Smart Ride app review: find your way around

Introduction

For those people who rely on public transit as their sole transit means or even just use it from time to time it's imperative to have up-to-date scheduling and route information. The Smart Ride app can be used on your iPod touch, iPad, and iPhone and provides users with real-time arrivals as well as alerts. The app supports most of the major transit systems in North America. This app can also come in very handy for those who are visiting a city they are unfamiliar with. 

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A One-Stop Solution

What the Smart Ride app aims to do is provide users with all the information they need regarding the transit system they are using. The idea is that you won't have to switch from app to app just to find all the information. Use this one to plan your trip, find schedule information, get alerts, and even watch your journey as it plays out in real-time. With the help of this app you should be able to get around with ease, arrive to your destination on time, and without any stress. As mentioned it supports most of the major transit systems in North America including New York City, Seattle, San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Greater Boston Area, Toronto, Vancouver, Portland, Washington DC, Atlanta, Austin, and plenty more.

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The app was updated earlier this year, adding even more transit systems. As well there were a number of improvements and fixes and features added. The app has 3.5 out of five stars from users who seem to have mixed reviews. It seems for some people it works like a charm and for others there seems to be some incorrect information being given.

The User Experience

There are a few items worth pointing out in the Smart Ride app; to start with, it's able to locate your current position by GPS and provide you with the nearest transit routes. The vehicle arrival times are given in real-time, you can: mark stops as favorites, plan your trip using a variety of agencies, and use the bird's eye view map. Sometimes people shy away from using public transit simply because it seems confusing and they don’t know where to find the correct information. This app takes out all the guess work.

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As soon as you launch the app it’s able to instantly start providing you with route information. I find the content fast to display and easy to read and navigate.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• The app is able to find the nearest transit stops based on your current location
• Plan your route through the app
• Mark stops as favorites
• Get real-time information
• Works for most of the major transit systems in North America

Cons

• Not all cities/towns are supported yet
• As you navigate around the map it can be a bit slow
• The user interface feels dull
• The app is supported by ads which display across the bottom of the screen

Final Thoughts

The Smart Ride app for your iPod touch, iPad, and iPhone can prove to be a very useful tool as you navigate through the city/town. It’s relatively easy to use and its real-time information helps you plan your journey.