WebProNews

Subways have a bad reputation, but Google’s not (too) afraid - at long last, the search giant is mapping New York City’s subway system, and this move is likely to draw in more users than all of Google’s other transit-related projects.

NY Subway System To Get Mapped By Google

“New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority and New Jersey Transit, which together carry more than 9 million people a day, are working with the company to give users one place to go for maps, schedules and trip planners,” report Chris Dolmetsch and Ari Levy in a Bloomberg article.  “The agencies serve the five New York City boroughs and suburbs in New Jersey, Connecticut, Westchester County and Long Island.”

So, while acknowledging all of Google’s good works, one has to ask: what motive does the company have for taking on this project?  The answer, of course, relates to money, and as you might have guessed, to advertising.

“Google . . . will be better able to sell hyper-local ads once it knows what subway stop you’re going to,” writes Dan Frommer for the Silicon Alley Insider.  Frommer goes on to note that this is “especially relevant in New York where many businesses cater to a tiny geographical radius.”  And where so many people are packed into a small area.

Neither Bloomberg nor the SAI were able to say when Google will complete its map of New York’s subways, however, so it may be a while yet before those advertising dollars start coming in.