How Taxi Data Can Help Solve Public Transit Problems

Data on taxi pick-up and drop-off points can be a useful tool to better understand urban mobility, and how taxis can function as an aspect of public transportation, according to this post.

1 minute read

June 11, 2011, 11:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg

Writing for the Urbanophile, Drew Austin argues that such information can change the way cities approach their transportation problems.

"The taxi perfectly illustrates the opportunities these incidental data sources create as well as the limitations of what they can tell us. Transportation is one of the trickiest and most critical problems in any city, and one of the areas where good data can help the most. By recording their own activity, taxis become sensors that roam the city painting a detailed picture of traffic conditions, travel demand, and even the locations where passengers give the best tips. We can learn a lot about the city from taxis, but we can learn even more about taxis themselves and their role in the urban environment."

FULL STORY: The Taxi As Public Transportation by Drew Austin

Thursday, June 2, 2011 in Urbanophile

Technology Transportation United States Public Transit Data Taxis View More

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I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

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