MBTA debuts new app to track buses and trains in Greater Boston - but is it accurate?
BOSTON - The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) has released a new app that lets riders track their bus, train or commuter rail in real time.
But is it accurate?
MBTA Go app
The T has been displaying wait times on boards at stations in the Boston area for years. They're hoping the MBTA Go app will bring that convenience to the palm of your hand. It shows every bus, train and commuter rail stop in the system and it uses your location to find the one closest to you. Once you find your stop, pick your route and the wait times are listed for you.
The app was developed in-house and it went live this week for free for iPhone users. The MBTA said an Android version will be available in February. WBZ-TV found most commuters had not heard of it yet.
"I didn't know this existed," said one T rider. "But if it's accurate it would be great."
Caroline James commutes to Boston from Salem multiple times a week.
"Where my office is located, I have the option to take either the Green Line or the Orange Line, so to know the wait times at each station would be helpful," she told WBZ.
Train accuracy
Many commuters use third party apps like Google Maps or Apple Maps to check wait times, but they said the accuracy varies. So, WBZ put the MBTA's new app to the test and found consistency across the board.
Trains on the Green and Blue lines in Government Center were tested first. After an hour of surveying both lines, WBZ found trains arrived within a one minute window of what the app said. Additionally, if a train was delayed or stalled at a prior station, the app displayed that notification too.
Bus accuracy
Trains are one thing but what about buses?
The weather could not have been worse for an evening commute on Thursday, with rain, wind, and a lot of traffic. Checking the #9 bus from Copley Square to City Point in South Boston, the app displayed a wait time of 14 minutes for the next bus, and it rolled up on the minute. A win for those who are used to playing a guessing game at the bus stop.
"Days like today, it's pretty tough," said commuter Andrew Duffy. "I actually ended up calling an Uber."
"I just stand at the bus stop and hope that a bus shows up," rider Erin Meaney told WBZ.
The app will also show you if all or part of a line is out of service and if shuttle buses are running. The MBTA said this is a major step in improving rider experience.
"The public deserves and expects timely and accurate real time information to plan their journeys," said MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng. "This app is just one component as we improve communication. "
