App makes catching WRTA bus easier
If you're one of those people who doesn't ride the Western Reserve Transit Authority because finding schedules and bus stops are a hassle, help may be in the palm of your hand.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - If you're one of those people who doesn't ride the Western Reserve Transit Authority because finding schedules and bus stops are a hassle, help may be in the palm of your hand.
WRTA is offering an app that enables riders to plan trips and catch the bus they need with greater ease and confidence.
The myStop Mobile Bus Tracking App for Apple and Android smartphones and tablets shows maps of all 27 of WRTA’s fixed routes.
On each map, users can see:
The exact position of the bus(es) traveling that route, updated every minute. (The graphic icon representing the bus actually moves to its new position each minute.)
The direction the bus is traveling.
The status of the bus relative to its schedule — on-time or late (expressed in minutes).
All bus stops along the route.
The most recent stop the bus has passed.
The number of passengers on the bus.
By tapping on any bus stop, the user can also see how soon (in minutes) the next bus will be arriving at that stop.
“The myStop Mobile system takes all the guesswork out of riding the bus,” says WRTA Director of Transportation Judy Rodriguez. “With a couple of taps on their smartphone, our riders can find out exactly where their bus is, when it is expected to arrive at their stop, and when it will arrive at their destination.”
A Trip Planning feature allows users to enter a current location and the destination he or she wishes to reach.
The system will return the route number of the bus that will go to that destination and the times it will next arrive at the departure point.
If more than one route is necessary and the rider must transfer, this will also be shown, with an indication of when the second bus will depart.
From within the myStop Mobile app, riders can also request text or email notifications to be sent to their smartphones when a bus they wish to ride is nearing their stop.
Users specify the route number and bus stop, and a range of times during which they wish to receive notifications, along with how many minutes prior to their bus’s arrival they want to be notified.
All of the above features can also be accessed from a desktop or laptop computer via a link that appears on the WRTAonline.com website.
