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A new app recently unveiled by CATS is helping bring the public transit agency into the digital age. MyStop is a free mobile app that allows riders to see where their bus is and when it will arrive through an online bus tracking service viewed from their smartphones or on the Web.
The MyStop app is available for iPhone or Android devices, and the download link can be found at brcats.com/page/mystop. It can also be found on the CATS homepage under the “How to Ride” tab.
Once the app is downloaded onto the device, the user should select “CATS Baton Rouge” as
their transit authority. That’s it! You’re ready to receive real-time transit data.
MyStop replaces a previous app and comes with several new features including real-time graphical bus tracking, integrated service alerts via email and SMS notifications, improved trip planning enhanced via Google, and more.
The capabilities of the new software not only enhance riders’ experience, but, internally, MyStop will allow CATS to see and track data that will help track data essential for refining route planning, enhancing on-time performance, and implementing necessary adjustments to schedules and routes.
“Buses can run late for many reasons, and most times it’s due to circumstances beyond our control like road construction, unexpected detours or traffic accidents along the route,” says CATS spokeswoman Jada Davis. “With this app, you can see service alerts and even set up notifications for specific routes, which makes riding CATS more seamless and a hassle-free experience.”
“Being able to look at your bus in real time to see where it is helps the riders better prepare for their trip,” Davis says. The app is user friendly, with the buses’ location depicted by an icon and the various bus stops as gray dots. Clicking on the bus provides the user with the bus status, last stop, destination, direction and occupancy level.
Service alerts are categorized by priority level – either high, medium or low – making it easier for riders to know what’s happening along their route and what they need to do to get to their destination on time.
