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MTA to Bring Bus-Tracking Service to Queens and Brooklyn

Waiting for the Q60 on Queens Blvd. (Photo: QueensPost)

Feb. 24, 2014 By Christian Murray

Queens and Brooklyn residents who take the bus will soon be able to tell via smartphone apps and text messages when the next bus will arrive, according to the MTA.

The new system—called MTA Bus Time– will be available along every bus route in Queens and Brooklyn by March 9.  The service is already available to riders in the Bronx, Staten Island and Manhattan.

Riders will be able to track where their bus is located at a given time on their smartphones. Those without smartphones will be able to text the service to see how many stops away their buses are.

“As we have seen with train arrival information in the subway, customers appreciate when they know when that train or bus will show up at the station or stop,” said MTA New York City Transit President Carmen Bianco in a statement.

Transportation advocates welcomed the news, although they continue to push for the installation of digital wait-time displays at bus stations throughout the city.

Riders are able to download the free app at bustime.mta.info or get a text message with the next bus in their area by sending the nearest intersection to 511123.

email the author: news@queenspost.com

9 Comments

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rikki

Smitty Ive known a few bus drivers over the years Ive live here and one of the main reason this happens is handicapped people…it takes a lot of time to load and unload them…so buses can easily stack up…

Reply
SuperWitty Smitty

The problem with mass transit that drives me to the bottle?
First, no buses will come; then a lot’ll.

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oooaaaahhh, mother should i build a wall?

man, theyve been doing this in other countries for years!!!! now were in 2002, way to go MTA!!!

Heres one that should be easy to solve, create an app that can shoot a ID code on my metrocard so I know how much value is on it. Or do i constantly have to run down into the subway to check it before i get on the bus!?

Reply
Sunnysideposthatesme14

ABOUT FREAKING TIME! Especially for that damn q60 that NEVER shows up on time and when it does, 3 OF THEM ARE THERE!

Reply
Lucky Lu

Those people aren’t waiting for the Q60, but rather the Q32. If you have ever looked at the difference in the number of people riding each of these lines, you would have known that.

Reply
JOR

I’ve used this in Manhattan and it works pretty well. Helps you decide whether you have time for a ball and chain or soy latte before dashing off for the bus.

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