Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Chicago

Using Twitter to Catch a Train

ctatwitter.png

The people over at CTA Tattler ("seen and heard on the Chicago Transit Authority"), as part of their tireless efforts to monitor the movements of the Chicago Transit Authority, have turned to the microblogging tool Twitter and created a Twitter feed with the user name ctatweet. It's a way for people using the city's transit system to post updates about train delays and breakdowns from their cell phones or PDAs.

CTA Tattler's Kevin O'Neil is combining information from the Twitter stream with another system of online updates he and his brother Dan set up a couple of years ago at a page called CTA Tweet.

O'Neil talked to the Columbia Chronicle about the Twitter initiative:

“The idea is to get this information to the masses,” Kevin O’Neil said. “Twitter is just another way to do that.”

Kevin O’Neil said he often hears from hisblog’s readers about how the CTA needs to improve communication to itscommuters. This program makes the train schedule information andupdates on delays available for that rider earnestly waiting in thecold for 40 minutes on an elevated train platform, he said.

Twitter is being used increasingly by municipal entities as one tool for gathering fast-developing information and keeping citizens informed in emergencies. This week, a Twitter feed is part of the LAFD's highly coordinated online response to wildfires in the San Fernando Valley and elsewhere.

When we looked around for a NYC transit twitter feed, we were surprised to find one that looks pretty official called MTA_Updates. A call to Aaron Donovan at the MTA's press office, however, revealed that the MTA has nothing to do with the feed and doesn't know who is responsible for it (they're looking into it).

Donovan said that the MTA doesn't see a service with relatively few users, such as Twitter, as a good option for disseminating information. Instead, he said, the New York transit authority will soon be allowing riders to sign up for text and e-mail updates about unscheduled and scheduled service outages.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Power Play: City Can Now Padlock Businesses Violating Lithium-Ion Battery Rules

The city can now forcibly close repeat offender shops that sell illegal lithium-ion batteries. But will it?

October 10, 2024

Study: How The Last Three Presidents Helped Shape Our Local Transportation Landscapes

A deep dive on one of America's largest discretionary grant programs reveals the kind of transportation projects prioritized by the last three presidential administrations. What does it mean for the future?

October 10, 2024

Thursday’s Headlines: Duggan Gets the Story Edition

Our version of the BQE story was better than those written by people at the DOT's invite-only presser.

October 10, 2024

City Delays Road Diet Under BQE Despite Hyping Its ‘Reconnect Communities’ Effort

Officials touted new concepts to improve the streetscape around the BQE — but was wavering on plans to do just that on Third Avenue in Sunset Park, Streetsblog has learned.

October 9, 2024

A Father Speaks: Here’s Why The Speed Limit Must Be 20 MPH Everywhere

At an event on Wednesday, no one was more eloquent than the spotlight-avoiding father of the boy for whom Sammy's Law is named.

October 9, 2024
See all posts