Metro Rolls Out Public Transit App for L.A. County Bus and Rail Commuters

Southern California's largest transit agency is rolling out a smartphone app that can tell patrons where the nearest bus or rail stop is, how soon the next bus or train will arrive there, and where to transfer if necessary.

The free program -- "Go Metro Los Angeles" -- is available for Android phones as of this past weekend, and will be available for iPhones and iPads through the Apple on-line store within a few days, Metro spokesman Lan-Chi Lam said on an official Metro blog.

The app -- shorthand for computer application -- will look at a user's location via GPS data, and display real-time bus arrival generated by Nextrip, the GPS-aided bus locator program already available to computer users.

Rail arrival times are predicted by the app's ability to look up timetables for now, but will be linked to real-time train movement data later this year.

Lam said the program has undergone extensive beta testing, and Metro is curious to hear how users like it.

"This app is a full-fledged effort to marry technology to transit, and to make it easier for people to quickly get th einformation they need to travel around town," Lam wrote on the MTA blog.

The program will also plan an itinerary between any two points, and users can store their favorite itinerary to compare transit options at different times.

For car drivers, the app can be programmed to forward road closure information. Transit patrons can also select service alerts, planned advisories, fare information and discount offers. the Metro spokesperson announced.

Android users can go to the "Android Play" link on their phones, then search for "Go Metro Los Angeles."

Apple users can search for "Go Metro Los Angeles" later this week, when the iPhone/iPad version appears there.

- City News Service