Whether you’re wondering where your BC Transit bus is or if you have a couple of extra minutes to get ready, there’s a way to track your bus in real-time.
While the technology has been available for some time, Victoria’s Regional Transit System is ushering in a NextRide technology upgrade, aiming to enhance certainty, convenience, and predictability for transit users.
Starting January 15th,, all conventional transit service buses will be fitted with new Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) hardware.
Additionally, digital full-color passenger information displays will adorn heavy-duty and high-capacity buses that will provide trip details such as upcoming stops, current routes, and service alerts for passengers’ convenience.
During this hardware upgrade, slated to avoid service interruptions, riders will retain access to real-time bus location and estimated arrival times via smart mobile devices and desktop services.
The NextRide desktop trip planning tool will stop functioning as of January 16th. For desktop trip planning, customers can pivot to BC Transit’s website trip planning tool that utilizes Google Maps technology.
For real-time route updates, you can track your BC Transit bus around Greater Victoria with the following:
- Transit App (mobile only)
- Google Maps (desktop and mobile)
- BC Transit Website
- Umo Mobility App (mobile only)
- Other preferred trip planning apps
- Rider’s guide
According to BC Transit, their app assures precise bus arrival times and provides insight into the bus’s occupancy level. BC Transit recently introduced Transit Royale, a complimentary upgrade within the Transit App, expanding real-time bus tracking across a wider geographical range, presenting full transit schedules.
Umo, BC Transit’s contactless fare payment system, accommodates riders’ payment preferences and travel habits. The Umo Mobility App furnishes real-time data, maps, alerts, and stands as BC Transit’s recommended payment mode for mobile device users.
Funded via the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, the NextRide Technology replacement involves cost sharing. The Government of Canada contributes 50%, the BC government 40%, and local government partners the remaining 10%.
The total project cost stands at $16.8 million.
