I often hear people say they would like to use public transit more often, but understanding all the schedules and routes is cumbersome and time consuming. If you rely on public transit every day, you are obligated to learn the system, but if you are just a casual user and want to include public transit as one of your many options for getting around the city, I believe a tool like Google Transit could help.
Google Transit is like Google Maps, except that it can give you directions that incorporate bus lines and other public transit options.
http://www.google.com/transit
Here is an example in Seatle.
Here is the link to get our city involved with this project, and here is what would most likely have to be done on RIPTA’s end to keep the data current and accurate.
UPDATE Word from RIPTA is that they have submitted their information to Google and are in the process of getting the system running. Hooray!!
The MBTA is using Google Maps on their site for transit maps. Here’s the Providence Line. You have to click the “Interactive Street Map” tab on that page.