The point of tramTRACKER is that it uses GPS to estimate when your tram will actually be there, not when the timetable says it will be there. So it would be brilliant for connex because from what I hear they're usually as far away from the timetable as possible.

Just saw this today, seems that metlink has a new timetable system in beta and seeking feedback:

Metlink is going mobile! - Drive:Activated

and the press release on metlink itself:

Help us develop a new online timetable system, try the ‘beta’ version - Metlink - Your guide to public transport in Melbourne and Victoria

I had a quick look and judging from the URLs, it does look like some kind of XML/XSLT based system going on. Perhaps with enough encouragement we could get them to open it up as a web service for 3rd party mobile and desktop apps and mashups etc...

Just some feedback. I was out and about over the weekend, and both of the trackers posted in this thread were invaluable and saved me a lot of money with sms's. I used the trams far more because I knew when and where trams would hook up and at what times. I was on Victoria St Richmond, so tracked for the 109, but it wasn't coming for 10 minutes. So tracked for the 79 from Vic St to Bridge Rd... it was leaving in 7 minutes, so ran down and caught it. While on it, tracked the 75, which was coming in 10 minutes so got that home to Hawthorn. none of this would have been possible with out tracker (would have spent a lot of time waiting). And it cost me nothing

Melbourne really is the best city, and this makes it even better!

I'm glad to see its proving useful for someone :-) All going well - and knowing my luck it won't - I should have something new on there tonight/tomorrow.

bok

That is EXACTLY how I imagine I'd be using a mobile tram tracker app, or better yet, one that has all modes of public transport.

Well spotted, I've fixed it up now, thanks for the feedback!

That's how I've been using it since I wrote it - usually coming in on the train so I know how fast I need to walk when I get to Flinders. Used it once to actually find which tram I needed to be on, browsing through routes though to find a specific stop doesn't exactly make it efficient though - I plan on adding an option to search by the stop name.

bok

I guess the ideal app which is similar to your current map, would be a route map that you can zoom in on... or simply say "where am I" with your iphone. Then if you are near a stop, click on that stop to see when the next train/trams are coming. Probably aburdly easy for someone who knows how

I should also add that all my adventures above were on my 6120, where I've added both pages (shiznatz and leslieawesome). Both fantastic. I don't want to tell to many others out of fear that if everyone's using them the site's might crash lol! but I guarantee that if you put it in the MX or something like that, everyone would start using them.

Very exciting now that Metlink is getting into the game - like jonathanpoh said, I hope they open it up for 3rd parties to work on it. What have they got to lose? More people using their services? People being satisfied?

And yet they probably won't anyway. Not many companies are willing to give up information to third party services, unless you're Google...

Well hopefully they will have it set up by December. My partner and I are driving down and then ditching the car for public transport. It would be great to be able to easily look up times on something like the cityrail webapp.
It would also be great to get data on bus stops on the iPhone.

Hey guys,

thought I'd post what I'm working on, an extension of what it already does; at a new URL.

http://iphone.itransit.com.au/

Now with trains

There might be a bit of duplicate data floating around when the station is on multiple lines but its otherwise functional - I'll clean it up as I go.

Edit: In case its not obvious (need to make it more so), the train data is based on scheduled information and is not live :-)

What do you guys think?

bok

that is great shiznatz, well done!

Looking into it now that the train stuff is done, shouldn't be too difficult (I'll eat those words later I'm sure) its just a matter of finding the time

bok

Not to heap to much praise on you Shiznatz, but you are a god amongst men

Now to one or two bugs (yep, I know it's beta)

I went into trains, into the Alamein Line, and selected "to city" from Hawthorn. It told me the next three trains, but they all said 17 minutes (i assume it's meant to tell me the how long til each train?)

Also, when enterint the TTID, nothing's happening for me in the tram tracker.

Keep up the good work... that's awesome stuff. I've already put Leslieawesome's tracker on my home screen. Best part about these is the low bandwidth for us people stuck on crap plans with certain providers when out and about!!!!

Holy shit this is awesome and *just* what I wanted. THANK YOU
Do you have a PayPal or something I can throw money at you with?