Calgary Transit's new website launches with real-time information
'Responsive design' adapts website to smartphones, tablets or desktop computers
A new version of Calgary Transit's website is now up and it will help transit users know exactly when the next bus or train is coming.
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It was launched Monday afternoon, but Calgary Transit says it is still working out some glitches.
The website includes real-time GPS information from equipment installed on all buses and C-Trains. The city says it has a "responsive design" that adapts to any screen size, including smartphones, tablets or desktop computers.
The website automatically updates every 90 seconds with the latest information.
Calgary Transit director Doug Morgan says it should do away with the question that has always crossed the mind of commuters: Where's my bus?
"It also gives the opportunity of knowing when it it's going to arrive — to sit in the coffee shop, sit at home a bit longer. If there is a delay, it's still five minutes out and they know, 'It'll take me two minutes to walk. I can wait until it gets down closer and then head out to the bus stop,'" he said.
"So if it means saving time in being at home, I think we've reached our goal. It's really about how to minimize the amount of time they have to be at the stop and have confidence that the bus will arrive."
The new website also provides translation for 70 different languages.
"What we heard from customers is they want better information, they want a cleaner website, they want to be able to use it on their phone, and we tried to listen and develop a new website that meets some those needs," said Morgan. "We'll be tweaking as we go along and learning from this new information on how they want it displayed and we have lots of things in the works to improve it even more."
Morgan says the redesign of transit's website has been in the works for more than a year and cost roughly $500,000.
- Below is a YouTube video that explains the new website. On mobile? Click here.