PAT Track 9.0.0

Pittsburgh’s public transportation system can sometimes be a source of frustration, particularly regarding bus schedules and timely arrivals. A new solution offers an innovative approach to enhance the user experience by utilizing real-time tracking for public transit in Pittsburgh, PA.

Current Features Include:

• Select up to 10 buses simultaneously for tracking.
• View buses moving on a map in real-time.
• Click on a bus to access its estimated time of arrival (ETA) for the next eight stops.
• See bus stops for selected routes when zoomed in to a specific level.
• Clicking on bus stops provides ETAs for all currently selected buses.

The Port Authority has made its real-time tracking API available through their official website (Port Authority TrueTime). This ensures that the data provided is official and up-to-date. As of December 2015, the application successfully tracks 99 buses and one shuttle.

The application is open source and can be accessed here.

For any updates or recent news, please visit our Facebook page: PATRealtimeTracker on Facebook.

Disclaimer: The app does not take responsibility for which buses and routes are tracked, as the information is sourced directly from the Port Authority. If a specific route or bus is not available in the app, it is likely an issue with Port Authority’s data. Users are encouraged to report any instances of an empty map to our Play Store email or create an issue on our GitHub page.

Required Permissions:

• android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION: Allows the app to center its location on the user.
• android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION: Similar to the above but provides more precise positioning (requires permission in Android M).
• android.permission.INTERNET: Enables data retrieval for Google Maps and the Port Authority TrueTime API.
• android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE: Previously used in Android 6.0 for Google Maps caching.
• android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE: Previously required for caching and saving the app on external storage; absence may cause crashes.
• android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE: Determines network status to ensure real-time updates are available.
• android.permission.ACCESS_WIFI_STATE: Assesses Wi-Fi status for internet connectivity updates.
• android.permission.CHANGE_WIFI_STATE: Listens for Wi-Fi state changes to notify users of internet connectivity issues.