TFI Live - Real Time Transport Planner App

The TFI app is quite a disaster compared to similar apps available in the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland.

I got an email from the NTA on Thursday about Beta Testing of the TFI Live app. It said that testing had been delayed but they would be in touch shortly with details.

Again, as I mentioned in another thread there was a serious with the Dublin Bus RTPI system for several weeks recently as, due to a software glitch, it was only displaying the scheduled times rather than applying the predictive times to the GPS position of the bus.

It was resolved last week and appears to be working normally once again.

When did they send out the Beta app for testing?

Didn’t see any emails about it.

Ah it’s the Android version! No bother.

Nothing in the iPhone App Store yet.

One would hope that the DB app will continue for the moment, given the ongoing reliability of information issues with the TFI apps.

Even this morning they were giving incorrect information for the route I was on, displaying the scheduled arrival for certain buses instead of the actual live times. Meanwhile the DB app was correct.

This is still a real problem with the TFI app.

That’s a downgrade if the delay isn’t shown. The iPhone version is live now too on the App Store so I will try it out later

They do have a list of things they’re working on:

The old app never showed "delayed" time in Limerick.

One trick I noticed on the new one is (scheduled). On the old app any bus route I use without the GPS symbol was not to be trusted. On the new app any bus that says (scheduled) is probably cancelled.

The new app from the limited time I have used it is the exact same. Doesn't address any of the problems I had with the old one.

A lot of those issues would likely be down to the actual systems used by the bus companies, and won’t be addressed until completely new systems are implemented.

I downloaded it today and can't get my head around some of its features.

My initial feedback is that there is too much info on the screen. I just want to check on the status of my bus. Is it late? When actually is it due. That's all really. I don't want to know about walking distance between X and Y. I don't want train timetables, just the bloody bus.

Does anyone know if you can rename a favourite? (Mind you I found it difficult to find and log in my favourites in the first palace. It also took ages to load. The old TFI app it came up immediately.

The search features look pretty clear on my phone:

And

I agree, the new app is not intuitive at all. Dublin Bus app design is horrible, but even that it better than the new TFI app's design which says it all.

Seems that it wasn't discussed with the potential users, nor tested for a better user experience. It's just made for the purpose of the functionality, but design sadly wasn't a part of consideration. This app is still much worse than the Trafi, Moovit or Citymapper even 7 years ago. To be honest, someone who designed it doesn't have experience in public transport.

Colour scheme is boring. Lack of map integration. Poor use of screen space. App has no future. User has to be a technical thinker rather than a visual person for this app which is a terrible approach for this type of an app. Very bad start.

I find Trafi to be spot on. Moovit too man ads. Citymapper is a fun to use app. Google maps is a great basics for a quick look up for the journey options.

Just have a look my other mentioned apps and you will understand what I mean about the user friendliness, map, colours and everything else. TFI Live new app with design and functionality is still behind by at least 5 years! (realistically, 10 years, but I'm just trying to be lenient and positive here). This app is not good and only people who haven't used alternative apps can be happy about this poor app.

Downloaded it this evening to my iPhone 11. There is something unintuitive and dull about the design alright, it certainly isn't attempting anything cutting edge or novel, it looks like something a hobbyist developer would have produced 10 years ago.

When you tap on a stop in your Favourites list to open it and then tap the left-pointing arrow icon at the top-left of the screen which everyone in the world knows means take me back to the previous screen, it takes you to the Departures screen. WTF?

You can rename a Favourite stop when first saving it but apparently not edit the name once you've created the Favourite. Why the limitation? There's an item menu right there attached to it in the Favouritrs list but no Rename option on the menu.

But the biggest complaint I have is the size/style of the font on the list screens. I can barely read this damn thing. Are TFI aware of the EU Web Accessibility Directive? Did they test it against all screen sizes?

The app is nationwide.

Three words: National Transport Authority.

To get the live positions for Dublin City:

• Go to timetables
• Enter the route number
• Select the direction you require
• Click on “Map”
• All the buses on that route in your chosen direction will appear as green symbols on the map.

It’s very simple.

When I checked my bus must have been stopped at the train station. I thought that's what the green symbol was 🤦

Just had a look and no live bus showing on my map now on my route.

The live GPS position really only works with any degree of reliability with Dublin City bus services.

Bus Éireann live positions are a bit more hit and miss.

One would hope that when the new multi-operator control system comes in that this will improve.