Making Train Delay Information More Accessible Via Text Messaging
The Altamont Commuter Express train crosses Altamont Pass in California. Sumikophoto / Shutterstock.com
In California, Altamont Commuter Express passengers have a new tool to plan their trip.
SAN JOSE, Calif. — For transit riders, information is power. And for rail passengers there’s nothing more frustrating than rushing to a station to catch a train and finding out that it’s delayed.
Instead of waiting around at the station, that time could have been better spent.
Some Northern California commuters have a new tool to access current schedule information and better plan their time in case their train is delayed.
Last week, the Altamont Commuter Express commuter rail service, which connects San Jose’s busy multi-modal Diridon Station with the city of Stockton, more than two hours away to the northeast in California’s Central Valley over Altamont Pass, introduced a new text-messaging program that allows passengers easier access to current train service information.
“Our goal was to provide our existing and future ridership with tools to receive real-time train updates on a multi-platform system,” Stacey Mortensen, executive director of the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission, said in a statement. “We are excited that we can add automated text responses to the already established interactive train map and email/text alerts.”
The new text-messaging service leverages ETA Transit’s SPOT system and GovDelivery, a digital outreach platform geared for government.
Here’s how it works, according to ACE:
Receive text messages on ACE train status’ to your desired departing station. Simply text ‘468311’ and in the body of the text message type one of the listed station short code commands.
Once you send the text message, you will receive a text message back with information on all ACE trains and how many minutes until they reach your desired station. Make sure to save ‘468311’ to your contacts for quick reference.
ACE offers four roundtrip trains per day between San Jose and Stockton.
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