[PLUG] Trimet schedule script

[Keith Lofstrom]

On Fri, Jul 03, 2015 at 08:49:56AM -0700, John Jason Jordan wrote:
> On Fri, 3 Jul 2015 00:55:37 -0700
> Keith Lofstrom <keithl at gate.kl-ic.com> dijo:
> 
> >There is probably an easier way to do it, but lacking a
> >smart\\\\\spy phone and using Trimet from time to time, I
> >download to my portable laptop the most recent bus schedules
> >before I ride transit.  I am equidistant between the 54 and
> >58 bus lines out here in Beaverton, and it helps to know which
> >will arrive first.  If I take my bicycle I ride to Beaverton
> >transit center to take the Max, either Red or Blue lines.  
> >
> >So, I wrote the shell script below,  to wget the pdf schedules
> >for "my" transit lines, and save them as more easily recognized
> >names, times, and directions.  It is not difficult to text edit
> >the script for other lines, and a better programmer than I could
> >write a script that writes scripts like this for any arbitrary
> >set of bus and Max lines.
> 
> I wonder if it might be easier to adapt the Android app PDX Transit
> Finder to run on your laptop. Schedules are fine, but PDX transit
> finder uses the GPS device in the bus to find its location and then
> reports estimated arrival times. This tells you when the bus is really
> going to get there, not just when it is supposed to get there. 

I live in the burbs, where the only ubiquitous connectivity comes with
surveillance.  I would rather use downloaded schedules and accept
some timing uncertainty in my travels,  rather than eliminate that
uncertainty for the spy agencies.   Why make it easy for them?

Out here in the burbs, Trimet bus drivers make a point of
arriving on time.  There is some extra slack in their schedules,
and they will wait a few minutes at a stop to avoid being early.

Trimet does have cameras on their vehicles;  I presume the resolution
is poor enough that they cannot identify facial features, even they
shared the feed with the spy agencies.  So, if I turn off my cell
phone, I am briefly free to move about untracked.  

Having the schedules on my laptop rather than on the other end of
a web interface means I can access them more quickly.  Trimet's
general interface is less efficent for specific needs.  

Keith

-- 
Keith Lofstrom          keithl at keithl.com