This is the beauty of the CleverCommute crowdsourced model.
Our riders announced this morning’s problems forty minutes earlier than the transit provider did.
| Here we are, first: |  |
And then along comes NJ Transit
Another win for Clever Commute
Running to stand still in the app stores
Running to stand still in the app stores
The one-liner: Please go to your app store and rate (with "stars") and review (with "words") the Clever Commute app.
More: For an app publisher, it's not enough to simply be in the app store. In order to show up in searches, I need to continuously:
- release new versions of the app
- update all of the info about the app
(description, pictures, promotional videos, etc)
I gladly do these things with passion.
There are three other things that are incredibly helpful for keeping the app visible.
I CAN'T do these, but our supporters can:
- Rate the app using the "5-star" system
- Review the app (even if it's one sentence)
- Install the app, keep it installed, and use it
App store steps to Rate and Review
- iOS - video / written instructions
- Android - written instructions
If there is anything stopping you from leaving 5 stars or otherwise-positive feedback, please give me the chance to address your concerns.
If you are looking for ideas on what to say about the app, look at these testimonials.
NJT Evening Trains to Avoid From NY Penn
NJT Evening Trains to Avoid From NY Penn
In a recent post at Facebook's Delayed on NJ Transit Support Group. I shared the data for the 3 months between 1-Sep 2021 and 1-Dec 2021.
(it's also at the bottom of this post)
With eight cancels apiece, there was a tie for first place:
- The 5:12 PM Northeast Corridor Line to Jersey Ave (#3725)
- The 6:18 PM Morris & Essex Line to Summit (#6355)
Since the NEC is the largest NJT line, we focused on the 5:12 PM first.
A breakdown (no pun intended) of why NJT cancels the NEC 5:12 PM.
| Date | Reason |
|---|---|
| 3-Sep-2021 | NJT did not provide a reason. |
| 10-Sep-2021 | NEC train #3725, the 5:12 PM departure from PSNY, was cancelled due to a mechanical issue. |
| 13-Sep-2021 | NEC train #3725, the 5:12 PM departure from PSNY is cancelled due to earlier mechanical issues. |
| 25-Oct-2021 | NJT did not provide a reason. |
| 26-Oct-2021 | NEC train #3725, the 5:12 PM departure from PSNY, is cancelled due to equipment availability resulting from earlier mechanical issues. |
| 28-Oct-2021 | NEC train #3725, the 5:12 PM from PSNY, is cancelled due to equipment availability resulting from earlier mechanical issues. |
| 16-Nov-2021 | NEC train #3725, the 5:12 PM from PSNY is cancelled due to equipment availability resulting from earlier police assistance. |
| 19-Nov-2021 | NEC train #3725, the 5:12 PM PSNY departure is cancelled due to equipment availability resulting from earlier mechanical issue. |
Here are the overall results
| Count | Line | Time | Destination | Train # |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Northeast Corridor | 5:12 PM | Jersey Ave | 3725 |
| 8 | Morris & Essex | 6:18 PM | Summit | 6355 |
| 7 | North Jersey Coast | 5:29 PM | South Amboy | 3513 |
| 6 | Northeast Corridor | 5:16 PM | Trenton Transit Station | 3951 |
| 5 | Northeast Corridor | 6:39 PM | Trenton Transit Station | 3961 |
How I commute: What’s in my bag
How I commute: What’s in my bag
I'm not selling or promoting any products here. This post started with what I keep in my bag...and then I added ideas based on feedback from this mailing to the Clever Commute community.
| Let's start with the bag itself. |  |
What's inside mine?
- A 3-in-1 charger (something like this)
- Emergency charger (bad for the environment...but not used often)
- wireless headphones (not AirPods)
- 2 pens, 1 highlighter
- ziplock bag of business cards
- small pack of tissues
- my housekey (I walk to the train, so why bring the whole keyring?)
- bottle opener
- a spare mask
- And now that I'm actually taking inventory of what I carry...
I notice a surprising amount of hygiene items (toothbrush, toothpaste, foldable hairbrush, travel-sized mouthwash, deodorant and cologne).
