A Twitter account is broadcasting its findings about the mood of transit riders in Boston, in real time.
Yesterday, I spent a total of about 20 minutes (unofficial tally) waiting on the Metro 201 bus in Los Angeles waiting to turn left at unprotected left turns while cars clogged intersections and cut in front of the bus in the line to turn.
I did another quick, unofficial tally, and estimated that I had spent 10,000 hours on buses waiting to turn left—10,000 hours of deliberate practice being Malcolm Gladwell's theoretical threshold for world-class skill (a theory that has since been debunked).
Needless to say, I wasn't in a good mood.
This morning I felt a little better, knowing that someone out there understands the pain (and joy, of course) of transit users.
"A new Twitter account called @MBTA_Mood, which has no affiliation with the MBTA, has been analyzing the overall mentality of some MBTA riders based solely on their tweets, and then regurgitating the information back to the general public on social media," reports Steve Annear.
So, for example, yesterday at 9 am, about the same time I would eventually be waiting for the 201 to turn left at 6th and Vermont in Los Angeles from a duration of time easily longer than five minutes, the account tweeted: "There was a fall in rider mood over the past hour. Analyzed 68 tweets, with 52.41% feeling Sadness. #MBTA #MBTAMOOD."
The creator of the Twitter account wishes to stay anonymous, but the tool used to generate the mood analytics is not: the IBM Watson Tone Analyzer, "which uses linguistic analysis to detect emotion in text and 'predict whether they are happy, sad, confident, and more,' according to IBM’s website."
FULL STORY: This Twitter account tells you the general mood of MBTA riders by the hour
Boston Rail Network Sees Significant Increases in Speed After Eliminating ‘Slow Zones’
A year-long project that upgraded rail infrastructure and equipment has resulted in faster trips on all rail lines.
MBTA Red Line Now Free of ‘Slow Zones’
Recent work on the Boston-area rail line is making service on the aging system faster and more reliable.
MBTA Budget Inadequate for Key Projects
Without additional funding, the agency is ‘barely treading water’ and could be forced to make service cuts in 2026.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The Simple Legislative Tool Transforming Vacant Downtowns
In California, Michigan and Georgia, an easy win is bringing dollars — and delight — back to city centers.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
In More Metros Than You’d Think, Suburbs are Now More Expensive Than the City
If you're moving to the burbs to save on square footage, data shows you should think again.
The States Losing Rural Delivery Rooms at an Alarming Pace
In some states, as few as 9% of rural hospitals still deliver babies. As a result, rising pre-term births, no adequate pre-term care and "harrowing" close calls are a growing reality.
The Small South Asian Republic Going all in on EVs
Thanks to one simple policy change less than five years ago, 65% of new cars in this Himalayan country are now electric.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)