This document describes the components of your myStop® passenger information website and myStop® phone apps. It will walk you through creating an account, and how to use the built-in menus for selecting routes and stops. You'll see how to navigate the map, use the trip planner features, set alerts, and see how to use the public messages for agency updates and service adjustments.
Here you can find information on how to download the myStop® phone app to your iPhone or smartphone, create an account to set recurring alerts and receive text messages for stop departures or arrivals, and more. You'll also see how to send feedback, change your password, set quiet times, and many other useful tasks.
A high-level diagram of how information is captured and sent to real-time information on your myStop® applications:
Passenger Information Website
Creating an Account and Logging In
First, locate the agency URL (the myStop® application website).
Example: https://agencyname.mystop.com/
Clicking on the Log In Here button in the top right-hand corner of the page will display a popup asking for your login credentials:
If you have already registered an account, you can enter your email address and password and click login:
If you have not registered an account, clicking on the Sign up here link at the bottom of the popup will allow you to do so. Enter a valid email address and a password twice to confirm the accuracy and click register:
After clicking register, you will receive a verification code via email to confirm the email address being used. You will also see this popup confirmation:
After you receive your verification code in your email, you will need to enter the code into the Email Verification box in the textbox to complete your registration.
Main Screen
When you log in to the myAvail Passenger Information website, the screen will look like this:
The left side of the screen contains a menu for Routes, Stops, Trip Planner, Set Alert, and Public Service Messages. The rest of the screen displays a detailed map of the service area.
The Full Screen button, located at the top left of the page, allows you to expand/ collapse the menus on the left. Clicking on 'Full Screen' removes the menus, to only display the routes you selected to display on the map.
The Feedback button, also located at the top left of the page, allows you to send feedback to an internal agency email: Include your name, email address, and comments, and then click send it. The agency will receive your feedback via an agency email account.
Clicking the Bookmark button and then the Click here link allows you to bookmark the current page. When bookmarked, it will include any routes you have selected.
The Map Layers filter allows you to pick what details you want to show or hide on the map: Busses, Route Traces, and Stops. Clicking the Apply Filter button will apply the picked details to the map.
To clear the settings click the Clear button.
The Map/Satellite view buttons allow you to toggle between the street or satellite views:
Routes
Use the menu on the left side of the screen to select the route/s you need. Each route has a name, number, and a specific color. When a specific route is selected, the trace of the route will appear on the map displaying each of its stops and the current location of the buses on that route.
When you select multiple routes from the menu, you will see the traces for each route displayed on the map.
TIP: Did you select the wrong route to display on the map? Simply click the route name again, from the menu on the left, to remove it from the map.
Location and Bus Status for the Route
Did you know that the map view can be adjusted? The map can be zoomed in or out by using the plus or minus buttons near the bottom right corner of the map or by adjusting the computer's mouse wheel.
You can also move the map in any direction by clicking and dragging. Dragging and dropping the 'Pegman' to a specific area on the map will adjust the zoom level to a street view.
If you drag the 'Pegman' over a specified area without letting go of the mouse button, you will see a thumbnail version of the selected street level.
To return from the street level view back to the main map view, click in the top right-hand corner.
After selecting a route, you will see any buses currently servicing the route displayed on the map as a bus icon, along with the current location on the route.
The Bus Bubble on the map may also show the > or < sign to indicate the vehicle's direction of travel.
Clicking on any bus bubble will open vehicle information for that bus. Alternatively, clicking on the route’s drop-down in the Menu will also show the number of the bus on that route. Selecting a bus number/ID will center the map on that bus and display its vehicle information in a popup:
The vehicle popup can show the following information:
- Bus Number & Route - When clicking the bus icon, the bus number will appear along with the current route the bus is assigned to. In this example, vehicle # 102 is traveling on the Blue Loop route, which is labeled as BL.
- Status - The status can be On Time or Late.
- Last Stop - This is the name of the last stop served, in this example, it is University Drive at Jordan Center Gate D.
- Destination - The destination line will provide you with the final trip destination. In this example, the destination is Blue Loop.
-
Direction - The direction specifies the direction of the current trip. In this example, the direction is Loop L.
- Possible directions: Inbound I, Outbound O, Loop L, Northbound N, Southbound S, Eastbound E, Westbound W
- OnBoard Count -This is the number of riders currently on board the bus.
- Last Updated - The time this information/popup was updated.
Stops
You can find information about your bus stop either by expanding the Stops menu (shown below) or by locating it on the map after you've selected its route. Then simply click on its location/ the stop circle:
Here's how: Choose the route you need first, from the menu on the left, then open the Stops menu:
You will see the list of all the stops that are included for the routes you selected. The stops will be listed in alpha-numeric order, not in the order in which they are serviced.
Selecting a specific stop from the list will highlight that location/ centering the map on the chosen stop. In addition, it will display service information for that stop. Stop locations are indicated by grey circles and blue clocks on the map. These provide schedule adherence updates.
