Since the initial release in 2006 of the app as a phone (IVR) and SMS service, it has evolved into a free online service, and Yarra Trams says it is now downloaded 20,000 times a month and the number of requests to tramTRACKER exceed 800,000 a day.
“We’ve built on the massive popularity of tramTRACKER for iPhone to develop an exciting new version which caters to the growing community of Android users,” Yarra Trams Marketing Manager, Matt McDonell said.
“With more than half a million Melburnians using trams every day, we want to enhance the customer experience with even greater access to real-time tram arrival information.”
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According to Prashanth Mullapudi, IT Business Analyst with Yarra Trams, tramTRACKER Android is the result of extensive customer research, prototyping and field trials.
“It’s an app built by passengers for passengers. We collected feedback from our customers and comments in online forums about what people like and don’t like about the iPhone version. We did customer research and testing to bring a new design and added features to the Android version of tramTRACKER.”
Yarra Trams worked with Melbourne-based company Appscore to develop its Android app.
Features of the tramTRACKER Android app include:
• Enhanced messages and alerts for disruptions or service updates
• Next three trams for each route with the ability to hide or expand your chosen route
• myTRAM – predicting the arrival time of each tram at your chosen stop
• Favourites with customised routes and stop names (e.g. work, home)
• A choice of preferred stop view – map or list
• Search feature for stops with shelters for when it is raining
• Display of nearby train, tram and bus connections
• Information about attractions and points of interest on the tram network
The Android version of tramTRACKER has also retained some of the most popular features
of the iPhone app, including:
• Real-time tram arrival times for every stop on the Yarra Trams network
• Locate nearby myki ticket outlets using your phone’s GPS
• Find nearby tram stops then save or group your favourite stops
• Accessible tram stop filter
• Filters to show only certain routes at shared stops and/or low floor trams only. Icons to show which trams are air-conditioned or low floor
• Online help to guide new users
