System Requirements Specification - WheresMyBus/android GitHub Wiki
Becky Leslie (beleslie), Bryce Martz (bmartz), Daniel Houtsma (dhoutsma), David Li (lidav6), Nicolas Bissiri (nbissiri), and Dylan Whitlow (whitldy)
Table of Contents
#Product Description
Anyone who consistently rides King County Metro buses has experienced delays in bus arrival times. An app called OneBusAway mitigates these problems for riders by using bus location data to estimate and report when buses will actually arrive at stops. Yet, when unusual circumstances arise, OneBusAway cannot always provide an accurate estimate of when a bus will arrive. For instance, if a tire on a bus is blown or if the trolley wheel of an electrically-powered bus comes off the overhead cable, OneBusAway may estimate the bus is ten minutes away based on location data and report that arrival time to users. However, given the situation, the bus will not actually move until the trolley wheel is reconnected to the cable or, in the case of the blown tire, the bus will likely not come at all. Without this information, OneBusAway users often become frustrated as they repeatedly check the app and see the bus will reportedly arrive in ten minutes when it actually will not come until much later.
To alleviate this problem, we are creating a mobile app called Where’s My Bus? to help riders of King County Metro buses find information about why their buses may be stalled in unusual circumstances. Riders can use Where’s My Bus? to communicate about their experiences on the bus. For example, someone riding a bus whose tire was blown could search for that bus on our app, click on that bus name, and post about the issue. Then, people waiting for that bus who have noticed an extended delay can check the same page to see if there are any potential problems with the bus and read about the blown tire. Alternatively, people waiting for a delayed bus can ask a question on Where’s My Bus? and other users can respond with information. Moreover, transit services like King County Metro can use Where’s My Bus? to submit any alerts about certain routes, like if any buses will be rerouted due to construction, sporting events, or other reasons. In addition, we will implement features to allow users to comment on alerts, allowing users to discuss the severity of the alert and look for alternative options. With this information from Where’s My Bus?, riders can then determine if they should delay their plans or find an alternate means of transportation.
#Alternatives No alternatives really exist that allow riders to find information about problems with their buses in the way we plan to do. OneBusAway estimates when buses will arrive at stops based on their location data, and in general cases where the buses are running smoothly, the app does a great job of giving users an idea of when their bus will arrive. However, OneBusAway does not offer users any information about unusual situations with buses and often does not give accurate estimates about bus arrival times in these cases. King County Metro also has a website where they post alerts about bus routes and allow users to subscribe to email and text alerts. Since these alerts come straight from King County Metro, riders can be certain they are receiving accurate information about their buses. However, these alerts typically address only issues foreseen ahead of time, like bus reroutes due to construction on major streets. In addition, unless there is an emergency due to weather, the alerts, including those sent by email or text, are only issued Monday through Friday from 5 am to 8 pm, which does not give riders any information over the weekend or later on weeknights. Moreover, people receiving texts or emails do not necessarily want this information whenever King County Metro sends out an alert during the week, especially if they are not currently waiting for a bus. Furthermore, people who do not usually take a certain route cannot receive these alerts because they did not sign up for the service ahead of time. Finally, even though the aforementioned services do offer riders some information, they do not allow riders to communicate with each other, which may be the easiest way for people to learn about problems if King County Metro cannot release an alert or statement immediately.
Our app will allow riders to communicate with each other directly, look for information about their bus when they actually want it, and do this all on an easy-to-use mobile app (mobile likely a better format for alerts since people want this information while they’re on the go). In addition, riders may also receive alerts from king county metro if they decide they want to be involved.
#Design Changes and Rationale Added a snip about allowing users to comment on alerts. We originally intended this to be a part of the app, but forgot to mention it earlier in the process.