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Evan Siroky

@evansiroky.bsky.social
209 followers 196 following 179 posts

Dad, Transit Data at Caltrans (posts not representative of my employer), YIMBY, multimodal transport, timezone mapper, OpenStreetMap enthusiast, skiing.

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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
SacRT didn't send out a bus bridge cancellation notice, so I ended up biking from Sunrise to Folsom, but the train would've saved only a couple minutes. Moral of the story is maybe I should just always take whatever train to Sunrise/Folsom and bike if I have to.
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
I saw a SacRT Gold Line that said Sunrise in downtown and thought I might as well take it in case there's a bus bridge after Sunrise. Sure enough, I'm on the bus bridge now.
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Got to Iron Point. I think the bus bridge added about 11 minutes to my trip.
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
I think I waited about 9 minutes for the bus.
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
I'm waiting at Sunrise for the Gold Line bus bridge to Folsom. I talked to the fare inspectors who said that there is a poor relay or something and a train had its AC catch on fire while idling. So they are preemptively doing bus bridges whenever it gets warm so they don't lose more trains.
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Yikes, San Joaquin RTD is uh going through some things: stocktonia.org/news/transpo...
stocktonia.org
RTD names another acting CEO amid scrutiny from Stockton officials - Stocktonia News
San Joaquin Regional Transit District named Eric Williams as acting chief executive officer Wednesday, another sudden leadership change at a bus agency already under scrutiny from riders, former offic...
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
There's some TIDES data over here: tides.dds.dot.ca.gov
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
timezone-boundary-builder and node-geo-tz have been released with 2026b data.
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
My train this morning was on time, definitely not 15 minutes late. 🏃‍♂️💨
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Reposted by Evan Siroky
Kurt Raschke @kurtraschke.com · 04/04/2026
Need to go from geographic points to time zone identifiers in @clickhouse.com? With @evansiroky.bsky.social's time zone boundary shapefiles and ClickHouse's support for polygon dictionaries, it's fast and easy: kurtraschke.com/2026/04/clic...
kurtraschke.com
Highly efficient timezone lookups using a ClickHouse polygon dictionary
I use ClickHouse for a wide range of data projects, and I recently needed to go from geographic coordinates to the time zone identifier for the time zone observed at those coordinates. The set of loca...
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
In closing, here's a bonus pic of a Blue Line train saying it's going all the way to Watt / I-80 when in reality there's a bus bridge that isn't included in the GTFS Schedule data.
A picture of an older SacRT light rail train with a headsign that reads "Watt / I -80".
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
Hopefully there will eventually be more and more data products that answer these questions at analysis.dds.dot.ca.gov.
analysis.dds.dot.ca.gov
Cal-ITP Data Analyses Portfolio
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
In an reporting sense, how would a drop-off-only situation be cataloged? Probably still revenue service, but for riders that haven't yet boarded, it would appear as a cancelled trip to them. Reporting should include stats that includes missed boardings on revenue service.
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
On the data quality front, while I was able to physically go spend 30 minutes observing this specific instance, could these detours be detected with GTFS-RT vehicle position data? How else could this analysis be expanded in a more statewide fashion?
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
Lots of other questions remain. When exactly did the Route 11 change course? Is it a temporary detour? Are there other scenarios like the Route 11 happening elsewhere? Does SacRT have software that could show detours? Does SacRT have the staff available to produce temporary GTFS updates?
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
In thinking about this whole experience, there are a number of takeaways: - User reports of transit data quality errors are very helpful - Data and online materials don't always reflect reality - The information provided in-person probably would help riders figure things out most of the time
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
Eventually the next Route 11 bus shows up and also turns left and stops at I & 8th. So, it's pretty clear that in real life the Route 11 does in fact stop at I & 8th instead of 8th & I.
A Route 11 bus turning left onto a street.
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
Sure enough the bus turns left and skips 8th & I and instead drives west on I Street. During this time, someone is using Transit's GO on this vehicle. An icon of the bus briefly shows the start of the "detour" before dropping off the map entirely.
A bus showing up that says "DROP OFF ONLY".A screenshot of Transit App showing a vehicle on the start of a detour.
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
The next Route 11 bus is late - so late that the following trip is right behind it. Eventually, I see the Route 11 bus coming 2 blocks away at the previous stop. At the previous stop, the bus changes its headsign to say "DROP OFF ONLY". The bus still appears as active in the Transit App after this.
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
Over at I & 8th there is another bus stop sign. The permanent sign says the stop is closed, but again another sheet of paper is duct-taped to the sign saying that I & 8th on I St is where people should catch Route 11.
A bus stop sign that says the stop is closed, but there is a duct-taped sheet of paper saying it is where Route 11 stops now.
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
When I roll up to 8th & I, there is actually a sign about the Green line being closed. Also a sheet of paper is duct-taped to the Green Line closure sign saying that it is true that this bus stop is actually closed. The sign says the closure is as of yesterday.
A picture showing a bus stop with a shelter and signpost. Attached to the signpost is a folding sign on the ground. Duct-taped to the folding sign is a sheet of paper saying that the bus stop is closed.
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
The GTFS data also said 8th & I should be where Route 11 stops. So, a pretty clear signal from multiple online channels that 8th & I is where someone should go catch the 11 heading to Natomas.
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
I checked SacRT's website. It shows on both the system map and the route-level map that Route 11 should stop all along 8th until turning left on F Street. No service alerts were present on the website mentioning the stop should be closed or changes to Route 11 service.
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
I learned of a possible transit data quality problem that I decided to go investigate in person yesterday.
