TriMet, Google team for real-time light rail info

BLE beacons enable capable nearby mobile devices to receive useful and relevant information. Using this signal, Google Maps can automatically and seamlessly provide information that is valuable to riders, including transit schedules and alerts to their mobile devices.

Staff Writer・Editorial

Read Staff's Posts

March 11, 2015

TriMet, Google team for real-time light rail info

1 min to read

TriMet and Google Maps are teaming up again. This time it’s to help riders have another way to get real-time transit information based on Google’s Bluetooth low-energy (BLE) beacons deployed across Portland area MAX light rail transit stations.

The beacons are installed on TriMet’s 87 MAX light rail station platforms. As the agency tests the technology, it says they will also look to refine the design of the beacons and their placement on the platforms.

In 2005, TriMet partnered with Google as the first transit agency to release schedule and arrival data to the public. With this latest pilot, TriMet riders who have devices running the latest version of Android (5.0+, Lollipop) and have the latest version of Google Maps installed, will be eligible to receive the notifications.

“Our riders are very tech savvy, and we’re pleased to be able to offer another way to provide transit information in an easy format,” said Tim McHugh, TriMet’s chief information officer.

Topics:Google light rail real-time passenger info TriMet Management Security and Safety Rail

More Rail

An overhead view of APTA EXPO's show floor.

Management•by Alex Roman•October 9, 2026

Scenes from APTA TRANSform & EXPO 2026

Transit leaders, manufacturers, and industry professionals gathered in Chicago to explore new technologies, share ideas, and discuss the future of public transportation.

METRO Magazine graphic featuring officials at a Florida rail funding announcement, with the headline “$416M Awarded for Florida Rail Crossing Upgrades and More.”

Rail•by Staff and News Reports•October 8, 2026

USDOT Awards $416 Million for Florida Rail Crossing Safety Upgrades, New Brightline Station

The projects aim to reduce risks for motorists and pedestrians at rail crossings while expanding passenger rail access along Florida’s Space Coast.

Coastal railroad tracks run between a steep bluff and the Pacific Ocean in San Clemente, California, with rock barriers protecting portions of the shoreline.

Rail•by Elora Haynes•October 1, 2026

OCTA Declares Emergency to Protect Rail Corridor From Coastal Erosion

The California agency is accelerating shoreline protection and plans to place approximately 690,000 cubic yards of sand along the San Clemente coast to protect a key passenger and freight rail link.

Management•by Alex Roman•October 1, 2026

More Than a Summer Job: Building the Next Generation of Transit Talent

The Delaware River Port Authority and PATCO have transformed their internship program into a hands-on professional development experience that introduces students to the breadth of transportation careers — and creates a pipeline for future employees.

An Amtrak Airo trainset on the Cascades line

Rail•by Alex Roman•September 30, 2026

Airo Trains Make Their Amtrak Cascades Debut in the Pacific Northwest

Effective immediately, two cutting-edge Airo trainsets will join the Amtrak Cascades route, operating four daily trips between Vancouver, B.C., Seattle, Portland, and Eugene, Oregon, marking the first introduction of Airo trains into passenger service anywhere in the country.