HRT Launches Google Transit

October 5th, 2007

Starting today, HRT will become the only transit agency in Virginia to be incorporated in the Google Transit system. HRT’s partnership with Google Transit, a service provided by internet search engine Google, will provide riders with a free web-based trip planning tool that is available through goHRT.com. With this innovative system, riders can enter their origin and destination online and receive a detailed itinerary using public transportation.

When Google launched the system last year, it gave transit agencies another option for providing the software at no cost. HRT’s partnership with Google saved the agency approximately $200,000, the typical cost associated with the trip planning software and implementation.

In addition to being able to plan a trip online without the confusion of paper schedules, Google Transit will also inform riders of the estimated time it will take to walk to the bus stop, the cost of the entire trip, as well as savings incurred from using public transit instead of driving.

Google Transit was launched in early 2006 first serving the Portland, Oregon metro area. It has since grown to include nine states, including California, Florida, Hawaii, and Texas as well as all regional and national rail networks in Japan. The new trip planner is available at goHRT.com or Google.com/transit.