Trying to pull up local bus or light-rail information on a smart phone used to be a nightmare. The problem: Web-based schedules and trip planners made to be viewed on computers did not work in mobile-phone browsers. There was no app for that, either. But this is changing. Local developers have figured out ways for smart phone users to find Metro Transit bus and train info with a few finger taps and in formats for small screens. Some developers have created applications for Apple's iPhone with names such as Train Brain and TopStop. Others have focused on making transit data Web-friendly so the information is easier to find, read and bookmark in the browser of an iPhone, Motorola Droid or Palm Pre. Metro Transit's own NexTrip online service is now a lot more smart phone-friendly, too. These developments are a big deal for reasons that go beyond making life for commuters more convenient. Government data, including public transit data, is becoming increasingly accessible to the public in forms that can be analyzed and adapted easily for consumer use.
News Source : - http://www.twincities.com/