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Planning your day in New York City just got way easier: on Tuesday, August 8, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced a brand-new MTA app to replace its existing MYmta app. The new app will include schedules, service alerts, recommended routes and more for all of the city's public transport options, including the NYC subway, buses, the Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North, the PATH and the AirTrain.
Along with putting its numerous transportation services handily in one application and offering riders "real-time, location-based notifications" for their individual journey, the app will also allow users to book Access-A-Ride trips and check for elevator and escalator outages throughout subway stations, a boost for rider accessibility.
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The app, which was co-developed with Axon Vibe, is currently in beta testing, but includes the following features, per an MTA press release:
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Plan a trip to see recommended routes and check schedules for subways, buses, Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North, PATH and AirTrain.
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Get service alerts and see planned and unplanned service changes and best ways to get around.
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Save favorite routes and stops for quick viewing of arrival times.
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Live bus tracking to see where a bus is located that is approaching a stop, check when it will arrive, and follow it throughout its trip, including instant information on how many stops and minutes away a bus is.
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Real-time on-board crowding for railroads.
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Book Access-A-Ride trips, find pick-up and drop-off times for trips, and view trip history.
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Improved search making it easier to see which search results are MTA stations and the services offered there at a glance.
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Dynamic strip maps and station views indicate the service that is running at any given time.
“If we want more customers to use public transit, providing travel tools that are easy and intuitive is key,” said Shanifah Rieara, the MTA's Acting Chief Customer Officer. “The new MTA app accomplishes just that, connecting riders to the information they need in one or two taps.”
The new app will be available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store later this year. If you already have the MYmta app installed on your phone, you will not need to download the new app, as it will automatically update to the new version on your mobile device.