Metrorail Eastern Cape has partnered with a South African technology start-up company, to launch GoMetro – a digital resource for the 40 000 train users of East London and Port Elizabeth.
The mobile website delivers train schedules, updates, announcements and other important information to the commuter – all via their mobile phone. The service is not just for smartphones, but will work with any phone that has an internet connection. This service will eventually replace the SMS line that is currently in place in the Eastern Cape.
Currently, commuters can use their mobile phone browsers to go to www.gometro.co.za. There they can access easy-to-use train schedules, a trip planner and fare calculator as well as General Information like line maps and Terms and Conditions. Updates detailing delays or breaks in service will be posted regularly from the Metrorail Control Centre.
Go Metro allows the commuter to take control of their transport experience, by providing a mobile travel companion. All delays or changes to the published train schedules will be updated immediately so the commuter will always know where they stand and how to plan their movements. As safety and security is always a top priority for Metrorail, the Go Metro service will assist the commuter to plan their train travel and arrive safely at their destination.
In line with Metrorail’s vision of teamwork and working with their customers, commuters are encouraged to provide feedback on the service via the FEEDBACK channel on the site, to improve the customer experience.
Richard Walker, regional manager, confirms that the lack of readily available passenger information has been a longstanding concern amongst commuters: ‘An analysis of customer concerns and feedback indicate the need for instant access to timetables, fares and other travel information – which our customers can now readily access on their mobiles’.
Justin Coetzee, founder of Go Metro, believes that Go Metro puts Metrorail Eastern Cape on a par with transportation services around the world. He said, “After implementing the system in the Western Cape and Gauteng, we are very excited about bringing this essential service to the commuters of the Eastern Cape – real-time public transport information that puts the commuter directly in touch with Metrorail’s Control Centre operators. As a regular Metrorail commuter, I wanted a mobile tool that would tell me what time my train would be at my platform. In the last 18 months, we have developed a mobi-site that provides real-time Metrorail train departure times to smartphones and feature-phone.”
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Go Metro will work on all types of phones, both smartphones and feature phones – so if your phone can access the internet, you can access Go Metro. To find Go Metro on your phone – simply access your internet browser and type in www.gometro.co.za and enjoy the experience of information at your fingertips.
