17 September 2012

Media Statement

 

METRORAIL GOES MOBI

Metrorail Western Cape is proud to announce a new mobile information service to its commuters. As part of the region’s ‘Programme of Action’ (PoA) service improvement initiative, Metrorail Western Cape has partnered with a young South African technology start-up company, mobi.lity, to launch GoMetro.

The mobile website, a digital resource for commuters, goes public in two phases. The initial service provides train timetables, schedule changes, service updates and other news to commuters; the final phase will provide a real-time, up to the minute train schedules and associated platform changes. The fully-fledged service will have specifically tailored software linked to the train schedules to automatically provide real-time timetable deviations.

With the new service in its current format, commuters can already access easy-to-use train schedules, a trip planner and fare calculator on www.gometro.co.za. General information like route maps, terms & conditions of travel, tourist & business services are also on hand. The site is regularly updated with changes to the scheduled service, reflects average delays per service corridor and daily maintenance programme. Mthuthuzeli Swartz, Metrorail regional manager, says a recent survey confirmed that 92% of regional rail commuters have mobile phones and can benefit from this new service: ‘Whether at home, work, in a train or at a station, customers now have instant access to information’.

GoMetro allows the commuter to take control of their transport experience, by providing a mobile travel companion. As added value services, GoMetro also offers commuters an opportunity to keep up with the news, be entertained and read about sport via the ENTERTAINMENT and MEDIA channel.  Justin Coetzee, founder of GoMetro, believes that GoMetro puts Metrorail Western Cape on a par with transportation services around the world.  The next few months will provide commuters with the opportunity to test the service in its current format.

Coetzee says his team welcomes feedback to enable them to improve the final product: ‘We encourage commuters to test the service and to provide feedback via the FEEDBACK channel on the site’.

He admits that as a regular Metrorail commuter himself, he was frustrated by the lack of a mobile tool that would tell him when the next train would arrive: ‘Since there was no mobile tool in the market to provide this type of information, my team and I developed it ourselves. The final product will provide real-time Metrorail train departure times to smart phones and feature-phones.’

Johan van Wyk, Marketing Executive of Bridge Loans says: ‘Bridge got involved with Metrorail because both Bridge and Metrorail strive for excellence and connect people - whether to other places, people or money. In addition both companies act as a gateway for people to a better quality of life.’

GoMetro will work on all types of phones, both smart phones and feature phones – any phone with internet access, can find GoMetro. Simply access the phone’s internet browser, type in www.gometro.co.za and enjoy the experience of information at ones fingertips.

The fully-fledged service is scheduled to be ready early 2013.

End

Issued by

METRORAIL Western Cape