Google Maps has been providing valuable transit directions for several years – I use the service frequently on my computer and smartphone to route trips in neighborhoods or cities I’m not used to. The service also provides directions for driving, walking, and cycling, but it hasn’t taken a very active role in helping you choose which mode is the best for your trip… until now.
A new feature in Google Maps suggests to drivers when taking transit or walking might be a better option than driving. It seems to provide the suggestion based largely on travel time and available modes of transit, and I am only able to get it to work in the Bay Area at this time (I tried trips in the central business districts of Los Angeles and San Diego but could not get Google Maps to show the alternative mode suggestions).
Update 04-07-11: Commenter Wilton reports it is working in Pasadena and this blog reports it is working in Iowa suggesting it is becoming widely available.
Click the image to view the directions.
For this trip, I asked Google Maps for driving directions from City College of San Francisco to a place called Beep’s Burgers, right across the street from the campus. It presented those directions, as you can see, but it also shows an option for walking and estimates that would take roughly 6 minutes.
Click the image to view the directions.
For this trip, I asked for driving directions from City College to 16th and Mission. It gladly presents a few options for driving, but also provides an option to take BART – it shows that the transit option takes almost the same amount of time as driving, and you don’t have to look for parking when you arrive.
I’d love to see Google Maps take into account real-time transit arrival data and traffic information to help users make better mode choices. Eventually SFpark’s real-time data feed could be integrated, allowing drivers to make decisions based on parking availability at their destination.
I think this is a really cool step in the right direction. Hopefully Google rolls it out in more places soon. Do you think it will help people make better mode choices?
Actually, it does work in Los Angeles (or at least Pasadena, where I live). It offered the walking direction alternative when I tried it.
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Thanks Wilton, that’s very good to know. I had just tried some simple trips around downtown L.A. but couldn’t get it to work.
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Considering traffic, walking is often faster than sitting in traffic. However, there are those who simply insist on driving; don’t want to mingle with the public or get sweaty walking I guess.
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