Transit App pushed out an update this week that serves Everett even better than before. Users of the app service will now see Everett Transit (ET) bus schedules appear in the app when in the Everett area or trip planning to destinations in Everett. This comes on the heels of a rollout of Community Transit integration in March. Transit riders now have four local transit agencies providing transit information for Snohomish County in the same app service (with Sound Transit and Washington State Ferries being the other two agencies).
The ET data comes in scheduled data format for now, but rumor has it that real-time arrival information is still in the works. ET’s bus data is unfortunately lock in its current form. However, we should see real-time arrival soon from Community Transit in the Transit App, thanks in part to the recent launch of the agency’s Bus Finder system that is now online.
Speaking of real-time arrival information, users in King County have recently experienced issues with predicted arrival times for buses–and sometimes none at all. Developers at Transit App are aware of the issue and are working on solutions to the problems. Part of the problem is that Transit App developers switched how the real-time arrival data is procured, which have yet to be resolved.
When playing around with ET routes, I did come across some bugs with route mapping. As you’ll note in the image below, routes like the 4 have some very peculiar lines that don’t follow the actual on-the-ground alignment. It’s not clear why the lines are drawing incorrectly, but we have let the Transit App developers know of the issue. Despite this occasional problem, the trip planning function and Nearby Mode are working superbly. So, next time you want to plan a trip from Everett Community College to Seattle Central Community College, you can do that with one app on-the-fly (just don’t do it with an Uber!).
We’ll reiterate our desire for a comprehensive real-time arrival data and the inclusion of other Puget Sound transit agencies; namely Whatcom Transit Authority, Skagit Transit, Island Transit, and Amtrak Cascades. If you have ideas about how the app service could be improved, data sources, or ideas for new agencies, let the developers know.
Supported Puget Sound transportation services by The Transit App include: Sound Transit (buses, Link Light Rail, and Sounder), King County Metro Transit (buses, streetcars, and water taxis), Pierce Transit, Community Transit, Everett Transit, Kitsap Transit (buses and foot ferries), Intercity Transit, Washington State Ferries, Pronto! Cycle Share, Car2Go, and Uber. The Transit App also serves over 92 metropolitan areas in North America, Europe, and Africa.
Stephen is a professional urban planner in Puget Sound with a passion for sustainable, livable, and diverse cities. He is especially interested in how policies, regulations, and programs can promote positive outcomes for communities. With stints in great cities like Bellingham and Cork, Stephen currently lives in Seattle. He primarily covers land use and transportation issues and has been with The Urbanist since 2014.