July 21, 2020
*** UPDATED to Include Photos from Today's Event and New Quote ***
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UPDATED: MTA Announces New Real-Time Bus Ridership Tracker on Web and AppNew Feature on new.mta.info and MYmta Smartphone App Empowers Riders by Providing Real-Time Information to Help Minimize Crowding and Maximize Social Distancing During COVID-19
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View Video of App Demonstration Here View Photos from Today's Event Here Download Latest Version of MYmta app Here MTA New York City Transit today unveiled a brand-new capacity tracking feature on the MYmta app that allows customers to track in real time the number of passengers on an arriving bus, empowering customers to maximize social distancing on public transit in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The innovative feature, currently being rolled out in a pilot across buses, enables customers to use their smartphones to know how many riders are on an arriving bus, coordinating with features that already track real-time bus locations and arrival times. Customers who already have MYmta app installed, approximately 550,000 weekly users, will receive an automatic update so that they can use the new features. The revamped app is also available through the App Store and live on new.mta.info for those checking from a computer. It will be available in the Google Play Store next month. “Our over two million riders on New York City Transit are already noticing cleaner trains and buses and being vigilant about wearing masks and using hand sanitizer, but we want to give riders all the tools available to maximizing social distancing,” said Sarah Feinberg, Interim President of New York City Transit. “With this MYmta pilot, bus customers can choose to space themselves out a bit more where capacity allows.” “This is the first widescale deployment of real-time bus passenger counts in the country,” Nair said. “We are excited both for the great benefit to riders, and that this system was designed, integrated, and tested by an in-house MTA tech team.” The real-time data collection is done via Automated Passenger Counter (APC) sensors. The sensors mounted above the doorway accurately count passengers boarding and alighting the bus by using a combination of infrared and 3D image pattern technologies. The system integrates with on-board GPS to link passenger data to vehicle location. Currently, the counters are on buses in all five boroughs, covering 40% of the bus fleet with plans to keep expanding. |
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