.