The current state of DRT Mobile
DRT Mobile development has currently been suspended. I have chosen to do this after several successful years providing transit goers with Durham Region Transit bus schedules. The android app has proven useful over the years but moving forward into more dynamic and real-time GPS tracked bus operations, DRT Mobile has somewhat become obsolete and not as useful. I even find myself using other apps rather than using my own app. The number of installs on active devices reached a peak in October 2016 and then I've seen a rapid decline to a number that would suggest people are no longer using the app. For this reason, I figure it's the best time to retire the app before the negative reviews start pouring in.
The future of DRT Mobile
I have chosen to unpublish the app from the Google Play store until at some point I decide to release a revamped version. As it stands right now, I have no plans to revamp DRT Mobile. I think there are currently a sufficient amount of next generation mobile apps that support Durham Region Transit's GTFS open data feed and having another app in the mix would only continue to flood the market with transit apps that all do pretty much the same thing. Plus, given the dynamic nature of the bus schedule and DRT changing the schedules fairly often, this puts a lot of pressure on me to keep on top of their changes and adding them to DRT Mobile. So, this increased dynamic nature of the schedule, a plethora of similar apps, and the fact that DRT Mobile hasn't changed much in almost seven years, I have decided it's best to bench the project for the time being.
Looking back on DRT Mobile and it's success
What I set out to do back in 2010 was to fulfill a need for a mobile app for Durham Region Transit. There wasn't an app at the time and there were only paper leaflets with schedules on them and PDF files (very confusing ones) online. The success of the app was merely a result of the need for a mobile app. Originally, I had to plot out bus stops and collect data manually for the app. Eventually Durham Region Transit caught on to this need for an official app and they decided to partner with other transit agencies to create the TripLinx app. I think the TripLinx app has great potential via it's partnership with Durham Region Transit and with the guaranteed accuracy and also real-time data it will be much more reliable than anything I can currently produce.
A special thanks to everyone
I would like to thank everyone who has written to me, made suggestions and supported the project over the years! It was a pleasure to correspond via email with a good number of you. Your feature suggestions and bug reports have helped make DRT Mobile a success. I hope you realize this is not me abandoning the community that has relied on the app. It's more a case of I don't think I can bring a quality app to everyone at a level of accuracy that a transit app should have. There are some other great apps out there and there's also Google Maps Trip Planner which integrates the GTFS data. I believe with DRT Mobile's support from everyone that wrote reviews and contacted Durham Region Transit on my behalf was definitely instrumental in getting Durham Region Transit's butt in gear to adapt their current open data policy and publish their GTFS data. Thanks again to everyone for your interest in the project and safe travels!
Here's a look back at some of the lovely comments and reviews you have made over the years. Thanks for your feedback!
Your app was invaluable to the DRT using customer. Accurate, easy to navigate, and extremely helpful. And best of all, it was unique to the DRT.
Please reconsider reinstating the app, as it will be sorely missed.
Regards,
Dan
PS. Can u suggest any other apps that would accurately reflect the DRT’s schedule?
Can you suggest a replacement?? I loved this app and am sad to see it go
Some of the apps I find are pretty decent are the MonTransit app and the Triplinx app but I find myself mostly using the Google Maps Trip Planner. I couldn’t find something setup like DRT Mobile though with all schedules viewed completely offline but I guess that’s just the nature of the way things are going. The schedules change too frequently now to keep on top of it and provide a 100% reliable app that works offline. Thanks for your comments guys
I used this daily right to the very end! It’s been indescribably helpful to me for years. Sincere thanks for all your hard work and dedication.
Loved this app used it everyday!! Very very sad to see it go possibly reconsider in a few months? Your app has saved me many times from being stranded in durham
Thank you Mark I am still one of the users of your app and have found it tremendous and helpful over the last 5+ years of using it. Thank you for your hard work and dedication. It has been instrumental in moving alot of Durham citizens
This app is still the best. I still love it. Even though it is not updated.
Please don’t give up on it.
You have helped me many times. I can’t count them. I still love it and use it.
Great job.
Thank you.
Greg