rwt.to - Public Transit Planner built on NodeJS and MongDB

[SuperNev]

Hi fellows,

I've been building rwt.to for a while now, and it's now ready for public use.

It works in the same way as Google Transit, and it offers a bit more information. You enter the address of where you're departing (or use your GPS to determine location), enter destination, and search. You can specify time and day, as some services don't operate on weekends.

It's a second iteration of a public transit planner. I tried one about 2 years ago for taxis, but I still had a lot more to learn at the time. Currently supported services are: Gautrain, Rea Vaya, Metrorail, and a bit of Metrobus (routes are growing regularly).

Please try it out, and let me know what works and what doesn't. There's still a number of things that need working on, rwt-to is actively developed, so I'll get to most issues over the days.

I built it on NodeJS after I had performance issues with PHP, and MongoDB because I needed some flexibility in schema-definitions, plus Mongo's geolocation query support is awesome.

(only noticed the typo in the title after publishing, been a long day)

 

[Oreomitch]

Nice job!

 

[IndigoIdentity]

I logged on just to say well done man... This is REALLY awesome!

It might be because it's early in the morning but I don't really understand this:

Helping make your route to [anywhere]* (i really don't understand your implication here) around Jozi easier

Try: Making your route around Jozi easier from anywhere!

Your goal in this I guess would be to do exactly that, from the looks of it and if you keep it up you will; so leave it at that!

NB: I'm implying anywhere as in you can do it from your phone, anywhere?

 

[koeksGHT]

Looks clean, nice

 

[SuperNev]

Thanks @IndigoIdentity, I had meant to add a disclaimer that we don't currently have all Joburg routes, but I forgot to. Took your suggestion and changed it.

 

[Pho3nix]

Really nice Job. Quick question though..It doesn't tell you which bus (ie. bus number) you should take

 

[sp4ceman]

like it. awesome job and also great to see some local node powered sites up and about.

 

[SuperNev]

Really nice Job. Quick question though..It doesn't tell you which bus (ie. bus number) you should take

Thanks

After searching for a route, you can click on the link icon to generate a shareable link. If you don't mind, may you please do that so I can see which route you're referring to. It might be a case that I didn't add bus number for the bus route that was returned, but other than that I add bus numbers for every route. With trains there's train numbers (Metrorail).

An example is: https://rwt.to/*2M3GZoik. Links expire after 7 days (or less if specified), the aim is to be able to share a link with a few friends, and add a specific message, or other options which we'll enable when users can create accounts and restrict access to certain other users.

If you find anything that doesn't work, especially errors with the Math behind some schedules, please let me know if you don't mind. Though the project has been in beta for almost a year now, I still consider it to be beta as there are still some issues that I'm working on

 

[SuperNev]

like it. awesome job and also great to see some local node powered sites up and about.

Thanks , the challenge with working on it was with getting schemas right on MongoDB, I'm also working on a project called "Moving Joburg" with a friend, we'll be done and ready with it soon.

 

[IndigoIdentity]

Thanks @IndigoIdentity, I had meant to add a disclaimer that we don't currently have all Joburg routes, but I forgot to. Took your suggestion and changed it.

That makes a bit more sense indeed. I really don't see the disclaimer as being something that is suited to the about us section... There are better things that would be more worthwhile to put there as you have implemented already...

Thinking logically, if anything it should be built into the section that deals with routing so that people can understand that there may be an issue or two in relation to that and then they won't be so confused if they find themselves within that situation.

Maybe you could add a link in the footer for the time being as "Known Issues" or something to that effect... Then address any issues in Q&A style.

One further note, unfortunately when I read "Helping make"... It just doesn't gel well in my head. "Helping to make" or just "Making" (this makes more sense, you're not helping to... you are).

Any ways, the suggestion was a pleasure but please note... I charge R50k per suggestion and am charging for the first one but these last few were free... It is payable when you make your first million in ad revenue and is paid to your favorite charity, cool thanks

BTW, you should mail your info to travel agencies when you get going... I know plenty of people that cringe at the thought of finding their way around the area (me included) and you've made it easy!