Calculator helps measure transit accessibility, commute cost

Launched this week, Transit Score provides custom commute reports and a home and transportation costs calculator allowing users to see proximity of public transportation, their commuting options and associated costs.

Transit Score provides a 0 to 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 one-quarter of a mile to areas with limited or no nearby public transportation.

The Transit Score rating is currently available in more than 30 cities, including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C. For a list of cities where Transit Score is available, see http://www.walkscore.com/transit-score.php.

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.

Walk Score also launched the Public Transit API (application programming interface), which enables Web developers to easily add public transportation information to their Websites. 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.

Walk Score is the flagship product of Front Seat, a civic software company based in Seattle.