I am very thrilled to see that CDTA has added maps that show the estimated real-time position of buses on all routes on their website. It might not be all that much more useful then the time estimates, but psychologically, to be able to pull up your phone, and watch the icon creep towards you makes you feel better.

The data isn’t perfect, it all depends on the access to GPS signals — which ain’t always possible downtown with the big buildings — and how many of the minute-by-minute beacons are not always successfully returned to CDTA World Headquarters in Albany and processed by the computer, but it’s certainly better then nothing, and makes you feel more like a bus actually coming.

Here is an example on CDTA Route 18 Schedule page.