The developers of the Transit app this week announced the expansion of real-time crowdsourced data for buses, trains, streetcars, ferries, and so forth to 175 cities across the United States, Canada, and Europe.

transit app trio
Normally, the locations of public transportation vehicles are pulled from a transit agency's data feed, which can take anywhere from 10 seconds to five minutes to update. This can result in the app showing a bus approaching a certain stop, for example, when in reality it has already passed by—without you on it.

To solve this problem, the Transit app has turned to crowdsourced data from opted-in users of GO, its step-by-step navigation feature.

GO itself isn't new. The feature automatically tracks your transit vehicle, walking speed, and location in real time, notifying you exactly when to leave to catch your ride, and when to disembark. The feature can also reroute you and provide adjusted ETAs when unforeseen changes or delays arise.

Now, when users enable GO, they will also be helping others. Once a rider opts into GO on a bus or train, for example, the Transit app will start broadcasting the vehicle's real-time location, second-by-second, to riders down the line. In general, this greatly improves the location of a vehicle versus agency data.

transit crowdsourced
This means you can watch your vehicle approach—in actual, second-by-second real-time—on the map, whenever someone on that vehicle is using GO.

The team behind Transit has been testing real-time crowdsourced data for nearly two years. Over that time, they've generated data for "millions of trips," starting in the Canadian cities of Montréal and Victoria. Other test regions have included New York City and Los Angeles. The tests are said to have "went well."

For those with privacy concerns, the Transit team ensures that your location is completely anonymous. Data is only shared with its servers while GO is active and you are actually on board the vehicle. As soon as you disembark, GO shuts off, and your vehicle's location stops being sent, according to the app's FAQ.

It's unclear if there's a way to continue using the GO navigation helper without opting in to the real-time crowdsourced data sharing aspect, so if you do not wish to participate, it may be best to keep the feature disabled entirely.

Transit also notes that the location sharing feature relies on extended GPS use, which can use up to five percent of battery life on a 20-minute ride, assuming the rider is actively using the device during the trip. In terms of data, though, Transit says GO uses only about 100 kilobytes on a 20-minute trip.

Despite this, the Transit team is hoping that many riders will opt into the feature. They've even added some gamification features to the app as an incentive. GO users will now see a smile face in the top-left corner of the map, for example, indicating how many nearby riders they are helping out.

transit gamification trio
The app also shows GO users how many nearby riders they've helped on a monthly basis, and provides a "helpfulness" rank compared to other GO users. Transit is hoping that a little bit of competition will motivative riders to participate.

Transit bills itself as a real-time urban travel companion. The app is especially popular in Canada, making navigation via public transit easier with real-time data, trip planning and comparisons, step-by-step navigation, service disruption notifications, departure and stop reminders, and much more.

Transit works with not only buses, commuter trains, and subways, but streetcars, ferries, ride-sharing, bike-sharing, scooter-sharing, and more. The app is free to download on the App Store for iPhone and Google Play for Android.

Top Rated Comments

bluespark Avatar
90 months ago
Great, but the main value of the Transit app to me was in its Apple Watch app, which they oddly discontinued. They said then that they planned to release a new one, but that was many months ago. The Apple Watch app needs to be a priority!
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FelixDerKater Avatar
90 months ago
Time to buy it, Apple.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bluespark Avatar
90 months ago
This functionality has returned. Along with the "Go" feature.
- if you just select the bus you wish to board, it'll alert you based on the walking time it takes to get to the bus with about 1-2mins to spare.
- if you enter your destination, the bus and alternatives are presented and alerted to you on the Watch.

The previous version of this app from 2017 began to drop in accuracy and usefulness significantly enough for me to delete it.

Tried this out last night at 2:40AM to goto the gym, as in Toronto not only are there NO set/scheduled bus times (in a city of 2.6mil its atrocious: unionized workers), I didn't get any GO rider data. However the bus time was accurate under 40 seconds which is refreshing! I prefer the MoveIt app layout since Transits bombardment of nearby buses where I live a pain to view in huge BLOCKS.

Looking forward to using this app more.

