The MBTA is the first in the nation to release real-time data of its buses to developers so they could create apps to help its customers. This morning BostInno went one-on-one with the top boss at the MBTA, Richard Davey, who just celebrated his year anniversary on the job.

In a morning phone conversation, Davey told us 18 months ago the MBTA realized they needed to improve their communication with its customers regarding the whereabouts of the buses and trains. The first proposal was to install countdown clocks at all bus stops, which is common in other US cities and oversees in Asia and Europe. The only problem with this idea is that it would take several years to role out and cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars. The MBTA decided to scrap that plan and instead release data on the 5 biggest bus routes to developers so they could create apps for T riders. Today, developers have data on all 184 bus routes and the heavy rail lines, which include the red, blue and orange lines. In the next 60 days, the real time data on the commuter rails will also be available.

There are currently about 30 apps for the T and the MBTA doesn’t pay developers anything for them. The only cost associated with giving passengers transit information is a contract with Nextbus for $100,000. Nextbus provides information on traffic patterns and predicts where a bus is.

Davey told BostInno using social media as a tool to assist and communicate with customers has been crucial to the T’s success over the last year. As a result of the T’s effort, they logged their highest ridership for buses in August. Davey credits this to Bostonians feeling they can rely more on the transit system. Now, other cities like New York and Chicago are looking to Boston to improve their transit system.

Now that the MBTA has a handle on distributing real time transit information, their next hurdle is rolling out a plan so that T riders can email in photos that will go directly to their maintenance department. For instance, if a rider sees a light out, trash that needs to be cleaned up, graffiti on the wall or a leak that needs to be fixed they can take a photo and email it to the right department. Currently, all emails from the public go to one inbox and take awhile to distribute to the right department. Davey says they took this idea from the city of Boston with their pothole program where people can email a photo and street where there’s a pothole.

This weekend marked a mini-milestone for the MBTA on twitter. They now have more than 5,000 people following them. Davey says he knows he can’t compete with Lady Gaga but he says she better watch out!