Now, Android smartphone users can discover what over 12-thousand iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch users in Albuquerque already know; that the ABQ Ride app provides not only real time information about where buses are located, but also information such as bus and Rail Runner schedules, fares and other links.
City of Albuquerque Chief Administrative Officer Rob Perry and ABQ Ride Director Bruce Rizzieri unveiled the new, Android version of the ABQ Ride app in a news conference at the Uptown Transit Center. This latest version of the app was developed by Albuquerque-based APPCityLife Inc., which also developed the original, iOS version of the ABQ Ride app.
“About half of Albuquerque’s smartphone owners use a phone with an Android operating system, so this new version of the ABQ Ride app should fill the gap for all riders using smartphones for ABQ Ride information,” said CAO Rob Perry. “Plus, the new, Android version of the app also offers everything the original ABQ Ride App offers.”
The Android version can tell you where your bus is-within about 30 seconds’ accuracy. It also features bus schedules, fares, ABQ Ride’s website, related websites such as the N.M. Rail Runner and any special alerts regarding the Transit Department/ABQ Ride.
The original app made its debut in June, 2012, when city of Albuquerque data sets were made available to the public by Mayor Berry’s Open Data Initiative; a program which encouraged the development of apps and services for public use. Since then, the app has been downloaded over 12-thousand times. That number will grow now that the Android version is available.
For ABQ Ride customers who have only a cellphone with texting capability, there is still TXT2RIDE for Rapid Ride bus routes. You simply text your Rapid Ride bus stop number (unique, bus stop number pucks are at every Rapid Ride stop in the city) and after a space, the Rapid Ride route number to 2-7433. In as little as 15 seconds, you’ll get a text back with the next two, scheduled buses at your stop.
To get a free download of the ABQ Ride App for your iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch or Android phone, go to the agency website and click on “Transit Mobile Apps” on the front page.
“This Android version of the ABQ Ride app should now take away much of the guesswork for anyone with a smartphone about where our buses are located,” said Bruce Rizzieri, director of ABQ Ride. “And perhaps it will convince even more people how easy it is to use ABQ Ride and the money savings that go with it.”
