Planning a bus trip from Lebanon to Lancaster, Reading, or Harrisburg just got easier.
PennDOT announced in a Jan. 8 press release that Pennsylvania’s new transit tracking system is fully operational across all fixed-route transit agencies in the state, excluding SEPTA and Pittsburgh Regional Transit, which maintain their own tracking systems.
In a $32.6 million initiative that began in March 2018, the Fixed Route Intelligent Transportation System (FRITS) was deployed at 33 transit agencies across 41 Pennsylvania counties. FRITS was implemented at Lebanon Transit in December 2023.
“The implementation of FRITS has played a critical role in assessing our routes as we were able to gather ridership at specific stops and improve our schedules,” said Lebanon Transit executive director Angela Luciotti in a statement.
Local riders can access real-time bus information through multiple platforms, including Google Maps, the myStop mobile app, and Lebanon Transit’s desktop portal at realtime.lebanontransit.org/InfoPoint. The system provides live updates on bus locations, passenger counts, and arrival times.
“Customers can locate the bus and see if it’s running late, and how full the bus is, which has allowed us to provide great customer service,” Luciotti said.
The system also enables dispatch to monitor all routes with live statistics about passenger counts and vehicle locations.
Similar tracking services are available for neighboring transit systems, including rabbittransit in Dauphin County, Red Rose Transit in Lancaster County, and BARTA in Berks County.
The myStop Mobile app offers additional features such as trip planning, customizable alerts, and the ability to save frequent routes. Users can create free accounts to access the enhanced services.
“Lebanon Transit is very thankful and appreciative of PennDOT’s continued commitment to improve transportation for its agencies as well as the passengers who rely on public transportation,” Luciotti added.
The statewide system, developed by State College-based Avail Technologies, represents the first comprehensive transit tracking implementation of its kind in the nation.
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