OTvia2™ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is OTvia2™?
OTvia2™ is a website that allows Internet users to monitor bus operations of participating transit agencies.
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How does OTvia2™ work?
OTvia2™ displays a web page with a map of the participating transit agency's operating area. Buses are represented on the map as small blue and white icons which indicate the approximate location of the bus. The positions of the buses are updated automatically, every few seconds. Additional bus information can also be displayed (as described below), such as estimated arrival times at upcoming nearby stops.

Bus Stops are also represented on the map as small green and white icons which likewise indicate their locations. Additional stop information can also be displayed, such as estimated arrival times of the next one or two buses for that stop.

There are actually two types of Bus Stop icons. Depending on the scale of the map selected by the user, stops may be represented either individually, or by an icon indicating two or more nearby stops. Stop Icons indicating more than one stop have a small black asterisk located at the top of the icon. Mousing over one of the multi-stop icons will display a list of the represented stops. The user may select additional information regarding their prefered stop from this list (as described below).
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How do I see additional bus information?
You can use your mouse to position the cursor over a bus icon. An information window will automatically appear to one side of the icon. This window contains specific information about the selected bus. When you move the cursor off the bus icon, the window will automatically disappear. If you wish for the window to remain on continuous display, simply click on the bus icon to make the window "sticky". To turn off the continuous display, click on the small box with an "X" in it that is located in the upper right-hand corner of the display.
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What information is included in the Bus Information Window?
The bus information window shows the number and name of the route the bus is currently serving. It also displays information for the bus' next two stops. The window will list the stop name along with the ETA, or Estimated Time of Arrival.
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How do I see additional stop information?
You can use your mouse to position the cursor over a stop icon representing a single stop. An information window will automatically appear to one side of the icon. This window contains specific information about the selected stop. When you move the cursor off the stop icon, the window will automatically disappear. If you wish for the window to remain on continuous display, simply click on the stop icon to make the window "sticky". To turn off the continuous display, click on the small box with an "X" in it that is located in the upper right-hand corner of the display.

Stop Icons indicating more than one stop have a small black asterisk located at the top of the icon. Mousing over one of the multi-stop icons will display a list of the represented stops. Mousing over the name of any listed stop will cause the corresponding stop information to be temporarily displayed in a separate window. If you wish for this window to remain on continuous display, simply click on the name of the stop to make the window "sticky". To turn off the continuous display, click on the small box with an "X" in it that is located in the upper right-hand corner of the display.
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How do I find buses on a specific route?
A list of monitored routes is found on the left side of the page. Clicking on the selection box of a specific route from the list will display a colored outline of the selected route on the map. The color of the line will be the same as the color representing the route on the route list. Only the buses serving the selected route will show on the map.
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Can I select more than one route?
You may select as many individual routes from the list as desired. Each route selected will display on the map in a different color. Only the buses serving the selected routes will be shown on the map. Deselecting all routes will display all the buses serving the area.
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Can I view the printed schedules and/or route maps?
To the right of each route is an arrow icon; mousing over this arrow icon will display a drop down menu. From this menu, you can select the weekday, weekend or evening schedules as well as the route map. Once selected, the corresponding printed schedule or route map will display in a new window on the screen.
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How do I change my view of the map?
By using a standard click and drag, you can move the map contents left, right, up, or down. Alternately you can use the repositioning arrows in the upper-left hand corner of the map, or you can use the up/down or left/right arrows on the keyboard.

Double-click to center and zoom-in on the map, or use the zoom in/out bar on the left-hand side of the map.

You can select a map view, a satellite view, or a terrain view using the corresponding buttons in the upper right corner of the map.
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Which Browsers work best with OTvia2™?
OTvia2™ is programmed to conform to modern Web Standards, and should perform well in any modern browser that is Standards Compliant. OTvia2™ is specifically tested for compatibility with Firefox (version 2.0 and later), Safari (version 3.1 and later), Internet Explorer 7, and Internet Explorer 6.

Additionally, OTvia2™ makes use of the Google Maps Applications Programming Interface (API). The Google Maps API is designed to be compatible with a wide variety of modern Browsers. OTvia2™ should perform well in any modern browser that is compatible with the Google Maps line of products.

No Browser is fully standards compliant, however, and some differences in performance may be experienced among different Browsers. In particular, the Internet Explorer series is known to exhibit some minor incompatibilities with certain Web Standards, and with the Google Maps interface. If you find your computer system becomming very sluggish after running OTvia2™ in Internet Explorer for an extended period of time, you may wish to take corrective action. Minimizing and then Maximizing the Internet Explorer window will often correct this problem. In some cases, however, it may be necessary to quit and then restart Internet Explorer, in order to return your system performance to normal.
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What are alerts?
Alerts are a way for you to setup a notification about a given: Route/Schedule/Stop/Time combination and have the browser notify you when its approxiamately time to catch your vehicle.
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How do I create an alert?
From the Alerts drawer click on the 'Create New Alert' button or from the map select a Stop, then select the alert icon in the far right displayed next to a Route for that Stop you wish to set an alert.
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How do I change an alert?
From the 'Alert List' in the Alerts drawer select the 'Change' link next to the alert you wish to change.
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How do I restore my alert once changed?
Once in the Create/Change Alert dialog. The restore button will repopulate all fields with their original values. The user can then start again from the original data.
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How do I delete an alert?
From the 'Alert List' in the Alerts drawer select the 'Delete' link next to the alert you wish to delete. OTvia will then prompt you to verify that you do indeed want to delete the alert selected.
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How do I navigate between the Route and Alert lists?
Simply click on the title bar for each section. If you wish to see the Alert List simply click on the Alerts header. If you wish to see the Route List simply click on the Routes header. If the header is already active for the element you click on nothing happens.
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