An update on GO Transit real-time bus information

Special to This Crazy Train

By GO Voyageur

In a prior article, TCT relayed Metrolinx’s assurances that their real-time bus information app would be available “soon”.  In terms of geological time, that delivery date is accurate.  As of November 8 it is more than three years after GO Transit Customer Relations “promised” real-time bus information, and all Metrolinx is capable of delivering is telling others “to put up or shut up”.

Well, a tip of the hat to Kyle Hubley for sharing with me that GO Transit real-time bus information became available via transit app recently.  FINALLY!  This is what we’ve needed for so long.  Thank you to the bright group of folks in la belle province (they’re so young) for accomplishing what Metrolinx never could.  I invite you to read their blog, in which they share the challenges they faced and how they triumphed.

I’ve played with the app for a few days, and it works for me.  I’ve found only one deficiency, and that is the app doesn’t report real-time bus arrivals at a bus route’s termini, e.g. Niagara Falls bus terminal and Burlington Carpool Lot.  Instead, you can view the scheduled arrival times (and set a reminder to board a drop-off only bus — WHAT?).  I was able to kludge a temporary solution for Niagara Falls by reporting on buses on Bridge St. near Stanley Ave. — it’s close enough.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t effect the same success at the other terminus of Route 12.  Passenger pickup is a significant part of travelling on the GO.  I believe these limitations can be overcome if the system engineers tweak their original problem definition of “When will my ride get here?” to “When will the vehicle get here?”

If you haven’t already, give the app a try at https://transitapp.com/