Bus Tracking App Helps Keep Campus Moving

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 29, 2016) – University of Kentucky students, employees and visitors looking for a ride around campus should look no further than the TransLoc Rider app. TransLoc Rider is a GPS-based tracking system that tracks all campus buses — as well as the Red Mile (Lextran 15) service frequently used by the campus community.

“Our goal is to make the campus bus system as simple and user-friendly as possible,” said UK Parking and Transportation Services Director Lance Broeking. “Having real-time campus bus tracking at their fingertips allows our students and employees to plan travels in and around campus, predict bus arrivals and ultimately save time.”

TransLoc Rider allows riders to track buses on-the-go. The service is updated in real-time, helping riders plan for delays caused by traffic, accidents or inclement weather. TransLoc Rider helps UK Parking and Transportation Services provide better all-around bus service by providing reports on the efficiencies of each route.

TransLoc Rider offers free iPhone and Android apps for on-the-go tracking. Riders without a smartphone can access route information via SMS messaging; users may send a text message to 41411 with UKY and the appropriate stop number to receive a message back listing the next three arrival times for that stop.

In the app, users may select routes or individual stops, save their favorite stops for quicker arrival information and provide feedback on their experience.

Through the TransLoc Rider app, PTS has the ability to send announcements directly to riders via the app in the event of an emergency closure or other impacts to bus service.

Bus tracking has been in use on UK campus buses since 2011. In 2015, 21,708 users used TransLoc Rider to track campus buses. This number includes app users, those who were updated via text messaging and users that accessed TransLoc via mobile and desktop versions.

Last month, UK’s TransLoc app saw 42,161 hits for a total of 3,781 users.

Note, both Lextran and the University of Kentucky should be selected under Current Transit Systems in order to include the Blue and White Routes and Route 15 data on the app.

For more information, visit the TransLoc Rider website or visit http://uky.transloc.com/.

UK is the University for Kentucky. At UK, we are educating more students, treating more patients with complex illnesses and conducting more research and service than at any time in our 150-year history. To read more about the UK story and how you can support continued investment in your university and the Commonwealth, go to: uky.edu/uk4ky. #uk4ky #seeblue

MEDIA CONTACT: Blair Hoover, (859) 257-6398; blair.hoover@uky.edu