This one is for al l my people in Etobicoke, Scarborough, Brampton, to Pickering and beyond … (not Woodbridge residents though… I don’t feel bad for you guys).
For all my fellow commuters, this one is for you.
I know what it’s like to wake up at 5am for an 8:00 tutorial that includes over an hour of travel time. Yes, my commuters, I salute you and your decision to just stay in bed and review the notes once they are posted on Blackboard. For those of you who are no longer satisfied with only showing up for quizzes and exams, here is your Commuter Survival Guide Series.
Trust me, no one understand you like I do.
Part 1: Download These Apps
1. CP24
The CP24 app is ideal for both commuters who take publicĀ transportationĀ and those who drive into the downtown core. It offers up to the moment updates on the city’s breaking news, 5-day weather forecasts andĀ Beat the Traffic delay information and traffic camera images covering the GTA.
2. Go Transit Companion
Yes, it does exactly what you think it does – locates all of the GO transit stops near you, notifies you of any delays to theĀ schedule and keeps you up to date on all Union station platform information. As if that wasn’t enough, the app will also be “entertaining you through twitter feeds“… yeah, they should have stopped while they were ahead.
3. Ryerson University Mobile
Although many would agree that there are a few crucial features missing, such as… uhhh, I dunno BLACKBOARD; the Ryerson app is a great tool for all students and specifically commuters. The app allows you to look up books in the school library catalogue, put required readings on hold and book a study room in the library in advance all from the comfort of your home.
You can also check up on any Ryerson news and access a campus map. I couldn’t tell you how many times that I’veĀ showedĀ up 40 minutes lates to a group assignment meeting because I had no clue where the Monetary Times Building was … or that it even existed for that matter. With the map feature on Ryerson Mobile, you can plan theĀ quickestĀ routes to get to a campus building from the subway.
4. Rocket Radar
This is by far my favourite iPhone app. It started as an app that detected the nearest streetcar via GPS and counted down the minutes until it arrived at your stop. Now, Rocket Radar can predict the arrival time of any TTC bus and streetcar viaĀ satellite. This is especially helpful since it’s getting colder; RR let’s you know that you have the extra 6 minutes to run to Timmy’s for an early morning coffee.
Look out for more upcoming commuter survival tips – Part 2: Online Assistants
What are some of your commuter survival tips?