Some screenshots claiming that a bus route has moved to a different nearby stop, but Google Maps is still showing that the bus should stop at the supposedly closed stop.
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
This would be illegal if Metro flew planes: www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/...
law.cornell.edu
14 CFR § 259.8 - Notify passengers of known delays, cancellations, and diversions.
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
Because it doesn't match a certain regex pattern.
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
The plans for the Sacramento Station District look really cool: www.cityofsacramento.gov/content/dam/...
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
timezone-boundary-builder and node-geo-tz have been released with 2025c data.
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
Nope, not backwards compatible
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
Solid storm this weekend
View from a chairlift with snowy weather
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 03/01/2026
I'm wondering whether the Asia/Hanoi timezone needs to be constructed using Open Historical Map data.
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Reposted by Evan Siroky
Hunter Owens @hunterowens.net · 02/01/2026
New Year: New Job? I'm hiring two Transit Data Scientists to work on SB125 and other transit programs with me at CalSTA calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/...
calcareers.ca.gov
SB125 Transit Data Scientist
Looking to make a difference? Join our strong and mighty workforce. We offer benefits and growth opportunities and impact the lives of millions of Californians.
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 02/01/2026
github.com/BlinkTagInc/...
github.com
GitHub - BlinkTagInc/gtfs-to-chart: Generate stringline charts from GTFS transit data
Generate stringline charts from GTFS transit data. Contribute to BlinkTagInc/gtfs-to-chart development by creating an account on GitHub.
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Reposted by Evan Siroky
Jason Rabinowitz @airlineflyer.net · 02/01/2026
I have said this before, but I do wish one prominent tech YouTuber would do a BTS tour with a transit agency, showing off all the tech that makes its stuff work. Even just the various systems on a bus today is wild. It'd go a long way to help the image of public transit.
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 15/09/2025
timezone-boundary-builder milestone: 1000 GitHub stars
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Reposted by Evan Siroky
The Onion @theonion.com · 08/05/2025
City Councilman Unearths Magical Zoning Amulet theonion.com/city-co...
City Councilman Unearths Magical Zoning Amulet
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Reposted by Evan Siroky
Ryan Packer @typewriteralley.bsky.social · 09/04/2025
The WA House just approved SB 5501, which prohibits employers from requiring driver's licenses as a condition of employment, unless driving is an essential function of the job. It passed 61-36. This bill is headed to the Governor's desk! app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary/...
app.leg.wa.gov
SB 5501 Washington State Legislature
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 27/03/2025
I feel like Santa Cruz has so many examples. Most recent being a group uses CEQA to delay wharf restoration and then wharf collapses before repairs can finish: www.mercurynews.com/2024/12/28/p...
mercurynews.com
Protections for nesting gulls (among other uniquely Californian headaches) delayed repairs to Santa Cruz wharf
Repairs on the wharf, damaged by last winter’s storms, were delayed by strict permitting requirements, environmental litigation.
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 31/01/2025
Sad state of affairs in transportation safety.
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 30/01/2025
This new administration is putting safety as its last priority.
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 29/01/2025
Construction update. No idea what these huge walls are for or if they're temporary.
A construction site with some walls around the site
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Reposted by Evan Siroky
Reuters @reuters.com · 28/01/2025
About 35,000 feet over the Mojave Desert, northwest of Los Angeles, Boom Supersonic's XB-1 became the first privately funded airplane to break the sound barrier during a test flight reut.rs/3E9xfO4
reut.rs
Boom Supersonic XB-1 breaks sound barrier over Mojave Desert
About 35,000 feet (10,670 meters) over the Mojave Desert, northwest of Los Angeles, Boom Supersonic's XB-1 became the first privately funded airplane to break the sound barrier during a test flight on Tuesday.
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 28/01/2025
I'm not getting worked up about this one at all. I've known for a while that Google Maps invests a lot in localization to the extent of even drawing borders differently based on where a device accesses Google Maps from.
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 28/01/2025
And the growing percent of people that are older adults is a trend that is projected to continue.
Chart showing projected increase in the percent of population that are older adults in the San Francisco Bay Area Counties.
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 28/01/2025
The SF Bay area is aging. Map from MTC's 2024 Coordinated Plan: mtc.ca.gov/digital-libr...
Map of percent change in older adult population in San Francisco Bay Area from 2010-2022. Shows most of the bay had an increase in older adults.
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Reposted by Evan Siroky
Max Dubler 🏳️‍🌈 @maxdubler.com · 24/01/2025
The people colluding to create housing shortages in order to jack up the price of homes and rent are mostly single family homeowners, not nefarious corporate actors; and they’re doing it in public at your local planning commission, not in smoke-filled conference rooms or whatever.
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 23/01/2025
Good article summarizing some of the executive orders that may impact transit from @apta-info.bsky.social. aptapassengertransport.com/president-tr...
aptapassengertransport.com
President Trump Sworn into Office, Issues Significant Executive Orders - Passenger Transport
On Jan. 20, Donald Trump was sworn into office as the 47th President of the United States. On that day, he issued a record-setting 26 Executive Orders (EOs) to immediately advance his Administration’s...
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Reposted by Evan Siroky
Edward Russell @byerussell.com · 22/01/2025
Trumps executive orders "could imperil billions of dollars in funding for projects that states have already begun working on... for everything from roads and bridges to broadband and withstanding the effects of climate change." This could get messy. h/t @yfreemark.bsky.social
politico.com
Trump kicks off potentially messy fight over Biden’s infrastructure money
One of Trump's executive orders could imperil billions in funding for projects that states have already begun working on, some experts said.
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Evan Siroky @evansiroky.bsky.social · 22/01/2025
OpenStreetMapping intensifies... if I can figure out how to add this as a custom layer.
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