The next time you take the trip on the train over the Ben Franklin Bridge you can keep up to date with what’s going on with the transit authority you are using.
On Tuesday, the Delaware River Port Authority announced its new mobile “Ride PATCO” site specifically geared to be used by smartphone and mobile device users. The new site features special schedule alerts, the latest tweets from @RidePATCO and info on station access.
“Our new mobile site puts a lot more information about the PATCO system in the palms of customers’ hands,” said DRPA Acting CEO John Hanson. “Over time, we will use the mobile site to provide even more up-to-date information to customers in PATCO stations, on PATCO trains and on PATCO platforms.”
PATCO has come under fire recently for not always keeping passengers abreast of developments on the train.
Back in February, smoke began to fill two PATCO cars as they traveled from Philadelphia to Camden, N.J. over the Ben Franklin Bridge. Passengers claimed they were left in the dark with little to no information on what was happening before they were then slowly evacuated from the train over the course of an hour.
Other PATCO problems including passengers stranded on platforms with no train in sight and escalators not working led frustrated passengers to turn to Twitter where @PATCOWatchers began tweeting real-time information about PATCO service.
PATCO hopes the new mobile site could help clear up some of the communication woes.
“We are committed to improving the PATCO customer experience, and we believe the new mobile website represents an important step toward providing the outstanding service our customers deserve,” Hanson said.
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