Better, faster and more accurate public transport apps

Three new smartphone apps and a revamped Adelaide Metro website are being launched to provide public transport customers with better, faster and more accurate information delivering a better customer service.

The measures form part of the Marshall Government’s public transport road map to help keep South Australians safe in response to the AHPPC’s Principles for COVID-19 Public Transport Operations.

The existing metroMATE app developed by the former Labor administration is extremely unpopular with South Australians and only rated 1.6 and 2.1 out of 5 in the iOS and Google Play app stores, respectively.

That’s why Adelaide Metro will now utilise new apps for its customers, delivering a better and more up to date experience with exciting new features, including;

  • Moovit (4.5 out of 5)*, which combines Real-Time data to give commuters the fastest route with stop announcements along the way, an audio alert when their stop is approaching and a countdown display of stops along their route.
  • NextThere (4.6 out of 5)*, which displays departure information at a tap and shows where a user and their next service are. Features include a simple interface, departure reminders, and the ability to save favourite trips and filter by stop, destination or route and more.
  • Transit (4.4 out of 5)*, which shows real-time arrivals, step-by-step directions, and helps find new routes using buses, trains, and trams.

“This is another part of our strong plan to help keep South Australians safe and deliver a better and more convenient journey on public transport in response to the COVID pandemic,” said Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government Stephan Knoll.

“By providing better, faster and more accurate information we are empowering public transport customers to make better decisions about their journeys, providing a better service.

“The current metroMATE app isn’t providing a satisfactory service to public transport customers and they’ve rated it extremely poorly.

“That’s why we are utilising three new apps which provide a must better, faster and more accurate user experience and, also revamping the Adelaide Metro website.

“These apps specialise in the most sought-after features, including setting for bookmarked journeys, stop selection and the journey planner.

“They will also provide include trip planning for combined travel journeys, the ability to save favourite journeys and sync across devices, and the ability to tailor your travel by convenience, time, carbon emissions and other factors.

“The Adelaide Metro website is one of South Australia’s highest trafficked websites, averaging over 3 million users and 50 million-page views annually.

“That’s why we are revamping the website design based on extensive customer and analytical research, including an online survey that involved over 1400 respondents.

“The new-look website will deliver a simplified home page which will require fewer clicks to find the information customers use the most.

“It will also be visually easier to navigate and will provide greater accessibility for people who have a disability, as well as the wider public.”

The existing metroMATE app will be decommissioned within the next month following a communications campaign with users to inform them of the new smartphone apps.

In addition, other measures to keep South Australians safe on public transport being rolled out include;

  • trialling a new AM and PM peak train timetable on the Gawler line to provide more services across an extended peak period;
  • marking the floors of trains, trams, buses and busiest platforms with arrows for unidirectional flow, where appropriate, to encourage customers to follow a single direction for boarding and alighting;
  • putting additional marking on the platforms and waiting areas of our busiest stations and interchanges to reinforce customer spacing;
  • updating signage and posters across the network to provide more information to customers about the recommended habits and behaviours while using public transport;
  • accelerating the conversion of the remainder of the diesel train fleet to 2×2 seating to provide for more aisle space for customers; and,
  • providing well signposted hand sanitisation facilities at Adelaide Railway Station.

*Based on current ratings in AppleStore.

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