Which iPhone App Tracks CTA Buses Best?

2009_04_26_buster.jpg
Reviewers preferred Buster's clean and simple interface.
Because the CTA Bus Tracker website is not the easiest to use on a mobile device, such as an iPhone, when you're on the go, the folks over at Ars Technica have compiled a good breakdown of the two iPhone apps that use data from the CTA's website to help you find that bus stop or track a bus' arrival time. The apps, Buster and CTA Tracker, are both priced at 99 cents at the iTunes App Store. Neither was developed by the CTA.

Because the two apps pull from the same live data, reviewers stuck to evaluating them based on user interface and personal usage habits instead of functionality.

Buster has the preferred interface -- which reviewers said was more intuitive -- and lets you choose your bus by line number before you begin. CTA Tracker, which was developed first, sorts the bus stops by neighborhoods, which can be confusing even for a native Chicagoan. But it also comes equipped with a handy "Find Me" command that pinpoints where you are in relation to bus stops. CTA Tracker is also integrated with Google Maps, which is better for visitors and tourists, reviewers said.

For images that correspond to each of the aforementioned features, check out the full article here.

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Comments (5) [rss]

I don't mind using the Bustracker website on my iPhone. Sometimes I do fat-finger the stops, but overall the text-only function works very well.

I have an Android phone and CTA Tracker works great on it.

I've been living in Chicago since October but didn't use the buses until I got an iPhone and CTA Tracker. It's been really helpful and made me not afraid to hunt down a bus. The GPS/Location finder seems to hang and not be accurate but searching by crossroads, I've usually found the stop.

I've never used Buster (it's only been out for a week) but the interface looks nice.

Wow, thanks for this post. I didn't know these apps existed, and yes I've been annoyed lately with using the regular Bus Tracker website on my iPhone. (I swear they changed something about it a couple months ago - the site used to be fine, but now it takes a really long time to load the actual data. It loads all the background of the page and just sits there for a minute before the numbers finally come up.) Anyway, hopefully these apps will work a bit faster for me!

Agreed with the article in that Buster has a much smoother UI.

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