Walk Score adds Transit Score

The popular Walk Score service that rates locations on their walkability added a “Transit Score” function today.

Transit Score 100 = "Rider's Paradise"

Transit Score provides a 0-100 rating indicating how well an address is served by public transportation. Ratings range from “Rider’s Paradises” where multiple transit options are available within a quarter of a mile to areas with limited or no nearby public transportation. The Transit Score rating is currently available in over 30 cities, including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington D.C.

Walk Score now enables customers to type in an address and get a summary of commuting options, including the time it would take to get to your work, school or other location by car, bike and foot and lists nearby public transit stops and routes. The customized commute report also includes a visual representation of the hills between your home and work to better understand how bikable or walkable the route may be.

Transit Score screenshot

For most families, transportation is the second largest household expense. Walk Score’s new home and transportation costs calculator makes it easier for people to understand the true costs of owning or renting in a particular location. Based on a few simple pieces of information, the calculator generates an estimated monthly amount that includes housing and transportation costs.

“Transportation is often a hidden cost in deciding where to live. By integrating the Center for Neighborhood Technology‘s (CNT) Housing + Transportation Affordability Index with Walk Score, we are now making it easier for customers to understand whether a house is truly affordable,” says Scott Bernstein, president and founder of CNT.

Transit Score data is also available via the Walk Score API, allowing websites to easily add public transportation information. With the Public Transit API, real estate and other website owners can show nearby public transit stops on a map, show a text description of nearby transit stops and routes, and show the Transit Score of a specific location.

“Home buyers are increasingly searching for homes that offer ‘green’ benefits, and having public transit rated for each listing helps home shoppers make the right decision,” says Myron Lo, Vice President of Innovation at ZipRealty. “We are committed to staying ahead of the curve by introducing new features, such as Transit Score, that help our clients make smart and informed home purchase decisions.”

Walking, biking and driving directions are provided by Google Maps. Public transit information is available from over 100 public transit agencies that provide open access to their transit feeds.

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