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This change means less time spent at bus stops

Posted at 9:42 PM, Jan 07, 2016
and last updated 2016-01-07 23:42:02-05

The Regional Transportation District is taking steps to allow its riders to track buses in the Denver metro area as they progress, and to more accurately predict arrival times.

This week, RTD released open data for real-time information, hoping that prospective developers can use it in crafting mobile applications for riders.

"RTD is committed to supporting the development community," the district said in a statement Wednesday, "and encourages third-party developers to create apps, widgets and other tools that will benefit riders."

A number of these apps already exist; The Transit App, Denver Rail, Moovit and Transit Tracker already get RTD data, and Google Maps is expected to follow suit in the coming weeks, RTD said.

The real-time data is only available for local lines at the moment. RTD spokesman Scott Reed said that this is because the stops on regional and express buses — such as the new Flatiron Flyer — are "so far apart that they don't yet offer sufficient data points for the accuracy needed for reliable real-time information."

Full story on The Denver Post