What’s App-ening?: MTS Going All-In on New Phone App

Over the past five years, MTS has made significant efforts to keep pace with ever-improving technology to deliver a better experience and help passengers seamlessly use our system. This extends to technology that fits in the palm of a rider’s hand – mobile phone apps.

In the works is a new “mobile hub” app that will act as a single portal to key features and existing MTS apps for passengers to easily reach.

The new mobile hub app will launch early in 2019 and will tie together existing features and new functions into one location.

“The goal is to have an app that can be the centerpiece to functionality and information passengers want most,” said Gary Dexter, MTS Application Development and Support Manager. “In addition to brand new functionality, the mobile hub app will consolidate functions available on our website and other apps. It will be ‘Swiss Army Knife’ that continually evolves and we will add more features to it as the technology becomes available.”

The new mobile hub app provides MTS with its own branded app. It brings us in line with what passengers expect from a transit agency. It also helps riders access utilities and information currently distributed across multiple platforms from one place.

Mobile Hub App Core Features

Trip Planning/Schedule Information  

MTS already has trip-planning functionality on our website, however the goal is to integrate this functionality into the new mobile hub app. The app will also contain downloadable maps and schedules for all 95 bus routes and three Trolley lines.

Real-Time Arrival Information 

OneBusAway, the MTS app for real-time bus arrival information is very popular with passengers and has been downloaded more than 27,000 times. The new mobile hub app will integrate the OneBusAway functionality with a new look and feel.

Fare Purchasing 

MTS’ Compass Cloud mobile ticketing app reached 100,000 users in the first year and the number continues to grow. The goal is to provide access to Compass Cloud fare purchasing functionality from within the mobile
hub app.

Compass Card Balance

Passengers will be able to see how much money is stored on their Compass Cards at any time without having to go to a Ticket Vending Machine, the Transit Store or calling MTS Support Services.

Alerts 

Passengers can sign up for notifications about service disruptions and detours on specific routes, and for security alerts.  

Rider Safety and Security

Ride Assured – MTS’ security program – will be a prominent feature on the new mobile hub app. Our MTS security hotline text and call numbers will be easily accessible. A new feature will be introduced to enable passengers to ride a route with a designated guardian. This will be helpful for children traveling without a parent or those traveling late at night. Functionality is being considered that will enable riders to discreetly record and transmit incidents that they witness to Transit Enforcement without risk to themselves. Lastly, so-called “game theory” will be used to award riders virtual “badges” as they report incidents to incentivize engagement in monitoring the system. 

Customer Feedback

Passengers can provide feedback in a manner similar to the website. The will have access to live chat with our customer service representatives and provide comments, complaints, and praise for our service.