Smartphone Marketshare

Blackberries43.2%

iPhones26%

Windowses19%

Palms6%

Androids5%

But which system should I build an App for?

In the USA, January 2010

Source: comScore

All Smartphones18.4%

No Cell Phone4.9%

Motorola23.7%

LG22.1%

Samsung21.5%

Nokia9.3%

Cell Phone MarketsharePeople Over Age 14 in the USA

Sources: - CIA World Factbook- US Census- ComScore

Sent SMSUsed Web

Played GamesUsed d/led App

Used Social Media

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

% Cell Phones that Did Techy Activities

In the USA, Quarter Ending 12/2009

% W

ho D

id T

his

Perhaps We Should Look at Some Other Numbers, Too

Prepare your Arsenal of Democracy!Other Interesting Statistics:●More people have cell phones than computers (80% of households)

●More cell phone users use text messages than computer owners have high speed internet (57%)

Summary:●Text messaging is the most accessible technology.

●Many people can also access a computer.●No one is going to want to type on a 9-digit keypad when they can use their computer.

But by now, you must be saying,

“GET ON WITH IT. What do you want to do?”

Presenting:

The MetroText Project will provide reliable public transit information to transit riders using a

simple sms/text interface.

● Schedules change every quarter●Metro has over 8,200 stops and

doesn't have resources to update them.

●Only Metrolink stops and major bus transfer stations have up-to-date schedules..

When You Might Want to Text MetroAvoid the Christmas traffic at the Galleria,

But don't wait in 8 degree weather!

Taking the bus to work every day,

Doesn't mean you know when it arrives Saturday.

Stop at Pasta House when arriving late to Lambert Airport

And avoid rushing off tro wait.

Visit friends for dinner without having to drive home

And find out when the last bus departs.

Bike down to Pecha Kuchu without your rain gear and

avoid the freak monsoon that starts when you're inside.

What Is Not:

What IS!

You: Text mtext + a 3-letter station code to 41411.

You Receive: the next scheduled departure for all buses.

Outgoing Message: Response:

To: 41411

mtext bjx

MTEXT keyword.Station Code

From: 41411

5:12pm@bjx59-in: 5:1859-out: 5:27

To: 41411

Time Sent

Bus # Inbound/ Outbound

Next Departure

Yes, you can even try it right now!

Finding Out Station CodesOption A : Go to http://metrotext.org and open up the map

There is also a handy list of metrolink and major bus stations

Option B: Go to your local bus stop!

(No. Not really. But maybe in the future! For now, just go to the website.)

Major Bus StopsCWB Central West End Metrobus StationCVB Civic Center CenterHAM Hampton LoopBAL Ballas Metrobus CenterDLB Delmar Loop-Metrolink Bus StationCLB Clayton Metrobus Station

Major MetroLink StationsCWE Central West End Metrolink CenterCVC Civic Center BSH Bush StadiumARC Arch/Landing FPK Forest ParkDEL Delmar SKI Skinker

Other Things At the Website

Comment Form

Updates on MetroText(and hopefully St Louis Transitsince our updates are boring)

A Test Box to Try Out Your Texting Skills

Complete “SMS Language”Reference

More Complicated Options

Set Departure Time

Set Date

Bus (#)

Inbound/Outbound

Show More!(err..specify the # of departures to show)

To: 41411

mtext shr 22:10

To: 41411

mtext cvc

tomorrow

To: 41411

mtext cwe bus59

To: 41411

mtext cwe show 4

To: 41411

mtext cvc 6/7

To: 41411

mtext man out

To: 41411

mtext cvc #60

What You Can Use Now/Soon(expect the entire service to be “Beta” for a while)

The ability to text for a bus or train schedule (curr w/ 120 chars) Get station Ids at http://metrotext.org

Report problems via text message: “mtext report [message]” to 41411

To: 41411

mtext hrt 7:00amBus 59 Tomorrow show 3

From: 41411

hrt 6/7@7:00am59-in:7:19 7:49 8:1959-out:7:09 7:39 8:09

Email [STATION]@metrotext.org!

Future Goals

More extensive Email Interface and more tools at http://metrotext.org

Find services located around a metrotext identified stop.

Find station codes near events and concerts

Work with Metro to make station codes available at the bus stops

To: 41411

mtext search 12th and lynch

Search for bus stops near intersections

To: 41411From: 314-555-1122mtext work

From: 41411

trz@7:30am59-out 7:32am 8:02amaks@7:30am70-in 7:40am

Customizable macrosfor registered users

Metro's Longterm Plan

1. New lines for Metrolink and MetroBus

2. Implementation of new Bus-Rapid-Transit

3. Possible Commuter Lines4. Smartcards for automated payment

5. GPSes on Buses and Real-Time Arrival Information Available

6. No cable cars yet; however, if I ever get to choose the project....

Following Prop A's Passage, Metro is considering:

's Complement Plan

New Rail, BRT, and even Cable Car service doesn't add any more complexity for us, but we could work with Metro to do the following:

Query your SmartCard Balance.Find out if GPS-enabled buses are running on time.

Receive a text when the bus is [x] minutes away.

To: 41411

mtext bjc bus 59in alert 5

To: 41411

mtext balance user 30445 pin 999

From: 41411

Cwe@7:13am59-in 7:22 late 559-out 7:21

From: 41411

bjc@5:03pm59-in eta 5:09

We Didn't Forget About the Techies

The Point Is: If you are programmer and frequent transit rider, you will be able to make your own MetroText service with custom keywords.

1. MetroText will be a publicly available open-source project, free for non-commercial use. 2. MetroText will work with any Google Transit Feed

3. The MetroText program will work with Gmail and SMS-to-Email. It is built mostly on PHP and Perl.

The Development Team

Matt FollettMatt graduated from Rolla, now works for The Genome Center, and spends much of his time solving problems with code.

Kevin CrouseProgrammer, renovator, motorcyclist;he has no TV and doesn't like to sleep.

Looming 's of Organization

1. Should MetroText be developed for Metro to implement on its own or run by a separate nonprofit organization?

2. What other projects would such an organization make?

3. How do you set up an organization to be successful and sustainable forever?

4. We are developers! How do you even set up a nonprofit organization?

AcknowledgementsThis Project progresses only because of the help and support of people and organizations like:

Steve Lawler: Priest, Psychologist, Professor.

Courtney Sloger: Online Media Specialist with Metro.

Aaron Keegan: Former employee with East-West Gateway Council.

Peter Hegel: Community Outreach Director, Downtown Sailing Center, Baltimore.

Metro employees and members with whom we have interacted.

Michael Kiwala, Emily Bloemker, Selby Cull, and many others unmentioned.

Get Involved!Contact us if you want to help to develop MetroText or build an organization to provide technological solutions for Nonprofits.

kevin@metrotext.org

matt@metrotext.org

Text

mtext [STATION]To 41411!