PACE Bus Offers Text Service for Real Time Arrival Information
Source: PACE
Bus riders in the Chicago area are already familiar with texting 41411 to get real-time bus arrival information using Chicago Transit Authority’s Bus Tracker By Text.
Now, riders of PACE Suburban Bus Service, which covers the Chicago suburbs, is offering the text service for real time arrival information as well. According to a recent article in the Chicago Tribune, PACE had originally held off on the texting service used by CTA, preferring to focus on its mobile Bus Tracker, but “…customer comments prompted the agency to reconsider.”
What PACE learned through survey and customer feedback, was customer satisfaction was tied to the availability of real time bus arrival information. For those who do not have smart phones, real-time text messaging makes sense. There are many benefits of text messaging, but in particular for transit riders, SMS does not require a smartphone or an app to download.
PACE’s real time bus arrival text messaging service works in a similar way to CTA: Riders text “PACE” followed by the number listed on the bus stop sign to short code 41411. Bus times are sent back in seconds via text.
Rollout of new bus signs throughout PACE’s six county service area is currently in progress.
Source: PACE
Interested in learning more about SMS solutions for transit agencies? Call TextMarks at 800-696-1393 and ask to speak to a TextMarks Transit Specialist or email tmsales@textmarks.com.
