Staten Islanders, Your Bus Will Arrive In XX Minutes

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Published Jan 11, 2012

Modified Jan 11, 2012

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BusTime, the MTA's open-source phone and web program for tracking how far your bus is from your stop, is expanding in a big way this month. After a successful trail run on the B63 in Brooklyn the Authority today flipped a switch and turned on BusTime for all of Staten Island today. The whole city should be on BusTime in 2013.

Considering how long it took to get BusTime rolling (there was a failed, non-open program tested in Manhattan awhile back), its nice to see that the cash-strapped MTA is really trying to get this service out there in a timely manner. Not to mention how developer friendly they are being with it—BusTime launched with an open API which allows for awesome things like this DIY 'the next bus is in xx minutes' sign that stores can put in their windows.

Want to check the service out? You can access it either on the MTA's site for it with your computer or phone (bustime.mta.info) or via text message (though you'll need to figure out your bus stop code). Feels weird to say this, but, but good job MTA!