The Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission, known as OmniRide, is now offering its own mobile-based app that will provide passengers with real-time bus arrival information and updates.
The OmniRide app, which was developed by Ride Systems, is free and can be found by searching for OmniRide in the device’s app store.
The app has a bus tracker that enables riders to see a map with an icon showing the exact location of their bus and predicting the actual arrival time of the bus at all but the first bus stop along the route. This fall the app will be updated so that all OmniRide buses – including those that are not yet picking up passengers – will be tracked.
“Everyone who has ever used public transportation knows there’s an element of uncertainty about when the bus will arrive. People waiting at a bus stop are constantly looking down the road to see the first sign of their bus, but this new app takes away that uncertainty,” said Prince William County Supervisor Ruth Anderson, who also serves as chair of the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC), which oversees OmniRide.
Riders can select the routes and bus stops they use most often and receive one-time or regular reminders to leave for the bus stop based on the bus’s real-time predicted arrival.
Having an alert feature is a great convenience for riders traveling after the sun sets or during extreme weather, Anderson said, noting that riders can stay in their offices in the afternoons until receiving the alert and have peace of mind that they won’t miss the bus or wait for a long time at the bus stop.
Another feature enables riders to receive notifications about changes affecting their favorite routes, such as road construction that has temporarily closed a bus stop.
The app is expected to reduce the waiting time to speak with OmniRide customer service agents. For user convenience, the app also has a direct link to OmniRide’s website and to the OmniRide Trip Planner.
Real-time OmniRide bus information also is available on Google Transit.
