Luas Green line missing from Google Maps

loco_scolo

As it says on the tin. The Public Transport filter on Google Maps shows the Luas Red line and the Dart Coastal line from Greystones to Malahide / Howth. The Green line is missing....

What's the story?

LXFlyer

The public transport data in Ireland on Google Maps is out of date now.

They did not migrate to the new data feed from TFI last April for some reason.

Ronald Binge Redux

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121054661#Comment_121054661

The TFI data on their app is riddled with errors for rail and bus in the North West, for example, so that is probably why.

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121059026#Comment_121059026

What are the errors?

Ronald Binge Redux

Route 956 Buncrana to Derry not included.

Derry to Belfast railway only has two departures at 1838 and 1938.

Bus routes in the West of Northern Ireland have two Derry suburbs attached, Culmore and Ballynagard, despite running nowhere near them.

These are the ones I've found without looking very hard.

Shoddy work.

LXFlyer

Cross-border services aren't regulated in the same way as domestic services - I think that the NTA rely to a certain extent on the operators to actually provide the information to them. Halpenny for example never publicised their recently ceased Dundalk-Newry service timetable - it was just reliant on local knowlege.

As far as schedules within NI are concerned, they are also relying on the info supplied from Translink, and if you look at some of the Translink pdf bus timetables they actually seem to append locality descriptions to many stops which are nowhere near those stops. Try the 58 and 194b services and you'll see what I mean when you download the pdf. Perhaps something to take up with Translink?

I don't disagree about the "timetable" section of the TFI app - a timetable should display the entire service in one screen - you shouldn't have to enter a time. It's frankly daft.

But all of that is a completely separate issue from this problem.

The problem here is that the source data feed of schedules and live information for domestic services from the NTA changed last April, and for whatever reason Google Maps never changed the source. Hence it's giving totally inaccurate information as many schedules have changed since then and an awful lot of new routes have launched. Bustimes.org and all of the other apps changed, but Google Maps haven't and it's giving atrociously wrong information as a result.

Ronald Binge Redux

Translink is not the source of the glaring error of the Derry trains.

The Buncrana - Derry buses have a TFI route number. If it looks like a licensed bus, and behaves like a licensed bus, then it is a bus for which TFI have responsibility for.

Shoddy work from TFI if it is arrogant enough to instruct users to delete its previous app and then release a new one 'into the wild' without rudimentary checks.

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121061562#Comment_121061562

There seems to be a glitch on the timetables tab (I’ve seen it with bus routes too). It doesn’t go the whole way through the entire day’s departures unless you change the time. It only goes back/forwards to a certain point. All of the trains appear to be in the database upon a quick check.

As I said above it’s a totally daft approach to displaying timetables.

The previous app wouldn’t have had the 956 either - it’s not on bustimes.org either - therefore it’s not in the database to start with.

It’s a commercial service so surely it’s just as much up to the private operator to make sure the information is correctly shown on the journey planner? If they don’t want to publicise I think that’s it’s just as much McGonagle’s fault? It’s fair comment to say that historically a lot of the private operators have been awful at publicising their services, leaving it to local knowledge. Have you asked either the operator or the NTA about it?

Ronald Binge Redux

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121062449#Comment_121062449

I've asked the NTA via the TFI twitter on 24 July last but no movement so far. The operators timetables and data via other third parties is fully accurate.

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121062804#Comment_121062804

I can see numerous train journeys between Derry and Belfast during the entire day tomorrow using the TFI journey planner?

Would you not use the Translink website in any case for internal NI journeys? I would always err on the side of caution for anything outside of the State?

What third party site is showing the 956 schedules?

Ronald Binge Redux

I do not rely on the TFI app. I use individual operators websites instead, being LocalLink Sligo Leitrim Donegal, Translink, and McGonagles of Buncrana, the operators of the 956.

I am merely pointing out some basic flaws in the TFI app because of data inconsistencies.

Edit - the Derry - Belfast trains are fixed now on the app. Good.

Ronald Binge Redux

"I can see numerous train journeys between Derry and Belfast during the entire day tomorrow using the TFI journey planner?"

It is now. Well done.

loco_scolo

Not directly linked to title of thread, but sort of…

Google Maps now shows the Maynooth Commuter line as a Public Transport route. They haven't added the Hazelhatch/ PPT, not sure why. No weekend service I suppose?..

Be nice to see a different colour for the Dart / Commuter lines, given the Luas Green Line is also... green!!!

MJohnston

If you look closely enough, they are actually two different shades of green.

Although the Luas green line looks more like the classic DART livery

L1011

Not having any Heuston side services at all is odd, as there is 7 day fairly frequent service on Heuston-Hazelhatch.

TranslatorPS

I'm pretty sure the presence of a nice curved line depends on whether the GTFS package from the Authority/Operator contains a proper shape for each routing.