SMART Launches New Bus-Tracking Mobile App

South Metro Area Regional Transit (SMART), the City of Wilsonville’s public transit agency, is launching a new mobile app known as Spatial Positioning on Transit (SPOT) that provides SMART riders real-time arrival predictions for all of buses, automated onboard announcements and system alerts from the transit agency.

The technology, developed by ETA Transit Systems, is now integrated into SMART’s existing website, www.RideSMART.com, and is available to view live from any computer at smartpublic.etaspot.net. The mobile app, ETA SPOT, may be downloaded for free from the Apple Store or Google Play.

SMART Transit Director Stephan Lashbrook says, “Not long ago, the idea of being able to use your computer or smart phone to find your bus would have seemed futuristic. Now it is our reality and it makes riding a bus even easier.”

Operated by the City of Wilsonville, SMART maintains a fleet of 35 vehicles ranging from 40-foot buses to minivans and a trolley-bus. SMART also operates Dial-a-Ride, which provides door-to-door service within Wilsonville and medical transport services to Portland and other nearby cities for the elderly and disabled riders. SMART services are free within Wilsonville, but intercity services charge a fare. Funding for SMART is provided primarily by an employer-paid payroll tax, which funds almost 80% of SMART’s operation. SMART is also supported by various local, state and federal grants.