Apple Maps app now displays Metro service in real time

iPhone users can finally view real-time Metro information in Apple Maps, the transit agency announced Tuesday. The app will show train and bus schedules, departure and arrival times, vehicles’ current locations, and transfer points. A new data feed will also permit third-party software developers to harness Metro data so riders can better plan out their transportation.

In a statement, Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld called the update a “game-changer.” “We want to make choosing Metro as simple and convenient as possible, and a key element of success will be providing real-time transit information as broadly as possible,” Wiedefeld said. Metro says it is also giving access to the data feed to certain “major mapping services.”

The transit agency first put out a real-time API repository showing the locations of its trains in 2016, according to the release. Metro also has a trip planner and schedules on its website.