Translink's Website

[dancingmongoose]

I need to vent at just how bad the site is.

• No real time timetables, only scheduled runs (with the exception of platform changes). If it was an app available offline that would be ok, but it's not. They have a real time API but don't bother using it
• No special event timetables (Exhibition station never has and never will be serviced according to translink). Extra event services? Nope. Cancelled services? Nope, still there.
• All service notices disappear soon after in an attempt to avoid accountability and cover up just how bad the system is. (Ipswich line trains resumed. 3.37pm Ipswich to Central train will run express Dinmore-Roma Street. 50 minutes ago. Gone)
• Highly inconsistent navigation. When on the index page, hover over 'Travel Information'. Down the bottom is a link for GCLR. Now go to any other page and do the same. GCLR link isn't there is it?

There's more that I can't think of atm but they need to take a serious look at themselves

[ozbob]

I post as many service interruptions as I can, principally because they disappear as you have pointed out.

Transperth - live train times --> http://www.transperth.wa.gov.au/TimetablesMaps/LiveTrainTimes/tabid/436/stationname/Armadale%20Stn/Default.aspx

The TransLink web site reminds me of the sort of crap I used to turn out in the 1990s ....   oh well ..

[bcasey]

No real time timetables, only scheduled runs (with the exception of platform changes). If it was an app available offline that would be ok, but it's not. They have a real time API but don't bother using it

I may have mentioned this already in another thread, but while they do have a real-time API, currently there are only a limited number of vehicles that have the technology on them to be tracked, namely the Logan buses and the Cityglider. I don't know if there are any plans to install the tracking devices on the rest of the buses in SEQ. I had a look at the system they use for the buses currently at the open data mixer event they had last year, it looks pretty solid in terms of accuracy, reliability and functionality, but from what I understand, it is more expensive than some other less reliable methods of gathering that data.

I'm not sure whether they have the real-time train data working yet. Obviously QR knows where the trains are (at least to the accuracy of a section of track), so they can make sure trains don't collide with each other, but I'm not sure how far along they are in being able to export that data to the real-time API.

They showed the technology to track the ferries at the open data mixer. It is passively using the signal that large boats and passenger boats broadcast to other ships for maritime safety. I'm not sure if it has been integrated with the API yet though.

You can check out the presentations from that event on this website, http://mediasite.webcastcloud.com.au/Mediasite/Catalog/catalogs/opendatamixer, of which the transport panel is the most relevant to this discussion. It is over 9 months old now though, so things may have progressed further internally in Translink that I'm unaware of.

These days, now that the GTFS files are being used by Google maps, I typically use it instead when I need to find a journey plan to a new place, that isn't my regular commute.

[ozbob]

TransLink --> http://www.translink.ca/

Vancouver ... interesting comparison ...

[dancingmongoose]

http://jp.translink.com.au/travel-information/network-information/buses/all-timetables

Descriptions on above page are extremely outdated. The 101 and 102 routes haven't serviced Corinda station for what, a year now, but still on this page it describes the routes as servicing it still. Thank goodness the actual timetables are correct in that regard

[dancingmongoose]

Have noticed that tram is now a mode of transport option on the journey planner

[dancingmongoose]

And yet more disappointment with TL's website, at some stage they've edited their robots.txt to disable crawling of the timetables. Now we can't use the wayback archive to check old timetables since they did that (2009 timetables can still be retrieved, but 2012 can't). I feel like punching them. They don't like keeping records do they?

[Derwan]

And yet more disappointment with TL's website, at some stage they've edited their robots.txt to disable crawling of the timetables.

Indeed!

# Translink settings
Disallow: /sites/default/files/assets/timetables/

http://translink.com.au/robots.txt

[James]

And yet more disappointment with TL's website, at some stage they've edited their robots.txt to disable crawling of the timetables. Now we can't use the wayback archive to check old timetables since they did that (2009 timetables can still be retrieved, but 2012 can't). I feel like punching them. They don't like keeping records do they?

Perhaps they've done it so RBoT doesn't point out in 2024 that the service levels haven't changed since 2014. Just like how the frequency of my local City-bound service hasn't changed in over 12 years.

[dancingmongoose]

And yet more disappointment with TL's website, at some stage they've edited their robots.txt to disable crawling of the timetables. Now we can't use the wayback archive to check old timetables since they did that (2009 timetables can still be retrieved, but 2012 can't). I feel like punching them. They don't like keeping records do they?

Perhaps they've done it so RBoT doesn't point out in 2024 that the service levels haven't changed since 2014. Just like how the frequency of my local City-bound service hasn't changed in over 12 years.

They are very much against accountability aren't they? Deleting their service notices, not revealing statistics for months...

Good thing I have all the current ones saved locally isn't it?

[bcasey]

Now that they are providing a set of GTFS files, I wouldn't really consider it a huge problem that they disabled crawling of the timetables. It is much easier just to download a file each time they update it, and it is already in a machine readable format.

Edit: Would it be possible and useful to keep an archive of the GTFS files on this forum somewhere, in case we need to go back to a certain date to compare timetables, etc?

[ozbob]

Best to download them yourself.  Server space is finite ....

I am sure TransLink would give a particular version if wanted it ...

[Derwan]

Edit: Would it be possible and useful to keep an archive of the GTFS files on this forum somewhere, in case we need to go back to a certain date to compare timetables, etc?

