The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) announced customers now have a new way to track performance and plan their travel with the addition of Metrobus data to MetroPulse, Metro’s real-time performance tracking tool.

MetroPulse, launched last summer, gives customers real-time information on bus and train locations, frequency, schedule adherence, and service advisories to help customers make  informed decisions about their travel.  

"Metro is upholding its commitment to transparency and improving the customer experience with this new tool to track bus performance and help customers better plan their travel," said Metro GM/CEO Randy Clarke.  

MetroPulse is a web application currently in beta form.

The WMATA said it is working to add additional features to MetroPulse, including performance tracking for MetroAccess, a reporting tool for customers to provide feedback and report service issues in real time,  and the launch of an app for mobile devices.

WMATA Upgrades Ridership Data Portal

That's not the only technological upgrade recently made by the WMATA.

The agency's ridership data portal now includes a combined look at rail and bus ridership, adds no-tap rail ridership to the rail dashboard to track the effectiveness of anti-fare evasion efforts, and provides a more complete picture of total ridership.

It also includes Metrobus ridership data based on passenger counting devices on board the vehicles to better account for total ridership.

All data is downloadable for independent analysis.