Has Google Maps Lost the Plot

[bashworth]

I have regularly used Google Maps to plan trips on public transport. With the latest ‘upgrade’ that might be stopping.

Today I was standing at Broadmeadows Station (closest station to Melbourne Airport) and looking to travel to Dandenong Station.

Google Maps totally ignored any train option and only gave me bus options that would take me at least 50% longer!

 

[AIRwin]

It does show train options for me. Do you have a filter on?

 

[Dmac59]

worked for me, first 2 options via trains.

 

[encryptededdy]

I mean, it's possible it's a bug, but I find generally the explanation is one of;

• Your GPS location is a bit off and is near the station but not in the station. It thinks you have to go all the way around to a crossing to get to the train station or something stupid, so it decides it's better to take a bus nearby.
• It thinks the walking time to the station is longer than it actually is (likely due to above), therefore even though there's a train in 4 minutes it thinks you can't make that, only the train in 34 minutes. Therefore, it'll route you on a bus instead to get you to your destination earlier.
• You may have modes of transport set incorrectly, or prioritise least walking etc.
• The GTFS data from PTV was wrong for some reason so it didn't have the correct timetable for the train

 

[bashworth]

Latest info is that before I went overseas i didnt have any Google Maps preferences set. On my return Maps does look a bit different and on checking it has set the preferences with only buses on! (Something I would not have changed as I regularly use both bus and train)

I think the word ‘preference’ is misleading in the settings. It would be better to say something like “options to be considered”

 

[justinbrett]

That sounds like a data issue that’s not the fault of Google.

 

[Himeno]

Google maps often has some data issues, leading to some odd issues. It also gets confused at times.
Over the past year or so, the options it has given in Japan have been quite insane in some cases, such as riding 2 stations past your destination, then changing trains and going back, or ignoring the bus option to a train station and tell you to walk in the opposite direction to some other train station (eg, telling you to walk from Tokyo Tower to Azabu-Juban station and ride the subway to Daimon, then walk across the road to Hamamatsuchō instead of just walking (or getting the direct bus) from the tower to Hamamatsuchō)

There are some bus connections at home (on the route used to get between home and work) that can have a 2 minute connection at the local interchange. Google Maps ignores this possible connection, meanwhile the Transport Canberra planner (which uses Google Maps) doesn't. Google claims it takes 3 minutes to transfer buses at the same platform and has no way to change a setting to fix it.
Google also regularly claims that the walking time between locations is higher then it is and won't display options that don't match it's assumed walking time which are possible when using actual walking time. (like claiming 3 minutes to walk to a bus stop across the road, when it takes 40-80 seconds)

 

[SYD]

Latest info is that before I went overseas i didnt have any Google Maps preferences set. On my return Maps does look a bit different and on checking it has set the preferences with only buses on! (Something I would not have changed as I regularly use both bus and train)

I think the word ‘preference’ is misleading in the settings. It would be better to say something like “options to be considered”

I often change those preferences when OS to force certain types of PT (eg train only or bus only - if I know there’s a certain bus etc).

I was literally resetting mine this morning having flown in from six weeks OS. I also had to set it back to default to PT (and not “Walking”).

 

[RealtimeY]

It's useful to check and sometimes play with these options as a habit.

I've found Google to often suggest multiple inconvenient bus routes or toll roads with marginal time savings, so it needs a bit of guidance itself sometimes. And of course also to catch when you have options inadvertently set.

 

[Himeno]

It would be nice if there was some setting that could be adjusted for each users walking speed.
It's annoying when Google claims something isn't possible because it thinks it takes 20 minutes to walk something that only takes 10-12, or when it says you have to walk 3 minutes to change buses which both stop in the same place.