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[New Armchair Urbanist] Google Map's Transit Layer is Terrible (Patreon)

Published:
2025-05-29 15:55:20
Imported:
2026-10
Tags:

Content

Let's have a casual talk about how bad it's gotten.

Files

Google Map's Transit Layer is Trash

https://surfshark.com/urbanist Check Out Surfshark Here. Let's yell about how bad Google Maps has gotten recently. My Socials and the Discord: https://linktr.ee/alanthefisher Other Maps: https://rail.guide/#6.4/41.001/-77.211 https://www.openrailwaymap.org/ https://trackyourtransit.com/Railview/ https://asm.transitdocs.com/ Time Stamps: 0:00 Intro 1:27 Surfshark 2:15 Philadelphia 5:27 NYC 6:56 Caltrain 7:43 Chicago 8:31 Cologne 9:38 London 10:55 Rotterdam 11:51 Portland 13:14 Norfolk 14:30 Extra Maps 18:35 Outro

Comments

Michael Imbesi

WMATA’s probably on Railview just because it’s easy to do. WMATA offers public access to their tracking data so people can develop stuff that uses that info. For example, I use dcmetrohero.net for my commute. It’ll tell you train numbers, ETAs, which track the train is on, how fast it’s going, and even whether or not the boarding doors are open and how many minutes of delays the train has accumulated.

PSP Geezer

I really wish I could have talked to you before you did this video. I can actually explain a lot of the reasons for Google Maps issues. Background: I'm a retired NGA cartographer. Google Maps was bought by Google from a startup called Keyhole. Keyhole built Geoscout, a program which became Google Maps. Geoscout was funded by In-Q-Tel (look it up) at my agency's request (we were then NIMA). It was designed to overlay both vector and raster data over a WGS 84 globe (WGS 84 is another product of NGA). Vectors were originally in the form of KML, (Keyhole Markup Language) although shapefile data can also be imported. Raster data is imagery and digital elevation models (DEMs) which can be used for situation awareness; the combination is great for fly-throughs which are easily built and loved by some higher-ups. The fly-throughs were much better than the Erdas Imagine software we had previously used. Keyhole was bought out by Google after they delivered Geoscout. Google really hasn't done much since then and it shows. The database is basically a bunch of separate vector and raster data sets. But the important part is the vector sets. Most modern mapping databases are one-feature/one-time (1F1T); you pointed out the issue starting with the two Grand Centrals. Google would probably have to reload all the data and do a huge amount of data messaging just to fix it - and frankly it's probably not worth the effort. But the chaos is simply a result of how the data was added in the first place without any thought to a more seamless integration. Those adding data to transit apps or Open Railway Map are required to add it a particular way. Google basically doesn't care; they just add it as it comes in. FWIW, this has nothing to do with transit vs cars. Google Maps wasn't invented for cars either. Google just found a way to integrate street data easily - not really an issue since a majority of state DOT street data can already be exported as shapefiles as most states use ESRI software these days. Google really doesn't have to do the work since states (and many foreign governments) use ESRI. Sadly, there is little coordination like this for transit; not just in the US but in most countries. I don't think Google really cares about their transit other than it's something they can say is included, even if we know it's crap. GM works for most people and Google is happy with that. They also know most transit users don't use GM but use the local transit app like I do because the apps are more useful. I share your frustration but Google Maps is 20 years old at this point. And it shows.