We never thought we'd be saying this, but maybe more state and city agencies should be like SEPTA.
SEPTA, a quasi-public state agency, participated in the SEPTA "hackathon" this weekend, where software developers tried to make helpful applications related to the transportation system. And when we say SEPTA participated, we mean participated: Mark Headd, a Voxeo Labs developer and organizer of the event, said the agency not only gave geeks ready-to-use data, but actually showed up at the event this weekend.
“I’ve never been to a hackathon where the agency or organization that’s the subject, if you will, was physically present and working with developers,” he said.
The result: Nine SEPTA apps came out the event, some of which are scheduled to be released within weeks. Get details on them here.
Headd said that when the city provided data during a Philly Tech Week hackathon earlier this year, it “wasn’t put out there ready to use for the developer.” He stressed that local government should “meet developers halfway because there’s so much [the government] can get out of it.”
This makes perfect sense: During hackathons and similar events, government agencies are getting apps at either little or no cost, so they should be good partners.
But wait: Should local and state government be making these apps themselves? SEPTA has tech employees, right? And doesn’t the city have an Office of Information Technology?
Headd said he doesn’t see this as government’s job, partly because “application development moves way too fast for government to keep up.”
But, he said, what local and state agencies can do is “be good data stewards by making data available for people.”
After all, Headd emphasized, “it’s to their own benefit" — as well as, ahem, the taxpayers.
Follow us on Twitter and review city services on our sister site, City Howl.
- I'm so glad they're continuing with this kind of development.
turkytom, Transitview is wonderful! I love it too. I've found it's pretty accurate as well. People should try it: http://www3.septa.org/transitview/— phillis82 - As a software engineer I'm so sad I couldn't be in town for this. I would've loved to work on something with SEPTA data. Hopefully they'll do more in the future!— thegreengrass
MONEY AND JUSTICE DON'T MIX
WILL THE NEW COUNCIL GIVE YOU A SAY?
Tips? Comments? Questions?
Contact:
Doron Taussig:
215-854-5307
doron.taussig@gmail.com
@dorontaussig
Holly Otterbein:
215-854-5809
hm.otterbein@gmail.com
@hollyotterbein
Juliana Reyes:
215-854-5855
juliana.f.reyes@gmail.com
@juliana_f_reyes
 | Follow on Twitter |
- Philly Clout
- Metropolis
- Attytood
- Heard in the Hall
- Commonwealth Confidential
- Philebrity
- Phawker
- Young Philly Politics
- OurPhiladelphia
- Capitol Ideas
- Grassroots PA
- PA Policy Blog
- Media Mobilizing Project
- The Notebook
- Dave Davies Off Mic
- Committee of Seventy
- The Independent
- Naked City
- Plan Philly
- February
- January
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- News | Sports | Business | What's Happening | Restaurants & Food | Entertainment | Living | Marketplace | Jobs
What SEPTA has just released are 2 programs.
The first, Trolly View, allows you to see via a Google Map display WHERE your bus/trolly is. (select the route, it shows you the cars in operation on that route, and where they are).
The second is a text messaging system that will tell you how long your wait is (approx) at the stop for your next ride.