Omnitrans Teams Up with Google to Launch
Online Transit Trip Planner
With gas prices soaring, the free and easy-to-use planner makes Omnitrans more convenient and accessible to riders seeking a cost-effective and environmentally-friendly transportation option.
SAN BERNARDINO, CA - In its ongoing effort to improve customer service and accessibility, Omnitrans has joined with Internet powerhouse Google to provide free and convenient online trip planning via Google Transit.
The innovative program combines Omnitrans bus schedules and routes with Google’s detailed street maps and satellite imagery to create step-by-step itineraries guiding riders to their destinations using Omnitrans. The service makes Omnitrans the first Inland transit agency to partner with Google, a worldwide online leader, to provide the new trip-planning service.
“We are continuing to move transit into the 21st Century by making bus route information more accessible and user-friendly,” said Durand Rall, CEO of Omnitrans. “With the cost of a tank of gas rising, more people are interested in taking mass transit. This new trip planner makes it easier for a new rider to figure out the system.”
Riders can visit Omnitran’s Web site, www.omnitrans.org, to access the free online service, or visit www.google.com/transit directly. By clicking on the Google Maps icon, users can enter their origin and destination addresses plus date and time of travel. Google provides estimated travel time and bus fare information for the user.
Google displays the bus route map based on Omnitrans’ schedules, generating a detailed itinerary including route numbers and locations, schedules and transfer information, as well as any walking directions to the bus stops.
The partnership creates new opportunities for Omnitrans to connect with potential riders who may not be aware of the availability, cost-effectiveness and convenience of public transit.
“Having Omnitrans’ routes and schedules available through one of the world’s most popular and recognized Web sites allows us to reach a broader audience, introducing them to the convenience and value of public transit – all at virtually no cost to our agency,” said Wendy Williams, Omnitrans Director of Marketing.
In fact, Omnitrans invested only a minimal amount of staff time to prepare and provide its scheduling and bus stop location data to Google as part of the free partnership.
There are more than 40 transit agencies in the United States currently participating in the Google Transit program, including the Orange County Transportation Authority, Burbank Bus, Thousand Oaks Transit and San Diego Metropolitan Transit System.
“Whether you want to travel 10 blocks or 10 miles, Google Transit will find the most convenient and cost-effective path for reaching your destination in just a few mouse clicks,” Williams said. “At just $3.50 for an all day pass combined with our fleet of clean-fuel vehicles, Omnitrans is the obvious economical and environmentally-friendly choice for traveling in the San Bernardino valley.”
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