App harnesses the crowd for more accurate public transport data

Moovit utilizes user locations to determine accurate arrival times and levels of commuter crowding. Users can also see how full buses are and share routes among friends.

Fresh from covering the City of Calgary‘s Bluetooth-based system for alerting car owners to congestion in the city we came across a similar spotting. Moovit utilizes user locations to determine accurate arrival times and commuter crowding. Those riding on public transport can open up the app – which is free to download on both the App Store and Google Play. Moovit will then monitor their position and use the information to determine the route they are travelling on. Combining their data with transport information provided by the city, Moovit is able to alert users to congestion on the road or delayed trains that might affect their planned journey. For example, if a bus is due in five minutes, but a fellow user on that bus is 15 minutes away, it may be better to choose a different route. Users can also see how full the bus is to work out if it’s worth trying to get on. In addition to its core functions, friends who both have the app can share their routes to let each other know where they are and how long they will be. The following video explains more about how Moovit works: Having just launched in New York City, could this innovation save commuters time and frustration in your part of the world?