If you’re a public transportation user and you don’t have Moovit (free), then you’re missing out.
Moovit is a transit alert app that acts like Waze for public transportation. While Waze allows users to input alerts like traffic, a cop sitting in the median, or an accident on roadways, Moovit users can report delays, out-of-service lines, incidents, crowdedness, or route change for public transportation.
In the app, you can select your favorite route and select for notifications to be sent to your phone in case your route changes. You can also tell Moovit that you’re on a transit line and it will tell you the time it takes to get to your destination.
Moovit also provides an Apple Watch so alerts can be sent right to your wrist.
I tested out Moovit while on a recent trip to New York City from Philadelphia. While on Philadelphia’s regional rails, I could ask the app what my arrival time for my train would be. If it doesn’t pick the right station right away, you can tell the app where you’re hoping to arrive. Once you pick out your arrival station, you can elect to send notifications to your phone in case of an alert (like a delay).
Before taking my trip, I tried the "Get Directions" section of the app that pops up right in the "Home" section when you load the app. However, it didn't route me through on public transit, and instead said I was outside of my metro area. After asking the nice people at Moovit about it, they told me they're expanding that section to allow for multiple-city travel options.
Pros
- The app is easy to use to report issues on your line.
- It’s also easy to use when you indicate that you’re on a transportation line and want to know the time to your destination.
Cons
- The app seems to be mostly for users directly on transit lines instead of users looking to schedule a long trip through major metro areas, like one from Philadelphia to New Jersey.
- Obviously, the app only works in areas with major transit lines, so it wouldn’t be useful outside of large metro areas.
Final Verdict
Moovit works well when you’re already traveling, which makes it a great companion.
