The MTA is now offering a one-stop shop for directions, bus and subway travel time and service announcements.
The agency, following the lead of several third-party companies, launched a beta version Monday of a singular, streamlined program and website that contains all service information. And they want straphangers to make sure it runs smoothly.
The MyMTA app — available on Android and iOS devices — and the site, new.mta.info, provide optimal directions and routes for the entire subway, bus, LIRR and Metro-North systems as well as New Jersey Transit, PATH and ferries, according to Veronique Hakim, the MTA’s managing director.
The app will also provide up-to-the-minute information on train arrivals, delays and other service changes, she said.
“You can carry your countdown clock in your pocket,” she said.
Although other apps, such as Citymapper and Google Maps, offer similar functions, Hakim said many straphangers have asked the agency to provide the information directly.
She added that by the end of the summer, the app will have additional functions the third-parties won’t have.
E-Tix users will be able to access their information and tickets directly from the app. Paratransit users will also have the ability to request a vehicle, track it in real time, and rate their driver in the same way as e-hail apps like Lyft and Uber.
“We all carry these mobile devices and that’s how we plan to communicate moving forward,” Hakim said.
While she said the app has been tested by several MTA employees and is ready to go, Hakim urged users to provide as much feedback as possible during the beta phase.
“We know with more customers, we can make it better,” she said.
