The MBTA has released a new app to help riders find nearby transit and track arrivals in real time. MBTA Go is now available in the Apple App Store. The agency said it plans to make the app available for Android users in February 2025.
The app tracks a user’s location (with permission) and allows them to see a list of the closest bus and rail lines. From there, a user can scroll through arrival times and track buses and trains, including Commuter Rail, as they progress along their route. The app also includes service alerts, including shutdowns, diversions and delays.
“This goes hand-in-hand with our ability to improve communications,” MBTA General Manager Phil Eng said during a meeting of the MBTA board of directors on Thursday.
The release comes as the T struggles to regain the trust of its riders following years of criticism over communication and safety issues. Slow zones have been eliminated on the vast majority of the T’s subway system, though riders and transit advocacy groups still point to delays along bus routes as an issue.
Just this week, during a planned closure of the Red Line, service on the T’s popular Route 1 bus has been hampered, with trains running behind schedule and leaving riders stranded at stations because they’re full.
State transportation officials are hopeful that MBTA Go will ease riders’ frustrations.
“Putting this app into the hands of many of our riders will make their trips so much more efficient as they will be able to make decisions in the moment about how soon to go to a station stop, what MBTA vehicle to choose for a trip, and how long they’ll need to wait,” Massachusetts Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt said in a statement.
“Knowledge is power, and this app will be a helpful tool for riders, encouraging more trips on public transportation and making our customers feel empowered as they use transit.”
MBTA go was developed in-house at the T. More than 4,000 riders have piloted the app since July 2024. The agency said user feedback will be essential to improving the tool during the initial rollout.
