Optimizing notification transmission

1. A system for enabling clients to claim spots on segments, comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more storage devices storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from a device of a creator, data specifying a client-initiated segment created by the creator through an interface presented at the device, the data comprising at least a departure geographic identifier that identifies a departure geographic location from which the client-initiated segment will depart, a destination geographic identifier that identifies a destination geographic location at which the client-initiated segment will arrive, and a number of spots being claimed by the creator;

determining, based on the number of spots being claimed by the creator, that the client-initiated segment includes one or more available spots that are available to be claimed by clients other than the creator;

determining, from a set of clients, a proper subset of the clients that are likely to select the one or more available spots of the client-initiated segment, the proper subset being determined by:

identifying, for each client in the set of clients, a number of times the client has selected, using an application, to obtain segment information for one or more routes that include at least one of the departure geographic identifier for the client-initiated segment or the destination geographic identifier for the client-initiated segment; and

including, in the proper subset, each of one or more clients from the set of clients for which the number of times the client has selected to obtain segment information satisfies a threshold;

for each of the one or more clients in the proper subset of clients:

transmitting, to the client, a notification that the client-initiated segment is available; and

enabling the client to claim a spot on the client-initiated segment through a client-side application.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein determining, from the set of clients, the proper subset of the clients that are likely to select the one or more available spots of the client-initiated segment, comprises:

identifying, for a given client, a set of one or more client-specified location identifiers specified by the client as frequent locations for the client; and

determining that at least one of the one or more client-specified location identifiers corresponds to a geographic location that is (i) within a threshold distance of a geographic location corresponding to the departure geographic identifier or (ii) within the threshold distance of a geographic location corresponding to the destination geographic identifier and, in response, including the given client in the proper subset of clients.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein determining, from the set of clients, the proper subset of the clients that are likely to select the one or more available spots of the client-initiated segment, comprises:

identifying, for a given client, a set of one or more home location identifiers for the client; and

determining that at least one of the one or more home location identifiers corresponds to a geographic location that is (i) within a threshold distance of a geographic location corresponding to the departure geographic identifier or (ii) within the threshold distance of a geographic location corresponding to the destination geographic identifier and, in response, including the given client in the proper subset of clients.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein identifying, for the given client, the set of one or more home location identifiers for the client comprises:

identifying, using location data provided by a device of the given client, geographic areas at which the given client spent time;

determining, for each geographic area at which the given client spent time, a respective percentage of time the client spent in the geographic area; and

for each geographic area for which the respective percentage of time satisfies a percentage of time, classifying a location identifier for the geographic area as a home location identifier for the given client.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein identifying, for each client in the set of clients, the number of times the client has selected, using the application, to obtain the segment information comprises determining a number of times each client has selected to view segment information for the one or more routes that include at least one of the departure geographic identifier for the client-initiated segment or the destination geographic identifier for the client-initiated segment.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein identifying, for each client in the set of clients, the number of times the client has selected, using the application, to obtain the segment information comprises determining a number of times each client has searched for information for one or more routes that include at least one of the departure geographic identifier for the client-initiated segment or the destination geographic identifier for the client-initiated segment.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein determining, from the set of clients, the proper subset of the clients that are likely to select the one or more available spots of the client-initiated segment, comprises:

determining a number of times a given client has claimed a spot on a segment between a first geographic location that corresponds to the departure geographic identifier and a second geographic location that corresponds to the destination geographic identifier;

determining that the number of times satisfies a threshold; and

in response to determining that the number of times satisfies the threshold, including the given client in the proper subset of clients.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein determining the proper subset of the clients that are likely to select the one or more available spots of the client-initiated segment further comprises:

preventing, for each client in the set of clients that meet a criterion, the client from being included in the proper subset based on an attribute of the client designated by the creator satisfying the criterion.

9. A computer-implemented method for enabling clients to claim spots on segments, comprising:

receiving, from a device of a creator, data specifying a client-initiated segment created by the creator through an interface presented at the device, the data comprising at least a departure geographic identifier that identifies a departure geographic location from which the client-initiated segment will depart, a destination geographic identifier that identifies a destination geographic location at which the client-initiated segment will arrive, and a number of spots being claimed by the creator;

determining, based on the number of spots being claimed by the creator, that the client-initiated segment includes one or more available spots that are available to be claimed by clients other than the creator;

determining, from a set of clients, a proper subset of the clients that are likely to select the one or more available spots of the client-initiated segment, the proper subset being created determined by:

identifying, for each client in the set of clients, a number of times the client has selected, using an application, to obtain segment information for one or more routes that include at least one of the departure geographic identifier for the client-initiated segment or the destination geographic identifier for the client-initiated segment; and

including, in the proper subset, each of one or more clients from the set of clients for which the number of times the client has selected to obtain segment information satisfies a threshold;

for each of the one or more clients in the proper subset of clients:

transmitting, to the client, a notification that the client-initiated segment is available; and

enabling the client to claim a spot on the client-initiated segment through a client-side application.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein determining, from the set of clients, the proper subset of the clients that are likely to select the one or more available spots of the client-initiated segment, comprises:

