By The Charleston Chronicle
TriCounty Link, the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester region’s rural transit system, today rolled out a new bus tracking app, MyTCLink, in a move that will increase efficiency and confidence for riders.
The app, which is available for free in the Apple Store or Google Play Store and online at MyTCLink.com, will provide users with the ability to view bus stop locations, announcements and alerts, and plan trips on the transit system — all using real-time data. Riders will also be able to see prediction times in real-time, which will aid in trip planning.
“As the region has grown in recent years, TriCounty Link has seen greater demand across the rural and outlying areas,” said Ron Mitchum, executive director of TriCounty Link and the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments. “The introduction of MyTCLink is an exciting step forward for regional transit and offers riders a tremendous new transportation tool.”
MyTCLink will support dispatch and communications operations, capture data for transit system planning and management analysis, facilitate enhanced safety and security, and provide more public information. It will also offer significant operational upgrades for the transit system.
“We recognize that technological advancements drive the future,” Mitchum said. “In our ongoing search for innovative ways to provide the highest quality service, MyTCLink helps streamline our operations in an unprecedented manner and facilitates an improved regional ridership experience.”
As part of planned future upgrades, the app will allow riders to identify key landmarks for pick-up such as benches, shelters and other items, which eases the ability for drivers to locate riders needing transportation from non-traditional pickup locations.
“MyTCLink takes us into the next era of regional transit across the Tricounty region,” Mitchum said. “We want to make sure our rural area riders have access to the best service and experience possible when using TriCounty Link.”
This article originally appeared in the Charleston Chronicle.
