WILL BUS ROUTE APP UPDATE FOR RTA SERVICE CUTS?

A new free smartphone application can help you find out when your bus is arriving. The RouteShout app find bus stops, routes, and arrival times in over 25 cities, including Cleveland. It’s available for iPhones, Androids and text-enabled phones.

The Cleveland program is based on data from the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority. Users can browse by location or search for stops by street name

Standard text rates apply for the text version, and answers aren’t always precise. Most early reviews are positive, but highlight some of Routeshout’s limitations. In its current version, the app is basically a map that highlights routes. As with any map program, it might not have up-to-date information about temporary re-routings. Distinguishing between incoming and outgoing stops can be difficult. It’s definitely not an alternative to your favorite map app, and it doesn’t allow you to plot a journey with a start and end point.

Visit RouteShout.com to download the apps. The Android version is still a beta. For text, send “demo” to 25252. — D.X. Ferris

This article appears in Feb 24 – Mar 2, 2010.