Competitive Analysis

Ready...Set...Ride is a mobile application that uses GPS tracking to provide students with accurate, real time arrival times of Centro buses and shuttles. In addition to bus arrival times, Ready...Set...Ride will also provide directions to nearest bus stops, transit directions from one location go another, bus route maps, and alerts for each time the every bus is running its final route.

Google Maps

https://maps.google.com/maps?ct=reset&tab=ll

Google Maps is a web mapping service application provided by Google which powers many map-based services. Including maps embedded on third-party websites via the Google Maps API (Wikipedia). It offers street maps, a route planner for traveling by foot, car, bike or public transport. Unlike Google Maps, Ready...Set...Ride is solely based on public transportation, not driving or walking. Also, Ready...Set...Ride will not use maps embedded on third-party websites, Instead it will utilize the company's own satellite and GPS tracking services which increases the chances of Ready...Set...Ride's predictions to be more accurate and precise. In addition, Google Maps does not provide transit for Syracuse University shuttles.

Next Bus DC

http://news.nextbus.com/how-nextbus-works-2/

Similar to Ready...Set...Ride, Next Bus DC is a mobile application that uses satellite tracking to provide real-time bus arrivals. Both apps operate as a countdown, showing how many minutes are left until a bus arrives. However, this app does not provide a push notification when a bus is running its last route of the day and students run a risk of missing the last bus. Additionally, Next Bus DC does not provide alerts when a bus' route is canceled due to bad weather, construction, or an emergency and users do not have the liberty to add a bus to their list of favorites so that the route is shown as soon as the app launches.

Summary

While both apps are very useful to track bus arrival times, Ready...Set...Ride is made especially with Syracuse University students in mind. The application is solely focused on the buses that run on campus which gives it the opportunity to pay extreme attention to those buses and eliminate any chance of frequent errors. This app also has features to allow for customization including the ability to have a list of favorites and the ability to get push notifications whenever one of the buses is running its last route.

Ready...Set...Ride uses the System Unit and Hardware

Ready...Set...Ride is a mobile application that uses GPS tracking to provide students with accurate, real time arrival times of Centro buses and shuttles. In addition to bus arrival times, Ready...Set...Ride will also provide directions to nearest bus stops, transit directions from one location go another, bus route maps, and alerts for each time the every bus is running its final route.

Some of the best features of Ready...Set...Ride include it's use of GPS tracking for accuracy, it's accessibility - it will be available as an application on mobile phones and a display of the user's "favorite routes". In order to enjoy these features, the system unit is VERY important. The case on the mobile phone serves as a system unit that houses the electronic components of the phone, Therefore the system unit is in fact the most important component one needs in order to utilize the application. Without the protection offered by the case of the system unit, the internal electronic components if the mobile phone will be susceptible to damage and therefore one can not use the application.


The second most important component of Ready...Set...Ride is the GPS which also comprises of a system unit. Ready...Set...Ride would use an active GPS tracking system. An active GPS tracking system is also known as a real-time system as this method automatically sends the information on the GPS system to a central tracking portal in real time as it happens. Ready...Set...Ride will use satellite technology to track buses on their routes. The the real-time bus arrival times are posted on the application and made available on cell phones.


And of course, Ready...Set...Ride will make great use of hardware. The bus tracking app will be monitored from several computers or perhaps one super computer. Employees will also use computers to track and respond to feedback given by the users. In addition to keeping track of feedback, computers will also be used to promote the app, monitor usage, record most requested routes and conduct any changes to the interface of the Ready...Set...Ride app.

Ready...Set...Ride uses Excel and Social Media

Ready...Set...Ride is a mobile application that uses GPS tracking to provide students with accurate, real time arrival times of Centro buses and shuttles. In addition to bus arrival times, Ready...Set...Ride will also provide directions to nearest bus stops, transit directions from one location go another, bus route maps, and alerts for each time the every bus is running its final route.

Ready...Set...Ride will  benefit from Excel when recording the time each bus starts running as well as when it runs its last route. Because the app alerts users each time a bus is running its last route, recording the time every bus runs it's last route will be important. After each week, the times will be averaged and examined for consistency and reported to Centro for improving of services. Additionally, each time a student searches for a route, it will be tallied and recorded on a spreadsheet to help management discover the most popular routes and ensure that buses are always available for the aforementioned route.

Students will also be able to create accounts with Ready...Set...Ride and their most frequented buses will be displayed first when they launch the app. Ready...Set...Ride will use Excel to create pivot tables to keep track of each user's information including favorite bus stop(s) - which will be systematically updated each time a new route is added to the user's list of favorites as well as make record of every user's log in information.

Ready...Set...Ride will rely on social  media like Twitter and Facebook to promote the app, announce  impromptu route changes due to snow or construction, changed routes, cancelled routes as well as give-a-ways and promotions! Finally, to ensure quality, relevance and customer satisfaction, Ready...Set...Ride will let customers review the app and get feedback from the customers through wall posts on Facebook.

The Big Idea

Have you ever attempted to catch one of the Syracuse University Centro shuttles but had no idea when the next bus closest to you arrives? have you ever gotten stuck at South Campus after a night of partying because you missed the last bus? (it leaves at 2:50pm, I speak from experience), or have you ever started waiting for a bus, then given up, only to watch the bus ride right pass you the minute you decide it isn't worth the wait? [Freshmen] do you even know where the closest bus stop to you is? if the answer to more than one of these questions was yes, you're going to benefit from my idea.

My idea is to create a bus tracking app called "Ready...Set...Ride". It's inspired by what used to be one of my most used apps "Ready...Set...Ride" which uses GPS tracking to giver users accurate and real-time bus arrival predictions of buses within half a mile of them. The app also provides route and stop location maps.

While Centro has paper schedules and electronic schedules uploaded on their website, it isn't as easy, accurate or technologically up to date as just opening an application and checking how many more minutes until the next bus closest to you arrives. Using the same technology as Next Bus DC, GPS tackers will be installed onto all Centro Buses and transposed through the app. Students will be able to enable location services on their mobile devices and utilize the application. In addition, students will be able to get transit directions from one location to another using the app.

"Ready...Set...Ride" will eliminate the wait. Instead of camping out for a bus, students can leave their dorms with just enough time without having to worry about missing the bus or waiting for too long.

Oh, and there will be an alert each time a bus is running it's last route. No need to worry about getting stuck on South Campus. With the help of Ready...Set...Ride, you will be able to leave in the nick of time!