Published in DNA Epaper on 07 June 2011
For all those who want to go green, but don't know where to start!
For all those who want to go green, but don't know where to start!
The Bangalore Transport Information Service (BTIS) website is an easy to understand website in English, and immensely useful to those who want to commute by bus, but are not sure of what bus or route to take. It not only gives you a comprehensive lists of all BMTC buses and routes, it also has a 'track bus' feature that tells you where your bus is right now, so you know if you have missed it or not.
If you prefer commuting by car, you can check out the carpooling options available, and register as one too. You could even try the 'parking' feature that provides a list of available parking spaces in the city (supposedly updated every 5 mins).
This website is pretty cool - and takes a few minutes to understand. You could even personalise the page to routes/locations of your choice, by using the 'mapid' or 'personalise' option. As if this much information is not enough, the site also boasts of the following features:
- Live traffic updates on the main-page map
- Live snapshots from Traffic Junction Cameras
- Commute to and from Airport
- Traffic violation fines against your vehicle
- Registration details about a vehicle
- Post your feedback
I am not sure who runs the website (I assume it is updated by the Bangalore Traffic Police). It is an impressive and useful tool available to Bangaloreans, but it can be made better by
- Including a list of bus timings and frequency
- Making the downloadable application work on all phones.
- Ensuring the 'track bus' feature is available for all buses.
Other websites that give similar information:
- Jaanlo
- Google Transit (for Volvo and Big 10 buses only)
- Narasimha Datta's website
Go green! Take a bus, or register as a carpooler! Make Bangalore a green city.
Don't stay in Bangalore? Check out the traffic information websites for your city!
