An update of the official Colgate app features up-to-the-minute information about the Cruisers, providing students an easy way to see exactly where the buses are and where they are headed.
The new functionality, which also provides key information about bus routes and their stops, can be accessed from any Android or iOS mobile device, as well as desktop computers.
“We are proud of our long-standing relationship with the university, and pleased to deliver this GPS-based technology that we believe will provide a better experience for students and other Cruiser riders,” said Tim Birnie, president of Birnie Bus Service Inc., the company that has managed the Cruisers since 2001.
The updated university app also now provides access to the university libraries. Users can search the library catalog and check their personal accounts through the app, as well as reach out to librarians for assistance through texts, e-mail, or phone.
THE DETAILS
New users: Don’t have the app downloaded yet? Well, now is the time. Visit the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.
Current users: You will be required during the next few days to update, or, better yet, do it right now. Visit the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.
Alumni: Download or update the app, and then use the My Edition section to access the new home screen that has content just for you. Visit the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.
There is improved navigation throughout, and new home-screen options. The default “edition,” called Campus, is primarily for students, faculty, and staff. It includes a wide range of options including access to the portal and Moodle, a more robust calendar, dining menus, and facility hours.
A second home screen has been added to better serve alumni. This edition includes quick ways to view the alumni mobile directory, campus webcams, Colgate Scene stories, alumni-specific events, ColgateX courses, and more.
Users can toggle between the different home screens by tapping the My Edition section of the app.
Birnie Bus collaborated on the Cruiser project with the university for several months, conducting a thorough review of several technologies before selecting DoubleMap, a company that works with numerous transit fleets and university bus systems.
Members of the Student Government Association met with Birnie and university administrators to review and share feedback about the updated Cruiser module.
“I think the new app capabilities are an incredibly positive step forward for improving the Cruiser system as a whole,” said John Lee, SGA vice president. “We’ve also been working with Birnie Bus to update Cruiser routes to make it more convenient for students and to shorten route times.”