MBTA: App judgment

The MBTA has no shortage of tech-savvy customers. So to its credit, the authority recently made scheduling and geographic information publicly available, so that software developers - at their own expense - can create their own applications to help riders plan their trips. This approach is a smart 21st-century alternative to hiring some consultant who develops inelegant software at exorbitant costs. After the transit agency in Portland, Ore., released its data, developers came up with more than two dozen applications for iPhones and other devices. For the T, the next step should be to put out GPS information on individual vehicles. Knowing that the next bus or train should arrive shortly only raises a more important question: When will it actually get here? If only an iPhone app could make buses and trains arrive more quickly.