How Mobile Technology Makes Transit Convenient

Transit riders love using their smartphone to purchase rides. But just a few agencies have embraced the technology so far.

In 2013, Americans took 10.7 billion trips on public transit, the highest number in 57 years, according to the American Public Transportation Association. For decades the demographic profile for the typical transit rider was someone who was low income and often had no other means of transportation. In other words, people who used public transit did so because they had to, not because they wanted to.

But since 1995, public transportation ridership has grown 37.2 percent, almost double the amount of the country’s population growth at 20.3 percent, according to APTA. Clearly a new generation of transit riders has stepped forward. Many of them are so-called “choice riders” who have other options to get around besides buses and trains, but prefer using public transit. To keep these choice riders coming back, experts say that transit agencies must offer a ride that is reliable, fast and clean. They also want convenience.

Read the rest of the story at Digital Communities.