CATA adds new automatic detour-detection feature in Transit
Monday, March 11, 2024
Categories: General
LANSING, Mich., March 11 — CATA riders can now see when their bus is on detour, and where bus stops have been relocated to accommodate major construction projects and other events that cause temporary routing disruptions. CATA is the first public transportation agency in the United States to collaborate with app developer Transit to detect detours and automatically show them in the app.
The new feature delivers a clear message to riders: “Never be surprised by detours again. Now you can see them right in Transit.”
Transit uses machine-learning, GPS and crowdsourced rider-location data to track a vehicle’s location and improve the app’s maps and trip-planning accuracy. CATA riders will see a message at the top of Transit’s home screen, letting them know detours are now represented on maps and in trips plans. They can tap the message to share their feedback via a form on CATA’s website at cata.org/transit.
“Given that so much of our region is or will soon be under major construction, this new Transit feature will be a game-changer for all of our riders,” said CATA CEO Bradley T. Funkhouser. “Knowing where a bus is located, when it will arrive at and depart from a stop, which stops are in service and what the routing details are – these are critical pieces of information that riders must know to successfully and confidently navigate our system. Our riders expect us to inform them about route disruptions and schedule changes. They expect accurate real-time information. Our goal at CATA is to deliver accurate and reliable real-time data, and to continuously enhance customer experience.”
The launch of automatic detour detection in Lansing is a new chapter in CATA’s long-time partnership with Transit.
“Nobody likes that frustrating, sinking feeling of realizing at the bus stop that the route you normally rely on got detoured somewhere else,” said David Block-Schachter, chief business officer at Transit. “When disruptions occur, it is important to not only communicate with riders as soon as possible, but to also show them where the route is now running, right on the map. Transit’s detour-detection feature ensures riders will no longer wait at a bus stop that got moved. We’re proud to be working with CATA to pioneer this important new feature and cannot wait for MSU students and all transit riders in Lansing to benefit from it.”
Download Transit for free in the App Store or Google Play, or by visiting www.transitapp.com. To learn more about Transit’s detour detection software, click here.