bluebus.be

A pioneering real-time bus tracking system for the University of Michigan campus, built and hosted from a dorm room server during the early days of Google Maps.

Overview

bluebus.be was one of the early adopters of Google Maps for public transit tracking, providing University of Michigan students with real-time bus locations and arrival predictions. The entire system ran from a personal server setup in a dormitory room, demonstrating the entrepreneurial spirit and technical ingenuity of early 2000s student developers.

Historical Significance

This project represented the intersection of several emerging technologies:

• Early Google Maps Integration: Built during the initial release period of Google Maps API (2005)
• Real-time Data Processing: Handled live bus location data when such systems were rare
• Grassroots Infrastructure: Demonstrated how students could create campus-wide services with minimal resources

Technical Architecture

The system likely involved:

• Web scraping or API integration with university bus tracking systems
• Real-time data processing and caching
• Interactive map interface using the nascent Google Maps JavaScript API
• Server infrastructure capable of handling campus-wide usage from a dorm room

Legacy

While the service is no longer active, it represents an early example of student-led innovation in campus technology services, predating many official university mobile apps and tracking systems by several years.