An Online Trip Planner that is Easy to Use Offering the First Ever Interactive Map.

Wednesday, Dec 12 2007, 02:00

Brampton Transit launched eRide on November 28, 2007, a new and innovative web-based trip planner. This easy-to-use tool takes the guesswork out of planning a transit trip and calculates for riders their journey from start to finish, including walking and transfer times.

What makes this system so innovative, compared to other online trip planners, is the presence of Canada's first interactive transit map, which can be used to chart out the trip and see the exact route.

"It is part of our strategic plan to provide enhanced transit accessibility for all residents and workers in Brampton," commented Mayor Susan Fennell. "The key objective being that it is a realistic and attractive alternative to private automobiles for trips within and beyond Brampton.eRide is another tool to help us achieve this."

Brampton Transit has shown phenomenal growth. In October of this year Brampton Transit exceeded one million riders in one month, which is a first. This was a 15 per cent increase from October 2006 figures. In addition, mid-year figures from the Canadian Urban Transit Association show that Brampton Transit's ridership represents the highest increase in its "large system" category. The eRide system is developed by GIRO Inc.

"It is our aim to continually provide new and innovative solutions to ensure a better transit experience for our customers," said Suzanne Bass, Director of Brampton Transit. "eRide is a customer-focused, efficient and convenient service."

To plan a trip go to www.bramptontransit.com, click on eRide, enter a street address, intersection, point of interest or use the interactive transit map to select a bus stop or landmark; enter your preferences such as time, fewest transfers, quickest route etc; and sit back. The trip planner calculates the journey from start to finish; including walking time and fewest transfers and other various options. The planned trip can then be saved, printed or emailed. You can also view schedules for every stop on your chosen route – a Brampton Transit first.