Public transport (software)
| Public transport | |
|---|---|
| Basic data
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| Maintainer | Andreas Schildbach |
| Publishing year | January 22, 2010 |
| Current version | 11.1.10 (December 19, 2019) |
| operating system | Android |
| programming language | Java |
| category | Public transport information system |
| License | GPLv3 |
| German speaking | Yes |
| oeffi.schildbach.de | |
Öffi one is application for mobile devices ( mobile app ), the information on schedules of public transportation on a front-end provides and a route planning allows. Three basic tasks are offered: location- and time-specific connection planning, display of departure times from stops in the area and insight into the network plans of the supported transport networks. An internet connection is required to use it. The app supports Android and is available free of charge.
development
The software is developed by Andreas Schildbach. The developer named the software as the goal of "getting car drivers excited about buses and trains by developing a program (app) for the cell phone that shows the nearest stop at any time". The first version was released on January 22nd, 2010, with Berlin as the first major city considered . Due to the success there, further transport networks of large cities and agglomerations in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Ireland, the United Kingdom and Scandinavia as well as in the United States and Australia have been added.
The public transport application supports 75 regions in 17 countries and has been downloaded 5 million times. It offers the integration of real-time information , which also includes delays in regional and long-distance traffic.
As of July 6, 2018, the app was no longer available on Google Play . Google justified this decision to the developer with a single word: "Payment". However, since the app is available for free, the developer is said to have already filed a complaint. The app or apk file can still be downloaded from the developer's website. After a corresponding petition, the developer published the source code of the app on July 16, 2018 on GitLab , making the app open-source . He also added this app to the official F-Droid repository at the same time , which means that the app can now be downloaded from the F-Droid app. Before, it could only be downloaded in F-Droid with a manually added (binary) repository by the developer. After the app was adapted several times, it has been available for download from the Play Store again since September 2, 2018.
Functions
Using the proximity search, stops near the current position can be displayed, from which the departure times of the next means of transport can be called up. After entering the trip request details, the transfer options of the following connection options for the specified trip request can be graphically displayed as a flow chart and easily called up as a list. Here, Öffi display the current location on a map and in the list of stops driving desire. At the same time, the list shows where the means of transport should be according to the plan.
Integration with other applications
The Google Play version of public transport integrates functions from Google Maps and Google Street View to show stops and their surroundings on a map. Foot navigation is done with the help of Google Maps Navigation . The AOSP version also uses other map providers such as OsmAnd (and thus OpenStreetMap ).
With public transport it is possible to call up a connection to the destination directly from the contacts or addresses in the calendar and to enter this as an appointment in the calendar (details about changing are transferred to the notes of the appointment).
Integration with other route planners
The fact that the display is largely identical for all local transport networks, but the underlying route planning with its database may differ from region to region, has contributed to the worldwide spread of public transport. This is based on an open interface for which third-party developers can write a module for special electronic timetable information. The information system used can be changed in the app under "Transport network".
In Germany, most local transport providers use HAFAS route planning . The apps they sell are largely identical in their connection information, but are labeled differently depending on the provider and are sold as a separate app (BVG Fahrinfo / Berlin, VBB Fahrinfo / Brandenburg, MVG Fahrinfo / Munich, HVV Fahrinfo / Hanover). The public transport connection information was adapted to these information systems via modules, so that in most regions the results of public transport are identical to the respective regional driving info app.
Media attention
The app has been discussed several times in specialist journals, with the tenor being positive.
For example, CHIP Online draws the following conclusion: “'Public Transport - Public Transport Information' is a feature-rich app that leaves nothing to be desired. And since it applies to 16 different countries, you will also get to your destination well on your next city trip. "
CNET sums up: “Anyone who travels a lot and often relies on the train and public transport will get a helpful app with public transport DE / CH / Berlin / FFM / Munich, with which they rarely fall by the wayside. The user only has to buy the ticket himself. "
Focus Online says: "Public transport does the normal timetable search with flying colors."
literature
- Holger Reibold: 20 must-have apps for Android . Brain-Media, 2012, ISBN 978-3-95444-036-8 , pp. 55-57 ( Google Books ).
- Juhani Lehtimaki: Smashing Android UI . John Wiley & Sons, 2012, ISBN 978-1-118-38733-7 , pp. 104 f . ( Google Books ).
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Andreas Schildbach. In: GitHub . Retrieved February 7, 2017 .
- ↑ a b Android app available for public transport in Berlin ( memento from October 13, 2016 in the Internet Archive ).
- ↑ a b v10.5.6 Tag on GitLab. Retrieved September 4, 2018 .
- ↑ Andreas Schildbach: Public transport. Retrieved December 20, 2012 .
- ↑ Nils Kremmin: App goes the wild ride! In: Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (Ed.): Plus - The customer magazine . February 2012, p. 8th f . ( bvg.de ).
- ↑ Laura Meschede : App programmer Andreas Schildbach. Practical pirouettes. In: taz.de. October 18, 2014, accessed October 20, 2014 .
- ^ Andreas Schildbach: Public transport - timetable information. In: Google Play . Retrieved September 17, 2017 .
- ↑ Andreas Schildbach: Public transport no longer available in the Play Store. In: Google+ . Retrieved July 8, 2018 .
- ↑ Andreas Schildbach: Open-source the public transport app - defy Google! Retrieved July 16, 2018 .
- ↑ Public transport. Retrieved July 16, 2018 .
- ↑ Include Public 10.0 in the F-Droid main repository. (! 3454) Merge Requests F-Droid / Data. Retrieved July 16, 2018 .
- ^ Benjamin Wand, Andreas Schildbach: Public transport - download. Retrieved July 16, 2018 .
- ↑ App for local public transport: Public transport is available again in the Play Store - Golem.de. Golem.de , September 3, 2018, accessed on September 3, 2018 .
- ↑ Public transport: Public transport information - Android app. In: chip.de. November 28, 2013, accessed December 7, 2013 .
- ↑ Christian Schartel: Timetables for the Android smartphone: Public transport DE / CH / Berlin / FFM / Munich. In: cnet.de. August 27, 2010, accessed December 7, 2013 .
- ↑ Torsten Kleinz: The best apps for Android phones. On the way by bus and train: public transport. In: focus.de. August 2, 2010, accessed December 7, 2013 .