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Michigan's SMART Bus Tracker Goes Mobile

The regional bus service has launched an app that makes bus tracker, service alerts, trip planner and other features available on smartphones.

(TNS) -- SMART bus riders in Detroit have a new mobile tool to make catching the bus easier. The regional bus service has launched an app that makes bus tracker, service alerts, trip planner and other features available on smartphones. The free RideSMARTbus app can be downloaded through the App Store or Google Play.

"By using technology we help our riders get the information they need when they need it and help to reduce the wait time at their stop. We believe the app helps our riders and we hope it encourages others who may not have used SMART in the past, to give us a try," said John Hertel, general manager of the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation, said in a news release.

SMART had previously unveiled the services on its website, smartbus.org. Bus tracker, which uses global positioning system technology to provide the actual vs. scheduled arrival time of a bus, was developed as part of a federally funded $7-million radio system replacement for the bus system.

In addition, the app can be synced with a rider's personal MySMART profile to provide "access to their favorite routes and stops. Notifications of any service changes will be sent automatically for favorite routes, so riders can be assured they have all the information they need before they set out on their trip," the release said.

The app also provides a list of routes and can find the user's nearest bus stop.

The app adds to the list of customer service improvements at the area's transit agencies. The Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority offers similar services on its website, theride.org, and the Detroit Department of Transportation launched its own DDOTBusApp earlier this year, also available for free for smartphones.

©2015 the Detroit Free Press. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.