PS: the GO feature can be disabled/opt-out yet I want to be certain that an analytical organization can confirm that claim.
I'm not trying to disparage the app's new features, but the "functionality" I was referring to was the Apple Watch app. It would show on a single screen my few favorite train/bus lines with the number of minutes to the next arrival. This was essential functionality for me and it has not returned. Yes, I can still open up the phone app to see that information, but having this quick information on my wrist as I race to catch a bus/train was incredible.

The new stuff is great, no doubt. I just want a basic watch app that displays the relevant information as cleanly and accurately as the prior Transit watch app did. (That it looked great was also a plus.)
[doublepost=1534786970][/doublepost]
I find the interface of Transit a bit fiddly for planning trips.

But here in NYC the subway and bus countdown timers are really awesome. As long as the MTA data is correct (that varies, but on my line it seems accurate to me ~80% of the time), I can time my walk to the subway and minimize time spent hanging out on the platform.

I've also tried it in a couple of other cities like Portland and Montréal. Generally, you just open the app and without missing a beat it tells you what the nearest bus/train/tram/ferry is and how long till the next one.
Same here in Chicago. I almost never use it to plan a trip -- I know where the train lines are already. What I need is quick information about arrival timing.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DeepIn2U Avatar
90 months ago
Great, but the main value of the Transit app to me was in its Apple Watch app, which they oddly discontinued. They said then that they planned to release a new one, but that was many months ago. The Apple Watch app needs to be a priority!
This functionality has returned. Along with the "Go" feature.
- if you just select the bus you wish to board, it'll alert you based on the walking time it takes to get to the bus with about 1-2mins to spare.
- if you enter your destination, the bus and alternatives are presented and alerted to you on the Watch.

The previous version of this app from 2017 began to drop in accuracy and usefulness significantly enough for me to delete it.

Tried this out last night at 2:40AM to goto the gym, as in Toronto not only are there NO set/scheduled bus times (in a city of 2.6mil its atrocious: unionized workers), I didn't get any GO rider data. However the bus time was accurate under 40 seconds which is refreshing! I prefer the MoveIt app layout since Transits bombardment of nearby buses where I live a pain to view in huge BLOCKS.

Looking forward to using this app more.

PS: the GO feature can be disabled/opt-out yet I want to be certain that an analytical organization can confirm that claim.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RobNYC Avatar
90 months ago
I find the interface of Transit a bit fiddly for planning trips.

But here in NYC the subway and bus countdown timers are really awesome. As long as the MTA data is correct (that varies, but on my line it seems accurate to me ~80% of the time), I can time my walk to the subway and minimize time spent hanging out on the platform.

I've also tried it in a couple of other cities like Portland and Montréal. Generally, you just open the app and without missing a beat it tells you what the nearest bus/train/tram/ferry is and how long till the next one.
I've also found the real time from the app is mostly accurate. What I have found ever since an iOS update in maybe 2017, the GPS feature in the subway doesn't work much anymore so it can never get an accurate read as to where I am. That never used to be a problem before but now it is.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RobNYC Avatar
90 months ago
Yeah, that's where it gets fiddly for me too. You have to drag that weird map around manually until it's centered on or near where you are, and the way that's designed is pretty awkward.

I don't tend to use in IN the subway that often since most of the time there's an MTA countdown clock somewhere (if it's working correctly).
I have to do the same thing. I mostly use the widget to check times of whatever subway I'm in. That's pretty reliable about where you are assuming you entered the station from outside and not a transfer.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
apple account card feature

Apple Account Card Expanding to More Countries

Tuesday July 8, 2025 7:34 pm PDT by
Apple is expanding the ability to add an Apple Account Card to the Wallet app to more countries, according to backend Apple Pay changes. With iOS 15.5, Apple updated the Wallet app to allow users to add an Apple Account Card, which displays the Apple credit balance associated with an Apple ID. If you receive an Apple gift card, for example, it is added to an Apple Account that is also...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

Leaker Reveals Amount of RAM in iPhone 17 Through iPhone 17 Pro Max

Wednesday July 9, 2025 8:08 am PDT by
Three out of four iPhone 17 models will feature more RAM than the equivalent iPhone 16 models, according to a new leak that aligns with previous rumors. The all-new iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with 12GB of RAM, according to Fixed Focus Digital, an account with more than two million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...