Do you often use public transport to move around the city? From now on, Maps will tell you how many seats are available and what to expect during the journey
The web offers few certainties: there are many apps that are shelved a few days after release. The same happens with platforms, and even social networks. In the midst of this sea of meteors, however, there are some tools that stand the test of time and represent cornerstones for users. Among these is certainly Google Maps.
The historic app produced by the Mountain View company introduced users to the world of guided navigation, and still accompanies them on all types of routes, whether by car, on foot or by transport. On the other hand, Google Maps is not a simple navigator: over the years it has integrated many functions to simplify people's lives. It has given the possibility to play with Snake or to know how busy a road is. The latest novelty is really useful for those who use public transport: Google Maps will tell you when the subway and buses are crowded.
Google Maps will tell you if the bus or the subway are crowded
One of the tools most loved by users adds another function to those already present. Google Maps will soon offer numerous information about buses and subways. First of all, those who want to take a specific ride will be able to know how many seats there are inside the vehicle and especially if they are occupied and in what percentage. To provide this information in real time, the company will rely on different sources: frequent travelers have already been invited to share useful news with the community. Google is already sending out notifications in which it asks people to clarify what the degree of crowding of the vehicle is in a certain section of the route. The reports are collected on the Android Police site.
The notification so far has only reached Swedish Android users, but according to some sources it is already available on iOS in several cities around the world. People traveling by metro or train can find some questions sent by Google on the screen of their smartphone, for example, "How many seats are there in the bus?" or even "How many are crowded?" Users can choose from several possibilities: many seats available, few, standing room available, but also cramped or unsafe spaces and so on.
The next cities included in the database are New York, San Francisco, Tokyo, Paris and Washington.
Google Maps and traffic information
Soon, users will also be able to report the causes of a slowdown: just tap on the map to indicate an accident or even the presence of a speed camera along the route. For the moment, the function is only available in some countries of the world. If the tests will be successful, it will arrive also in Italy, allowing all people to know useful information before plunging into traffic.