Capital Metro will retire its mobile app and transition to another app called Transit for trip planning beginning March 1, according to a Jan. 7 public meeting.
The agency offered the Transit app as an alternative to its riders last year, but now Transit will completely replace CapMetro’s current app. The CapMetro and Transit apps allow riders to map their travel itineraries, but Transit offers additional features. CapMetro did not specify why the app is being replaced.
Blythe Nebeker, a CapMetro communications specialist, said in an email the partnership between CapMetro and Transit grants CapMetro riders free access to Transit’s premium tier, allowing riders to access customizable app themes and all transit schedules. Transit can be downloaded for free from both the App Store and Google Play, according to both sites.
Luke Weber, a sustainability studies and geography junior, rides CapMetro buses to the grocery store and his haircut appointments. He said he stopped using the CapMetro app and switched to Transit last year because of issues he experienced using the agency’s software, such as inaccurate bus time arrivals.
“I was aware of how (the CapMetro app) was becoming a little outdated and its weaknesses were growing,” Weber said. “I’m glad that CapMetro was very aware of the issues that people were experiencing and pretty proactive about it.”
CapMetro will also change its payment system in March from its app to Umo, a separate software used for fare collection.
Freddie Behmer, an urban studies and geography junior, rides CapMetro buses daily from West Campus to the University. After using Transit for several years, he said it has a friendlier user interface compared to the CapMetro app.
“It was clearly designed by people who take (public) transit,” Behmer said. “It’s used in a lot of other cities, so you don’t have to download 100 different apps just to ride the bus.” Similar to Transit, Behmer said he would like CapMetro’s new app to feature more ways to track transportation modes, such as electric bike availability.
“I would hope (CapMetro will) borrow ideas from the Transit app and copy their style,” Behmer said. “(They should) do it that way if they want to have a whole app separately and not go through (a) third party.”
Weber said CapMetro’s plan to launch a new app demonstrates a commitment to enhance the public transportation experience for riders.
“CapMetro stands out from a lot of cities I’ve traveled to (because) they have a really strong team and they’re always taking feedback,” Weber said. “In the time I’ve lived in Austin, I’ve already experienced so much improvement.”
