With the new service Crowdmap, TBD is collecting information from readers about Washington D.C.’s Metro system. Commuters write in about problems like nonfunctioning escalators and elevators, broken SmarTrip card readers, and stations without air conditioning (that last one will make New Yorkers chuckle).
To make it easy, readers can alert TBD to problems in three ways:
1. Directly submitting a report to the map.
2. Tweeting an alert with hashtag #tbdwmata
3. E-mailing an alert to tbdtips@gmail.com
The result is a colorful and navigable map of the problems, with each location linking out to a more detailed list and a note on whether each one has been verified.
The TBD web site explains its goals:
Report what you see on your daily commute to not only help others, but also to help us help you hold WMATA accountable for ongoing issues. There are a lot of trains and stations in the WMATA system and we couldn’t cover this kind of ground without your help.
Well done, TBD! A real public service.
Lauren Kirchner is a freelance writer covering digital security for CJR. Find her on Twitter at @lkirchner