TfL’s own in-house smartphone app released an upgrade last Thursday which now adds live next bus information to the search function.
Bus users within London can now find the time of the next bus or the location of a stop near them. By tapping ‘Where to?’ and then the prominent red ‘Buses’ banner, you can see a list of nearby stops as well as the next buses within a certain radius of their current location.
You can then tap to show the full bus stop view, including a map.
Since it launched in August, the app has already been downloaded more than 54,000 times and builds on recent changes to customer information, such as the return to normal service level information displayed on TfL’s service status boards and on-line journey planner.
The app is available from here.
Customers can also use the iOS VoiceOver and Dynamic Type capabilities to use the TfL Go app, opening up more of London to customers with accessibility needs.
Ben Gammon, Head of Digital at TfL said: “These latest additions to the app will help people know in just a few short taps when their next bus is due, meaning they can better plan their journeys to avoid potential crowds and travel at the quieter times.”
TfL intends to launch an Android version of the app by the end of this year.
My local (and local authority owned) bus company has had all of this for at least three years. And they managed to launch iPhone and Android versions simultaneously. What has taken TfL so long, and why so much longer for Android.
Don’t get it. I’ve been using Live London Transport Tracker for years, and it’s always had all that functionality,and more.
This is on Android, btw.
I’m not sure if this is any more or less helpful than what’s on Citymapper.
iPhone has around mid-40s % share of the UK market apparently, although one could hypothesize that Android owners are far more likely to take buses.
This actually really annoys me. TfL spent years pioneering open data, now the data arm at TfL is led by egos that seem to think plowing their limited cash into creating in house apps that duplicate functionality that has existed for years using TFL data.
Get back to running transport and not tinkering with apps that fall short of the existing offerings already on the app-stores.
Whilst I agree with the above, it would be a bit weird that the provider of the data and the real world bus service didn’t also have an outlet, albeit a lesser beast at the moment.
Why, it would be as if, umm let’s say, the Royal Family were just being seen through the wonky lens of “The Crown” without its own and other news sources. N’est-ce pas?
Its a valid point – the answer to that used to be the journey-planner on the TfL website. the principle being not everyone would own smart phones – and they did that really well.
This app however would have cost real money, with 3rd parties and retained teams that could have been better targeted at say improving the experience of dial-a-ride or some other niche sector not catered well by the mass market.
Ideally TfL would be funded sufficiently to focus on everything – but the minds to run a bus network well are not well equipped to also deliver apps against industry leaders.
TFL should be focusing their digital efforts on Open data and serving those who don’t have smart phones or need other ways of access (they should not have withdrawn the text only “countdown” web pages, but promoted them). And more countdown signs on bus stops (and a cheaper simpler version to be built into the flag on the pole).
A better mobile web experience would also be more inclusive and cross platform.
As uptake of TfL Go increases, TfL will have access to a new source of travel data by analysing mobile app location data usage, which may enable cost saving on manual surveys in the long run that should ultimately offset the app deelopment cost. This is similar to what third parties such as Citymapper have been trying to do for years with their commercial transport ventures (eg Citymapper’s DRT and bus trial services).
TfL already has almost all this data from Oyster and Contactless, doesn’t need an app to gather more. And if the app is gathering location data outwith of the core purpose of wanting to use transport (i.e. spying on my walking, biking, and driving habits) I would be a little annoyed, as I would not be directly benefiting from giving them that data and wouldn’t really want a government body (even arms length) to have it.
The App is NOT on android, lots of Private ones, but none with TFL accreditation.
Not sure why you felt the need to put NOT in capital letters when the article clearly states that it’s not available on Android yet.