It'd be an interesting development project.  Keep monthly, quarterly or half-yearly snapshots of the data.  Then in a few years time, you could have a website or app that functions pretty-much like any other timetable app, but shows you the routes from different time periods.  This would allow you to compare how much easier (or harder) it's become to get from point A to point B - and whether it now takes longer or shorter, etc.

So much easier than manually comparing printed or PDF timetables. 

[dancingmongoose]

I'd be willing to do it but I have exactly 0 time to work on it.

[dancingmongoose]

Robert Dow ‏@Robert_Dow

PT fact of the day: SEQ Expiry dates for go cards --> http://translink.com.au/tickets-and-fares/go-card/i-have-a-go-card ... #ptfact

Click on the 'report an incorrect fare' button and see what happens to the icon for 'lost etc. cards'

[dancingmongoose]

NO WAY the Exhibition line has been put in for the Ekka with timetables! Fantastic effort Translink! Not sure if the EX-Nambour and Doomben are including the positioning move through the ekka line or are actually stopping at the station, but this is great news.

They seem to be having similar problems to me regarding directional filtering with loops but it's excellent regardless

[nathandavid88]

I just noticed the exact same thing! No services today on the Exhibition Line, so I'm guessing it's just to show special services to the Showgrounds. I punched in a date during Ekka and it shows the Ekka loop services, so at the very least it will show that. I wonder whether it might be a prelude to eventually operating regular services to the Showgrounds, maybe as part of a positioning move as you suggested? The RNA would have to allow that section of the grounds to be permanently open to the public for it to work though.

[dancingmongoose]

Journey planner is down, has been for half an hour now

[transwatch]

I need to vent at just how bad the site is.

• No real time timetables, only scheduled runs (with the exception of platform changes). If it was an app available offline that would be ok, but it's not. They have a real time API but don't bother using it
• No special event timetables (Exhibition station never has and never will be serviced according to translink). Extra event services? Nope. Cancelled services? Nope, still there.
• All service notices disappear soon after in an attempt to avoid accountability and cover up just how bad the system is. (Ipswich line trains resumed. 3.37pm Ipswich to Central train will run express Dinmore-Roma Street. 50 minutes ago. Gone)
• Highly inconsistent navigation. When on the index page, hover over 'Travel Information'. Down the bottom is a link for GCLR. Now go to any other page and do the same. GCLR link isn't there is it?

There's more that I can't think of atm but they need to take a serious look at themselves

I say a child using finger paint, can do a better job?

Some of the problems journey planner gave me are the following 3 for starters:

1)  Transfer to another bus and stay on it for 2 minutes to it goes around the corner.

2) To go from West End to UQ, two suggestions was to catch 3 buses taking around a hour.

3) Transfer to the same bus number that you caught coming in and then travel back along the same route to your destination

[dancingmongoose]

And the rain went down, and the network, and so did the site. Perfect timing.

[dancingmongoose]

Ok, site seems to be back up for me now, and Gympie North is now split from the Sunshine Coast line. Must have gone down for that update

[ozbob]

^ Yo, noted intermittment 503 errors ... probably overloaded ...

[dancingmongoose]

Yeah it's down again, probably can't cope with the significant amount of traffic. Although a small "The network is broken, like this site" message on the 503 page wouldn't go astray

[ozbob]

Twitter

TransLink SEQ ‏@TransLinkSEQ 4 minutes ago

The TransLink website is currently unavailable. We are working on getting it back online as soon as possible. Thanks for your patience.

[pandmaster]

All of the Northgate terminators from Cannon Hill and Cleveland appear to "CLCA: Cleveland via Brisbane City to Caboolture" (e.g. http://jp.translink.com.au/travel-information/network-information/service-information/downward/17826/5035296). It is like this on Google Maps too.

Not to mention Nundah being a very large suburb according to the journey planner, encompassing Wooloowin and Eagle Junction stations in addition to Nundah and Toombul:
http://jp.translink.com.au/travel-information/network-information/stops-and-stations/stop/600391
http://jp.translink.com.au/travel-information/network-information/stops-and-stations/stop/600395

[dancingmongoose]

All of the Northgate terminators from Cannon Hill and Cleveland appear to "CLCA: Cleveland via Brisbane City to Caboolture" (e.g. http://jp.translink.com.au/travel-information/network-information/service-information/downward/17826/5035296). It is like this on Google Maps too.

Yeah, that's because it gets the line instead of the station It was funny during the G20 to see the trains between South Bank and Beenleigh come up as "Beenleigh to Beenleigh"

[dancingmongoose]

It appears as though Translink have pulled their mobile site. If you're not going to provide an app for my phone at least give me a mobile site. Pathetic

[techblitz]

It appears as though Translink have pulled their mobile site. If you're not going to provide an app for my phone at least give me a mobile site. Pathetic

mobile.translink.com.au is working fine on my ipad mini

[dancingmongoose]

I can get the index page but only with a direct link, it doesn't redirect to it. And all the links for me redirect to the desktop site. This is why you need to make responsive sites

[techblitz]

they may be updating it......yep responsive is good....however with that comes media queries and a lot more code...some larger sites prefer not to worry about going responsive due to this extra css weight...and associated browser incompatibility/vendor prefixes required etc...