Since we released our transit data to the public at large shortly after our TransLink API Developer Camp last year, new transit applications (apps) based on TransLink’s open API have been popping up on a regular basis.

Over the past few months, I’ve found that I’ve started to use some of these (often free) apps nearly as much as I use TransLink’s mobile website, m.translink.ca. Here’s a list of a few that I’ve tried and one that I hear is good (I use an iPhone).

Transit App

This app is beautiful in its simplicity. Basically, this app uses your smart phones GPS to find out where you are and displays all the available transit available to you and their departure times. When you already know where you are going, I find this is often all I need. What’s even better is that I don’t need to click even once to know when the closest transit to me will be leaving.

There’s also a trip finding function that seems to work pretty well. It’s available for iPhone and Android devises.

Radar for Metro Vancouver Buses

This one came to my attention because of this Vancouver Sun article. Like the Transit App, this app is like a simplified version of nb.translink.ca. This app is great if you know what route you want to take but need the schedule. Simply type in the number of the route, and it shows all of the buses running the route in real-time. Available for iPhone and iPad.

iTransitVan

ITransitVan been out for a couple of years and was also mentioned by Buzzer reader Reena in 2011. It has a couple of functions including finding nearby stops and listing all of the routes in the search tab (which I find to be a great reference). It doesn’t look like this app is using real-time info yet. If developers add that, I think this app will be even better. For iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

LiveTranslink Vancouver

An Android app with an interesting spelling of TransLink, this app was described to me as like nb.translink.ca, but quicker because you don’t need to click much. Choose the route you like and find it in real-time on the map.

I’m sure there are a slew of other apps out there that I don’t know of. Now’s your chance to share them with everyone. It’s our intentional to release transit data that brilliant developers can use to make fantastic apps that people use to take transit with.

Check out some of the apps that have been made from our data in the past here and here.

Share those apps everyone!

Developers: iBusVan is now open source and the code is available now!