SMART planning to make improvements to streamline service

The newly hired general manager of the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation is looking at a couple of ways to use new technology to make traveling on the authority's buses easier and faster.

Among the innovations that could be in place before the end of the year is using a MapQuest-like feature on the authority's web site to plan out trips. The tool would not only tell patrons which buses to take but when they stop at their destinations or transfer to other buses.

Another possibility is putting the buses routes into real time. That would allow patrons with smart phones or laptops to check when their bus is on time or not.

The idea behind the two innovations is to eliminate waiting time for passengers and streamline their bus-riding experience. Jones also said at a recent meeting for Transportation Riders United that he and his staff are looking for ways to be more customer-service oriented by getting rid of small inconveniences and adding new services.

Source: Hayes Jones, general manager of the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation

Writer: Jon Zemke