Determination of bus occupancy, routes and stop locations from mobile device reports

Public transit systems need access to real-time conditions, e.g., occupancy, adherence to schedule, route changes, etc. in order to disseminate accurate and timely information to the public. Bus routes and stops may run into the thousands, and are subject to change. In some locations, bus-stop locations are established by a transit authority, but in an ad-hoc manner based upon local consensus. Up-to-date facts of a bus route, stop location, etc. are determined from reports provided by consumer devices, e.g., smartphones, when users of such devices provide consent to such reports. For accuracy and timeliness, location reports need to be frequent which can drain device batteries. This disclosure provides techniques that enable proximate consumer devices to issue location reports in a collaborative fashion, thereby conserving battery. Further, when permitted by users, entry or exit of commuters is reported to enable determination of bus-stop locations and route alterations