The journey planner (trip planner in the US) feature of the Transport
for London Web site (http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/) is amazing. 
You type in your start and end points, and it shows you various ways
to get there via bus, tube, rail, ferry, and walking.

Beyond those basics, this system does a great job of recognizing
landmarks entered as start or end points (much like the Trapeze
ATIS/Info-Agent-based systems in Seattle, DC, etc. do), but goes
beyond that to show detailed PDF maps at each point, including
transfer points.  It also has a wireless phone/PDA version.

I'm wondering who built this system, and whether it could be adapted
for use in other markets such as the New York area which also have a
large, confusing network of public transport options.  Any info about
competing systems would be a nice plus.  Thanks!

Hello bobschwartz and thank you for your question.

The company that built the Journey Planner for "Transport for London"
is a German company called Mentz Datenverarbeitung GmbH

If we look at the "About" page of "Transport for London" we see:

"Kernel System:
Intermodal Journey Planner
Version 9.10
© 2003
mentz datenverarbeitung gmbh, Munich, Germany
www.mentzdv.de"
http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/user/about.htm

We can confirm this by looking at the website of mentz
datenverarbeitung gmbh. If we look at the list of customers page:
http://www.mentzdv.de/en/kunden/kundenliste.htm right at the bottom
you will see "Great Britain Transport for London TfL"

The contact details for the company's head office:
"Mentz Datenverarbeitung GmbH
Grillparzerstraße 18
81675 München 
Tel.: 089 / 418 68-0
Fax.:089 / 418 68-160
e-mail.:mdv@m.mentzdv.de"
http://www.mentzdv.de/en/muenchen.htm

They are also working on projects in Vienna, Rome, Denmark, Sweden.
http://www.mentzdv.de/en/about.htm

The system could be adapted for New York just as it already has been
in Austria, and Switzerland.

Also see:
"TfL Journey Planner launched on Cityspace i+ Points across London"
http://www.kizoom.com/news/2003/september.html


Having searched for quite some time, I have been unable to locate any
competeing companies who provide the same service.  I suggest you
contact them ASAP to act as there exclusive agent for North America ;)

Thank you for your question, and if you need any clarification of my
answer do not hesitate to ask.

Very best regards

THX1138

Search strategy included:
"tfl journey planner" designed
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&as_qdr=all&q=+%22tfl+journey+planner%22+designed

Quick, accurate info, with good links and search strategy.  Thanks!

Hello again bobschwartz.

Thank you very much for all the stars and the nice tip!

Very best regards

THX1138