But that's not a total surprise because it's also the bag I always take when I travel
Here are some ideas from the crowd (I tried to group them as best I could)
- Hand sanitizer, lip balm, bandaid/small first aid kit, Advil, Pepto-bismal tablets, dental floss,
- beer coozie
- personal umbrella
- Reading material (which does NOT need electricity), notepad
- smokemask, headlamp, multitool, paracord, bandana
- nutrition bars, water, gum, candy
- pepper spray, lighter, multi-tool
- eyeglass case, eyeglass cleaner packages
Release notes for version 6.1.1
Release notes for version 6.1.1
Features and End User Experience
- New ability for Premium users to see reason and end date
- Users of free app now see official info from transit providers
- Content sharers automatically get free Premium service
- In-app icon changes for clarity and consistency
Bug Fixes
- Font size on Departureboard
- Hidden text on Provide Metrics page
- Repairs to train metrics reports
Tech and Infra
- Upgrades and investigations for tech platform
- Enhancements to B2B platform / XML
- Upgrade to push notification infrastructure
- Fix handling of train schedule imports
- Renew iOS Distribution Certificate
A 360 degree view of the return to the office
A 360 degree view of the return to the office
Context: I have a full-time job in NYC, but I run Clever as a passion project...using my own time and money.
This blog post is my point of view as a commuter.
Even though I built the Clever Commute business, I do understand remote work. Yes, I have a full-time job "in NYC", but it's been over 20 years since I did 5-days-a-week in the office.
But like many of you, I worked at home full-time during the pandemic.
As of March 12, 2021, I was fully vaccinated and started commuting again. It started with one day a week and it's now two.
Here are my thoughts on why I returned to the office...and why you should consider it, too.
I'm no stranger to working from home.
- When my (now college-grad) daughter was born, I was one of the first at my company to do "work from home".
- Even pre-pandemic, the culture of my office was for people to work remotely at least 1 day a week
I have seen the downside
- E-mail, IM and voice/video are my primary communication/productivity tools.
I know it can feel stupid to spend 3 hours a day commuting just to talk on a phone from NYC. - All too many times, I have had the terrible experience of a messed-up commute home causing me to miss my daughters' swim meets, theater performances, back-to-school nights, family dinners, and bedtimes.
That feeling was a driving force for me to create the Clever service.
You probably feel that you (and your company) are getting by just fine with remote work..and you're probably correct. Actually, many employers are posting strong financial results.
But part of what is happening is not healthy or sustainable for our employers or for us.
Lift as you climb
By the time you become a suburban commuter, the data suggests you are at a point in your life where you are uniquely positioned to be a leader, mentor, and role model to others.
The less-experienced people in our firms need to see the behaviors of we who are at "the next level"...even if they are not asking for it. This affects both their careers as well as the overall strength and viability of the company.
Improve yourself...for yourself
This is a nuanced twist on the above. Years ago, my manager did salsa dancing as a hobby. He told me that he always learned something from every dance partner of his.
Can this learning happen as you work remotely? Maybe...but so many opportunities are missed.
Improve yourself...for your company
A Clever commuter recently told me that part of her work is to hammer out tough issues with her counterparts. She said that one of the keys to her effective working relationships with her adversaries is the fact when they meet in person, they have a few minutes around the conference table before the meeting starts ("how are your kids?"..."taking any vacation?"...). These engagements humanize the process...and set the stage for the constructive collaboration which happens once the meeting actually starts.
Also, don't forget the magic that happens after the meeting ends...as we walk to the desk/elevator with people from the meeting.
Those dynamics are lost when meeting start and stop like this:
 |  |
Help our employers be better in a tight labor market
Companies are evolving to accommodate remote work. They may not have the model perfect at this time.
The 16 months so far have been an accelerant unlike anything we could have ever imagined. Employers need to know how to attract and retain talent in this seller's market for labor.
Help them get to the best answers for everyone involved.
Summing it up
Do I want to spend 3 hours a day going back and forth? No way. But as I recently posted on LinkedIn, there are some real advantages to having that time to read...learn...relax...listen to podcasts (and to see people in NYC).
Commuting is not the goal. It is the enabler of the dynamics mentioned above.
Clearly, there are two "poles": 100% remote and 100% in the office
Many of us have experienced the former...and I see very few employers truly expecting the latter.
Maybe there is a greater amount of common ground than imagined. But "Step 1" is to get back on that horse and be a part of figuring out what the best model is. For you, your company, and the people you work with.