SPT and HITRANS Welcome the Well Timed Launch of the Traveline Scotland Blackberry App

The free Traveline Scotland mobile phone app, jointly funded by SPT and HITRANS, is now available on Blackberry smart phones.

The app can already be downloaded to iPhone and Android handsets, but with Blackberry now on board, public transport information is available to around 90 per cent of the UK’s smart phone users.

SPT Vice Chair Denis McKenna said:

“SPT is embracing new technology as it is important to promote easy access for customers to public transport information.  By working in partnership with HITRANS, and with financial support from the European funded START project, we allow more customers to access public transport information from their smart phones in this ever growing market.”

The launch of the app was also welcomed by HITRANS Chair Cllr Duncan MacIntyre who added,

“The last two winters have been really testing for our transport networks and service providers. It is essential to get good information to travellers before and during their journey and this app is a great example of what we can do to let people know how public transport and roads are affected by bad weather and other factors such as road works. Traveline Scotland are delivering world leading solutions and I am delighted that HITRANS has been able to support this excellent initiative.”

From the app’s launch of the Traveline iPhone and Androids apps in November 2010 until the end of July 2011 there have been approximately 75,000 downloads.

Both apps are rated 4-star on the iTunes and Android markets so it is hoped this success will continue with Blackberry.

The app has many functions such as allowing users to access the departure boards for all 38,000 bus stops in Scotland, Glasgow Subway departures and the timetables for all ferry services.

SPT and HITRANS are partners in an ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) supported project called START (Seamless Travel across the Atlantic area Regions using sustainable Transport) with 11 other partners from the UK, France, Portugal and Spain. The primary aim of START is to make it easy to travel to, from and around the Atlantic regions using environmentally friendly, collective modes of transport. More information on START is available from www.start-project.eu.