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15 features of “The Inside Track” for NJ Transit Train Riders

15 features of “The Inside Track” for NJ Transit Train Riders

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When we first announced The Inside Track, we promised you that it would be a suite of services that you would value and use. We also promised that we’d continue to enhance it.
With that said, we are pleased to share this list of features. Some are new…and ALL have been enhanced.
NEW: We continue to improve the user interface. We now show the data using a Red / Yellow / Green color scheme which gives you at-a-glance info about your commute (link)
Here is what you currently get as a member of our premium service:
  1. Track-number-history for ALL trains (link) – We give it to you as a table and a pie chart.
  2. Track numbers for “departed” trains (link). Think you  just missed your train? We’ll tell you “what track?” even if NJT takes it off their board. This is a lifesaver on nights with widespread delays.
  3. No need to check e-mail or Twitter. We push YOUR alerts to YOUR Inside Track page.  (link). You control how many messages you see, too!
  4. See station stops / times for all listed trains – Sure…you know the departure time…but do you know when you are supposed to arrive? (Click through on the Time column  to see it)
  5. An enhanced departure board built for today’s web – Runs on PC, Mac, App, iPhone, iPad, Android, Blackberry, Windows phone, etc. Check from your home/office before and during your commute.
  6. Get-away day advice. We use our 7 years of historical data to help you make a smooth get-away on days such as Thanksgiving Eve.
  7. Automatic notification when our technology spots trouble brewing –  E.g., when 30% of the listed trains are on STAND BY (link)
  8. Clarity for you regarding holiday schedules (e.g., what is the schedule on Veterans Day? MLK Day?)
  9. NJT schedule changes (1 of 2) – You get the heads up from us when NJT annouces schedule will be changing
  10. NJT schedule changes (2 of 2) – We actually tell you “What changed?”
  11. Concierge service – A reminder when monthlies are on sale (link)
  12. Avoid headaches – Matinee Wednesday? Special events in Times Square? We’ll let you know the night before.
  13. We give you a heads up about known issues which will likely impact your trip (e.g., when the President is in town, events at Madison Square Garden)
  14. We inform you about things you otherwise would not know about (e.g., notification of issues from all NJT riders…not just those on your line)
  15. Understand Gridlock Alert Days – We explain and notify you before each one
  16. Shhh – we are currently beta testing 2-3 more. To be announced in December.

…and there is always more in the pipeline!

How The Inside Track impacted me in a VERY personal way

How The Inside Track impacted me in a VERY personal way

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[This is an excerpt from a message I sent to Clever Commuters on  April 18, 2012]
I’ve been telling you about our revolutionary new service (Clever Commute “Inside Track”) which lets you avoid problems with your commute. Well…last night, it was a game-changer for me…for a reason VERY near and dear to me. I strongly encourage you to be a charter member at the price of $1.99 (this is introductory pricing which will not last).
To sign up, go to http://www.clevercommute.com/insidetrack and create your new account.
The scoop: Last night was a mess at NYP…but I was still OK to put my daughter on a train…alone…for the first time ever. Why?
  • Even though Penn was teeming…with mobs at every terminal…we WALKED RIGHT PAST THEM AND GOT ON THE 5:44 PM AT 5:20 PM. The train was NOT yet announced…but The Inside Track told me “Track 4”.
    We strolled right down…and were the FIRST people on the train. We got her THE BEST seat…and then waited upstairs for her to be safely en route
  • ALSO: throughout the evening, Clever Commute technology “scanned” the NJT departure boards and let me know when the number of trains on “Stand by” surpassed the Clever Commute threshold. (example below)
    …
It does not matter if you have been with Clever Commute for a long time…or if you are new. When you see The Inside Track, you’ll be blown away.
For me, last night was proof positive that it’s worth all the effort we put into it.

Clever Commute in the Wall Street Journal

Clever Commute in the Wall Street Journal

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Good Morning,

As our NJ Transit train riders know, we recently rolled out a premium service called “The Inside Track“. Subscribers currently get twelve amazing features…with more to come.
(Yes – there is “Inside Track” for Metro North and LIRR. It’s still “beta”…but we’d love to have you on-board)
So…why are we featured in the Wall Street Journal? NJT does not like the app we built.
You see, in order to make its data available to app developers, NJ Transit publishes a datafeed (an “API”/webservice for the techies).
That feed gives us the real-time information which we use on our web-based “Departureboard” (screenshots below)
One of the fields that NJT published was the track number…often before it was announced at NY Penn.
It validates what we suspected: track numbers can be known well in advance of when NJT decides to post/announce them. So…we put those track number into our new app. NJT did not like that.
There is more to the story…such as my notes from the meeting with NJT…and the fact that Clever Commute did nothing against the developer terms and conditions.
Contrary to what NJT has publically stated, we did not manipulate the data…and we did not predict any track numbers. All of the track data we use comes from them….via their technology.
I’m thrilled to report that the current users of Inside Track have been overwhelmingly supportive during this episode…and I appreciate that.
You are welcome to join the dialog…and make your voice heard.
  • Feel free to let NJT know what you think – http://www.njtransit.com/tm/tm_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=ContactUsTo (Click on Submit feedback to us)
  • Add your comments to the articles at WSJ.com.
  • Consider posting the story on your Facebook page…or Tweet it
  • And you are a member of the media, I’d love to talk to you more about this. There are additional nuances here about technology, transportation, mobile apps, and even the role of a government-funded transit company.
A screenshot of our enhanced departureboard

 

A screenshot showing track history for a given train.

Welcome Wall Street Journal Readers!

Welcome Wall Street Journal Readers!

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You are probably here because you read about Clever Commute in today’s edition.
Yes…it seems that there is a difference of opinion between Clever Commute and NJ Transit regarding their developer API.
In case you missed it. Here is a link to the summary of events between us.

While advance track notification is indeed a cool feature…we are NOT a one-trick-pony.
We have amazing technology, an engaged community, rich historical data, and deep knowledge about the commute.

Please try our premium service –  The Inside Track.
Follow that link to see all it does…it is much more than just track numbers!
We have a large group of NJ Transit riders who love it…and our budding communities on Amtrak, Metro North and LIRR are finally getting to experience the features as well.

  • For NJT riders, our rate is $3.99 a month…and $2.99 a month for the others.
  • For all: the first 30 days are free…and you get two more months free when you buy a yearly subscription (altogether, that is a 25% savings)

Finally: Do you represent a Businesses?

Still have questions? You can always contact us via this link:

Thanks!

— Clever Commute Team

Something is going on at MetLife Stadium on Wednesday evening

Inside Track – History helps!