identifying, for a given client, a set of one or more client-specified location identifiers specified by the client as frequent locations for the client; and

determining that at least one of the one or more client-specified location identifiers corresponds to a geographic location that is (i) within a threshold distance of a geographic location corresponding to the departure geographic identifier or (ii) within the threshold distance of a geographic location corresponding to the destination geographic identifier and, in response, including the given client in the proper subset of clients.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein determining, from the set of clients, the proper subset of the clients that are likely to select the one or more available spots of the client-initiated segment, comprises:

identifying, for a given client, a set of one or more home location identifiers for the client; and

determining that at least one of the one or more home location identifiers corresponds to a geographic location that is (i) within a threshold distance of a geographic location corresponding to the departure geographic identifier or (ii) within the threshold distance of a geographic location corresponding to the destination geographic identifier and, in response, including the given client in the proper subset of clients.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein identifying, for the given client, the set of one or more home location identifiers for the client comprises:

identifying, using location data provided by a device of the given client, geographic areas at which the given client spent time;

determining, for each geographic area at which the given client spent time, a respective percentage of time the client spent in the geographic area; and

for each geographic area for which the respective percentage of time satisfies a percentage of time, classifying a location identifier for the geographic area as a home location identifier for the given client.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein identifying, for each client in the set of clients, the number of times the client has selected, using the application, to obtain the segment information comprises determining a number of times each client has selected to view segment information for the one or more routes that include at least one of the departure geographic identifier for the client-initiated segment or the destination geographic identifier for the client-initiated segment.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein identifying, for each client in the set of clients, the number of times the client has selected, using the application, to obtain the segment information comprises determining a number of times each client has searched for information for one or more routes that include at least one of the departure geographic identifier for the client-initiated segment or the destination geographic identifier for the client-initiated segment.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein determining, from the set of clients, the proper subset of the clients that are likely to select the one or more available spots of the client-initiated segment, comprises:

determining a number of times a given client has claimed a spot on a segment between a first geographic location that corresponds to the departure geographic identifier and a second geographic location that corresponds to the destination geographic identifier;

determining that the number of times satisfies a threshold; and

in response to determining that the number of times satisfies the threshold, including the given client in the proper subset of clients.

16. A non-transitory computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the computer program comprising instructions that when executed by a data processing apparatus causes the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from a device of a creator, data specifying a client-initiated segment created by the creator through an interface presented at the device, the data comprising at least a departure geographic identifier that identifies a departure geographic location from which the client-initiated segment will depart, a destination geographic identifier that identifies a destination geographic location at which the client-initiated segment will arrive, and a number of spots being claimed by the creator;

determining, based on the number of spots being claimed by the creator, that the client-initiated segment includes one or more available spots that are available to be claimed by clients other than the creator;

determining, from a set of clients, a proper subset of the clients that are likely to select the one or more available spots of the client-initiated segment, the proper subset being determined by:

identifying, for each client in the set of clients, a number of times the client has selected, using an application, to obtain segment information for one or more routes that include at least one of the departure geographic identifier for the client-initiated segment or the destination geographic identifier for the client-initiated segment; and

including, in the proper subset, each of one or more clients from the set of clients for which the number of times the client has selected to obtain segment information satisfies a threshold;

for each of the one or more clients in the proper subset of clients:

transmitting, to the client, a notification that the client-initiated segment is available; and

enabling the client to claim a spot on the client-initiated segment through a client-side application.

17. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 16 , wherein determining, from the set of clients, the proper subset of the clients that are likely to select the one or more available spots of the client-initiated segment, comprises:

identifying, for a given client, a set of one or more client-specified location identifiers specified by the client as frequent locations for the client; and

determining that at least one of the one or more client-specified location identifiers corresponds to a geographic location that is (i) within a threshold distance of a geographic location corresponding to the departure geographic identifier or (ii) within the threshold distance of a geographic location corresponding to the destination geographic identifier and, in response, including the given client in the proper subset of clients.

18. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 16 , wherein determining, from the set of clients, the proper subset of the clients that are likely to select the one or more available spots of the client-initiated segment, comprises:

identifying, for a given client, a set of one or more home location identifiers for the client; and

determining that at least one of the one or more home location identifiers corresponds to a geographic location that is (i) within a threshold distance of a geographic location corresponding to the departure geographic identifier or (ii) within the threshold distance of a geographic location corresponding to the destination geographic identifier and, in response, including the given client in the proper subset of clients.

19. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 18 , wherein identifying, for the given client, the set of one or more home location identifiers for the client comprises:

identifying, using location data provided by a device of the given client, geographic areas at which the given client spent time;

determining, for each geographic area at which the given client spent time, a respective percentage of time the client spent in the geographic area; and

for each geographic area for which the respective percentage of time satisfies a percentage of time, classifying a location identifier for the geographic area as a home location identifier for the given client.

20. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 16 , wherein identifying, for each client in the set of clients, the number of times the client has selected to obtain the segment information with the application comprises determining a number of times each client has selected to view segment information for the one or more routes that include at least one of the departure geographic identifier for the client-initiated segment or the destination geographic identifier for the client-initiated segment.