Step aside Google Maps! Let Moovit take you through the Mumbai madness

Photo credit: Rajarshi Mitra

When millions of Indians set out for their destination by public transport every morning, a battle begins.

They jostle crowds at train stations, wait patiently for buses that are off schedule, get swallowed by traffic jams, and feel lucky if they get a rickety old seat to rest on or enough space to breathe while they stand. It can be a bumpy ride all the way.

Moovit is used by 30 million people in over 800 cities across the world.

But what if these travelers could beat the system? What if other riders could help them discover the fastest and smoothest commute? What if they got live updates on their phone?

Public transportation app Moovit has landed in Mumbai to help ordinary people do exactly that.

“Rather than waiting for a delayed bus or not knowing when it might finally arrive, Moovit provides the latest information on when your bus is arriving and when you should leave your home or office to get to the station on time,” Alex Mackenzie Torres, the CMO, tells Tech In Asia.

Moovit is used by 30 million people in over 800 cities across the world and is translated into 40 languages worldwide. Since its launch in Bangalore last October, it has notched up 95,000 users in India.

“Moovit provides more accurate and live information regarding timing and routes than is otherwise publicly available,” says Alex.

How Moovit can work fast

Moovit is a free, local transit planner. It features live arrival and departure times, updated line schedules, local station maps, service alerts, and advisories that affect public transit trips – all with the help of a community of other riders.

It combines information from public transport operators with live updates from users. Travelers can also send active reports about their travel experience such as bus congestion levels and cleanliness. “The power of Moovit stems from our community of riders around the world,” says Alex.

You can use the trip planner on Moovit to review the most convenient routes for a trip later that day or even next month. The live directions feature tells you exactly when to expect a bus and even sends a notification on when your bus stop is approaching.

Mumbai ahoy

New directions