New facility from Google, BMTC provides bus schedules, route numbers on PCs, cellphones

Getting bus routes now just a click away

New facility from Google, BMTC provides bus schedules, route numbers on PCs, cellphones

Getting the route number of the bus which will take you to your destination doesn't need to involve asking complete strangers anymore. Google India, in association with the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), has come up with Google Transit, a facility that will provide bus schedules and routes via Google Maps over computers and cellphones.

All-In-One: Commuters can get information like bus frequency, route,
and travel duration using the service

The facility, which will be available free of cost, will be available for Vajra, Vayu Vajra and Big10 buses that ply across the city. This will benefit about 40 lakh people who use BMTC buses for their daily commute.

Manik Gupta, plan manager for Google India, said, "Quick access to the service will put an end to the struggle to find information about buses across various locations in the city. Now, commuters can get information like bus frequency, route, and travel duration on their mobile phone."

Bangalore is the second city in India after New Delhi whose public transport information is readily available online. K S Vishwanath, chief traffic manager (operations), BMTC, said, "The city is known as the IT capital of India. Such a facility will be an instant hit here. Besides, we'll be able to target tech-savvy passengers and coax them into using public transport more often."

Bhaskar Rao, commissioner of transport, said, "Any attempt on the BMTC's part to provide passengers with additional information is welcome." When asked how user-friendly it will be, he said, "I haven't seen it myself till now, so I make any specific comment on it."