MyRide is the best passenger information system out there… I try to use the service as much as I can because I want to experience what our riders experience… Being able to see where your bus is on a live map, and have the certainty that your bus will pick you up and get you where you need to go on time is the greatest thing about MyRide.
Supervisor of Transit Operations and Infrastructure
*As part of a city government, this transit agency has asked for their name to remain anonymous in accordance with their municipal Code of Conduct.
Get to Know the Agency
- Serving a medium-sized city in Southern Ontario, Canada
- Located about an hour outside of Toronto
- Offers fixed route, microtransit, and paratransit services for eligibility-based passengers
- Serves over 10,000 conventional and 150 eligibility-based riders each day
- Operates conventional buses, specialized buses (cutaways), and transit on demand
What is MyRide?
MyRide is TripSpark’s Traveler Information System for riders to get accurate fixed route details using their computer or smartphone. MyRide enables users to see transit schedules, track the live location of their bus on a map, get transit news or route-specific alerts, and ultimately plan out a smooth and convenient trip.
Using MyRide to Improve the Rider Experience
Clearer Communication = Happier Riders
Today’s transit riders want real-time information. Communicating service changes, providing accurate estimated arrival times, and making that information available in the palm of their hands via smartphones results in more satisfied riders. It all goes back to that ever-present question: is my bus on time? For this Ontario agency, MyRide is the solution that satisfies their riders’ need for real-time information.
“MyRide is the best passenger information system out there…We looked at what applications 10 other transit agencies were using, and none were as good as MyRide, specifically for live bus tracking. I try to use the service as much as I can because I want to experience what our riders experience. When some bus routes are operating less frequently than others or when service delays occur, being able to see where your bus is on a live map, and have the certainty that your bus will pick you up and get you where you need to go on time, is the greatest thing about MyRide.”
– Supervisor of Transit Operations and Infrastructure
The agency also uses MyRide for notices. In fact, they send their website visitors (via computer or smartphone) to MyRide to see service updates in a clear, concise format—as well as to encourage its evergrowing adoption. Another great feature with MyRide is that users can get their bus to text them. When riders start using this feature, it cuts down on one of their most common complaints which is feeling the need to text their bus multiple times to see if it’s getting closer. Having the bus text riders instead takes the wondering out of their wait!
Care for the Community
MyRide’s advantages came into greater light for the agency during the Covid-19 pandemic through capacity sharing. MyRide lets riders see the capacity of their bus on the route, which empowered individuals to choosetheir own comfort levels with how many people were on board at a given time. Riders felt safer knowing they could opt to wait for the next bus with a lower capacity. This MyRide feature allowed the agency to go above and beyond the core ridership controls laid out by their district health unit. At the time, here’s how the Supervisor of Transit Operations and Infrastructure said it was making life easier for the team keeping riders comfortable and safe:
With MyRide, we can adjust the bus capacity display to current allowable levels, instantly. By having the ability to reduce passengers from 50 to 20, we have been better able to show our transit users how full the buses are in real-time. It’s a small tool, but it’s so beneficial.
Ever-Growing Adoption of MyRide
As of early 2023, over 50% of this Ontario agency’s fixed route riders report they use MyRide. They’re looking to even further improve adoption, using what they hear from users in how it solves their various pain points (e.g., not knowing if a bus route is in service, inaccurate arrival times via apps like Google Maps, etc.). The agency promotes how using MyRide instantly solves these issues and provides convenience above and beyond rider expectations, such as buses texting riders when they’re on route and the live map features.
In addition to promotional signage at their highest volume bus stops and terminal, this Ontario agency’s team promotes MyRide when they’re out meeting the public at events like farmers’ markets or college open days. They’ve created impactful promotional materials of their own, and TripSpark offers a MyRide promotional kit for agencies to use when implementing it for the first time or to encourage adoption!
The Future of Fixed Route: Information at A Glance
Discover how MyRide can help your organization improve rider satisfaction by exploring the recorded webinar with our Director of Product Management or by reaching out to sales@tripspark.com.