Custom MTA Alerts to Navigate Bumps in the Road, Rail

In the commuter challenge, catching the train and scoring a seat is sometimes only half the battle. Unanticipated changes to the subway or city bus service can make even the most punctual city-goer hours late. And while the Metropolitan Transportation Authority makes no guarantee of a stress-free ride, the agency says recent communication enhancements will empower customers with the information they need to navigate each and every bump in the road.

"We are making a number of changes to improve the way we communicate with our customers," said MTA Chairman and CEO Jay H. Walder in a release.

An improved notification system is just part of the MTA's initiative to empower its customers. In addition to a revamped website and Metro North Train Time, enhancements to the alert service allow subway, bus and rail commuters to receive custom messages via text message or email.

Where MTA-alerts were previously sent 24/7, subscribers now have the option of receiving planned-service disruptions only; representatives say such notifications are typically sent out on Thursday afternoons.

In addition, subscribers can suspend their subscription for a "predetermined or indefinite" period of time.

"Why shouldn't you be able to suspend your MTA email and text alerts?" asks Walder.

Future enhancements are in the works, said Walder. The MTA is surveying its 70,000 email and text message alert subscribers this month to help direct improvements.

The customer-service effort comes just weeks after the MTA's announcement of increased transparency, which includes a willingness to share information and data with third party software developers, as prompted by StationStops.com, a blog that talks all-things transportation.

Back in October of 2008, the website launched StationStops for iPhone, an app which culled information from the MTA, and, for $1.99, allowed commuters to store the Metro-North Grand Central Terminal timetable to their iPhones.

What followed was a two-month legal battle that attracted the attention of intellectual property lawyers, software developers and legal scholars nationwide and cost StationStops.com creator Chris Schoenfeld upwards of $25,000 in legal feels and lost sales royalties.

After being temporarily pulled from the iTunes app store, StationStops for iPhone returned.

Commuters can still purchase Schoenfeld's iPhone app to keep tabs on train schedules, and they now have the added bonus of learning whether that choo choo is running on schedule, by checking out Metro North Train Time and receiving custom service alerts—for free.

 To begin to receive alerts, or to make alter settings, visit mymtaalerts.com. The MTA warns that while the service is free, some carriers may charge customers for the receipt of a text message.