Many cities and public transit systems have started sharing data with the public in the interest of being transparent and improving their operational efficiency. Transit systems have started sharing advisories and transit information to the public through an API. This enables anyone to develop mobile applications that provide information to commuters. At times, it helps with easing congestion within the public transit system.
This example was inspired by a friend who tracks bicycle availability in San Francisco's bike share stations. In the San Francisco Bay Area, there is a bicycle sharing program that enables commuters to rent a bike from a transit center to their work. In a crowded city like San Francisco, bike availability at a given station fluctuates depending on the time of day.
This friend wanted to plan his day based on bike availability at the nearest bike share station. If there are very few bikes left at the station, this friend preferred leaving early to...