NTHU Trip Planner

Project Overview

The NTHU Trip Planner is a system that combines Google Maps with the NTHU internal school bus schedule to provide efficient trip planning for users within the university campus. Users can input an department or coordinates of their desired Destination, and the system will generate a suggested Trip strategy. The planned trip can consist of up to three different plans, depending on the availability of school buses:

1. From Origin Location to Bus Stop: Guides the user from their current Location** to the nearest school bus stop.

2. Bus Ride to a Bus Stop Near the Destination: The system plans the bus route to a stop that is closest to the user's Destination.

3. Final Trip from Bus Stop to Destination: Guides the user from the bus stop to the final Destination, which may involve walking, biking, or another mode of travel.

Key Terminology

• Location: A specific point representing either the user's current position or the destination.
• Trip: A planned journey that includes various segments.
• Origin: The starting point of the trip.
• Destination: The final location the user wants to reach.
• Duration: The total time (in seconds) for the trip or each segment.
• Distance: The length (in meters) between two points in the trip.
• Strategy: The travel mode used for each segment, which could be one of the following:
  • Bicycling
  • Walking
  • Driving
  • Transit
  • School Bus

How It Works

1. User inputs the Destination (either an department or coordinates).

2. The system calculates the best route, considering the user's Origin, available school bus routes, and the chosen Strategy.

3. The result is a trip plan, which can include up to three segments, depending on the bus schedule:

   • Walking or other Strategy to the bus stop.
   • Riding the school bus to a stop near the Destination.
   • Walking or other Strategy from the bus stop to the Destination.

4. The system provides details for each segment, including Duration and Distance.

This system simplifies navigation within the university and optimizes the use of school buses for more convenient travel.