# Phone Data-Sourced Bus Routes IBM Researchers Use Phones Records in Order to a Improve Commuting By Brandon Bastaldo | Published 2013-05-06 | Tech Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/phone-data-bus References: [dezeen](http://www.dezeen.com/2013/05/02/mobile-phone-data-ibm-research-redesign-bus-network-in-ivory-coast/) & [research.ibm](http://www.research.ibm.com/labs/ireland/) No matter where you're located on the globe, taking public transit can be a difficult and frustrating task but thanks to brilliant innovations like this idea to create transit routes sourced from the phone information, phone data bus routes may be greatly improving public transit conditions. With the availability of smartphones becoming more widespread, people are beginning to see the mobile industry greatly affecting others that they use on daily basis, like public transport. This is precisely the approach researchers from [IBM's](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/formula-1-fans) facilities in Dublin took into consideration when developing these revolutionary phone data bus routes. By studying about 2.5 billion call records from phone users, the researchers were able to create new and more efficient bus routes for the deteriorating transit system of a city in Africa's Ivory Cost called Abidjan. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 0.8/10 - Popularity: 5% | Activity: 12% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/tech) > [Mobile](https://www.trendhunter.com/mobile) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Phone Data-sourced Transit:** The availability of smartphone data provides an opportunity to create more efficient public transit. - **Analytics-driven Public Transportation:** Using data analytics to improve transit can lead to more efficient and streamlined transportation options. - **Real-time Transit Tracking:** Using GPS and phone data to track public transportation can improve the commuter experience and reduce wait times. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Public Transportation:** The public transportation industry has an opportunity to leverage phone data and analytics to improve their systems and better serve commuters. - **Telecommunications:** Telecommunications companies have an opportunity to partner with transportation industry to provide data and services to improve transit systems. - **Data Analytics:** Data analytics companies have an opportunity to work with public transit agencies to improve their systems and make data-driven decisions. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Impairment-Aiding Navigation Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/commute-booster.md) - [Comprehensive Travel Navigation Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/destination-app.md) - [Groundbreaking Public Transit Models](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vertically-integrated-smart-transit-system.md) - [Convenience-Focused Transportation Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/transportation-apps.md) - [AI-Powered Autonomous Buses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/autonomous-buses.md) - [Multifunctional Transport Buses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bubblic-public.md) - [Modernized Specialized Transport Services](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/specialized-transport-service.md) - [Smartphone Map App Features](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mapapp-feature.md) - [Chicagoan Chatbot Services](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/chicagoan-chatbot-service.md)