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New MTA Bus Time iPhone app.


Abba

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There are so many transit apps to choose from and I had downloaded most of them to see if they are accurate enough and when I am down with the last two, either keep this one or that one. The app that I am currently using is Transit app. http://transitapp.com/

NYC Bus Checker App http://www.buschecker.com/

Citymapper https://citymapper.com/nyc

Moovit App http://moovitapp.com/

NYC Bus Time For All MTA http://appstransport.blogspot.sg/

NYC MTA Bus Tracker App(basically MTA Bus Time) http://bustime.mta.info/m/index

Bus NYC https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lalibu.busnyc&hl=en

TripGo https://skedgo.com/tripgo

 

Overall, there are plenty of more bus apps to choose(more not on the list) and it's not necessary to have all of them on your smart phone and you just need one that you think works best for you.

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I stick with BusTime and Bus Checker.  I use BusTime to see where the bus is and Bus Checker to get an idea of what buses will be coming to the stop and when and between the two of them, things have been great, so long as the bus can be tracked and when nothing shows, I look at the my alternative options or if there aren't any, I just go and wait at the stop, especially if it's during a time when I know there isn't a lot of traffic because that's usually an indication that either the tracking device isn't working OR the driver hasn't implemented the correct information to ensure that it functions.

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I find that using the BusTime mobile site is better than any app. It gives all the info you need and loads very quickly.

Well not everything.   What I also like to know is how long (approximately) before the bus will arrive, and BusTime can't provide that.  I also like using Bus Checker because it shows me ALL of the buses coming at whatever stop I'm using and when you have to share a stop with other riders, it can be rather annoying, so that also can allow me to arrive just after a bus is due to avoid obnoxious passengers.  In the city, it's helpful to avoid obnoxious tourists and other New Yorkers who think that every bus they see is going where they're going, and also to avoid beggars and other crazies.  I really don't understand the whole fascination with trying to board any bus that comes, but it happens on a regular basis. People (New Yorkers and out of towners alike) see people standing at a bus stop, come over and wait without a clue of where the bus is going, and sometimes, even if they are told where the bus is going, they insist on trying to get on anyway.

 

There were these out of town people that came over to the stop I was waiting at and asked what bus would take them to the Upper East Side. I told where to go, etc., etc., and the guy insists that he wants to take the express bus anyway, even though he would be paying $6.50, and the bus wasn't stopping anywhere near to where he was going. I said to myself what the f*ck is wrong with this guy??? It was his daughter who finally talked some sense into him, as she apparently had been living here for a while, but I got the sense that they just wanted to be obnoxious and ask where I was going, which is further annoying.

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the mobile version of BusTime has problems showing buses especially ones in a bunch. I check it a lot for the Bx12 SBS and one morning during rush hour showed only 15 buses on the mobile version when they need double that amount to cover the scheduled service for AM Rush. There was another time when I got off the (2) at Pelham Parkway and was about to take the local because the mobile Bustime was showing a big gap in Eastbound SBS service after a bus which arrived exactly when I was going down the stairs was to leave. When I get down I see another SBS bus pull in right while the bus I was about to miss is loading passengers. I end up getting on the second bus and avoiding the local. Don't trust the mobile Bustime folks.

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Well not everything.   What I also like to know is how long (approximately) before the bus will arrive, and BusTime can't provide that.  I also like using Bus Checker because it shows me ALL of the buses coming at whatever stop I'm using and when you have to share a stop with other riders, it can be rather annoying, so that also can allow me to arrive just after a bus is due to avoid obnoxious passengers.  In the city, it's helpful to avoid obnoxious tourists and other New Yorkers who think that every bus they see is going where they're going, and also to avoid beggars and other crazies.  I really don't understand the whole fascination with trying to board any bus that comes, but it happens on a regular basis. People (New Yorkers and out of towners alike) see people standing at a bus stop, come over and wait without a clue of where the bus is going, and sometimes, even if they are told where the bus is going, they insist on trying to get on anyway.

 

There were these out of town people that came over to the stop I was waiting at and asked what bus would take them to the Upper East Side. I told where to go, etc., etc., and the guy insists that he wants to take the express bus anyway, even though he would be paying $6.50, and the bus wasn't stopping anywhere near to where he was going. I said to myself what the f*ck is wrong with this guy??? It was his daughter who finally talked some sense into him, as she apparently had been living here for a while, but I got the sense that they just wanted to be obnoxious and ask where I was going, which is further annoying.

 

For the stops I check that have multiple buses, the Bustime mobile site always seems to list all arriving buses.

 

As for the arrival time, I've found those to be very variable, e.g. if a bus was just stuck in traffic for a few minutes the estimated arrival time goes waaaay up, even if the bus has cleared the traffic and will arrive well before the estimate. Id rather see the "1.2 miles away" and guestimate the arrival time myself based on traffic conditions. 

 

I love that story! 

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the mobile version of BusTime has problems showing buses especially ones in a bunch. I check it a lot for the Bx12 SBS and one morning during rush hour showed only 15 buses on the mobile version when they need double that amount to cover the scheduled service for AM Rush. There was another time when I got off the (2) at Pelham Parkway and was about to take the local because the mobile Bustime was showing a big gap in Eastbound SBS service after a bus which arrived exactly when I was going down the stairs was to leave. When I get down I see another SBS bus pull in right while the bus I was about to miss is loading passengers. I end up getting on the second bus and avoiding the local. Don't trust the mobile Bustime folks.

Well I'm sorry to hear about your problems with the bustime website. It is not perfect and I run into a few bugs here or there but it does get the job done. Fairly accurate but bus indicators could be better. It is not clear what one stop away vs at stop means because they both display that when a bus is at as stop picking people up.

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Well I'm sorry to hear about your problems with the bustime website. It is not perfect and I run into a few bugs here or there but it does get the job done. Fairly accurate but bus indicators could be better. It is not clear what one stop away vs at stop means because they both display that when a bus is at as stop picking people up.

One stop away vs at stop depends on the distance.  Once the bus is a certain distance from the next stop you'll have "1 Stop Away", "Approaching" and "At Stop".

 

For the stops I check that have multiple buses, the Bustime mobile site always seems to list all arriving buses.

 

As for the arrival time, I've found those to be very variable, e.g. if a bus was just stuck in traffic for a few minutes the estimated arrival time goes waaaay up, even if the bus has cleared the traffic and will arrive well before the estimate. Id rather see the "1.2 miles away" and guestimate the arrival time myself based on traffic conditions. 

 

I love that story! 

Yes but I use Bus Checker and BusTime together, because the time can vary on Bus Checker, depending on traffic conditions and the speed of the bus, but I just want to get an idea of how long my wait at the stop will be, then I'll use Bus Checker.  My rule of thumb is, if I know the bus is coming and is due at the stop at a certain time, I'll be at the stop about 5 minutes before to ensure that I don't miss it, and if they're early, I'll file a complaint.

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