Click on the stop on the map to view details for service at that location in a popup:
The Stop popup can show the following information:
- Stop Name and Number - This is the name of the selected stop. The example above shows that the stop selected is located at East Halls at Curtin Hall, which is stop #155.
- Scheduled Departures - The selected stop will provide you with the upcoming service from this location: Route(s), Direction(s), and Bus number(s). The example above shows that the stop is for the BL/ Blue Loop, the traveling direction is Loop, and the bus servicing the route is #102. If there are additional routes that service that stop but they are not currently selected on the left-hand side, there will be an ‘other routes’ button that the user can click to display the additional routes.
- Vehicle Number/ID on Route - The selected stop will show the vehicle Id that is currently servicing the route. Clicking on the vehicle number will center the map on that vehicle to show its location. In the example above the vehicle number is #102.
- SDT - This is the Scheduled Departure Time for the vehicle to leave the stop. This timestamp includes a clickable link. Select the link to create a notification for yourself for that departure. Use Set Alert to set a reminder that will alert you when a specific bus will be departing the selected stop.
- EDT - Use the EDT, Estimated Departure Time, to see how the vehicle is performing in real-time to plan your trips accordingly. Using the EDT is very useful for riders because vehicles may run late, be stuck in traffic, etc. The EDT accounts for this and provides you with a realistic time of departure. Here is an example:
In the above screenshot, two of the stops are estimated to be on time, so the SDT and EDT are the same. The first departure time shows the SDT and EDT as different, as the vehicle is running 5 minutes late.
Smart Search
The Smart Search allows you to search for a specific stop or route by typing in a portion of the desired name or number at the top of the routes or stops window.
Filter Option
Within the list of stops the MyAvail Passenger Information view is equipped with a filter option to allow you to customize your searches and the stops being displayed. You will see a little arrow icon located to the right of the magnifying glass in the search window. It is highlighted in yellow below:
Clicking this arrow will open the filter options and will allow you to modify your search based on the routes selected.
In the example below, the stops listed are Waupelani Dr, Vairo Boulevard, Blue Loop, and the Red Link routes. Clicking on the arrow icon gives options to choose from: Check the box to include or exclude certain stops on inbound trips only, outbound trips only, loop, or a combination. The user can also Select All or Deselect All routes and directions.
After clicking Apply Filter you will get a filtered list of stops. At this point, the word Active will appear next to the filter field. Clicking Clear next to this field will turn the filter off.
Note that if no routes are selected, the stop search feature will search through all stops in the system.
Trip Planner
myStop® passenger information tools include a trip planning feature for riders. The trip planner is linked to Google Maps and will map out your desired trip for you.
After entering your trip information, simply click the button.
Google Transit trip planner will open in a separate browser window showing the details of your trip steps:
You will see route options, time on the bus, walking time, and trip cost. Fare and transfer costs will vary from agency to agency.
Set Alert
The Set Alert feature allows you to set reminders and have them sent to your email or cell phone.
TIP: If you haven't created an account for myStop, you can set a One-time Alert. If you have an account, which is preferable for rider ease, you can set alerts for email and/or phone texts for all service you rely on.
The reminders will alert riders when a specific bus will depart from a selected stop. This feature allows you to select a specific time range of departure and when you would like to be notified.
As you can see from the example below, you can select the method of notification by clicking on the desired option (Email or Text Message). The text message option is only available to customers with an account through the MyAvail Passenger Information website who are logged in to their account.
This example shows that a rider wants to be notified 10 minutes before a bus traveling on the Inbound Tussey Mountain route will depart from the Bear Meadows Rd at Meadow Lark Lane stop. The Set Alert feature also lets you set notification intervals to remind a rider every set number of minutes until the bus departs from the selected stop.
The One-time Alert button allows the user to set just a one-time alert. The My Subscriptions button leads the user to the My Subscription Tab
where they can subscribe to regular route-specific messages or public announcements.
Public Services Messages
The Public Service Messages section shows the list of such messages as detours, reduced service, weather conditions, promotional events, community events, etc. You can see the list of messages for the Selected Routes, My Routes or All Messages. The number next to the drop-down indicates the total amount of messages.
- All Messages displays both general and route-specific messages.
- Selected Routes displays only the route-specific messages for routes that the user has selected in the My Subscription tab/Routes section of myStop®.
- My Routes displays only the route-specific messages for routes that the user has selected in their profile. My Routes is available only when the user is logged into their account.
My Subscriptions Tab
There are many advantages to creating your own myStop® account. For example, on the My Subscriptions tab in your account, you can subscribe to other types of messages, such as Route specific messages and public Announcements.
Routes
Select a route from the menu ( shown below) and click + to add it to your subscriptions. Checking the Subscribe to route messages checkbox will provide specific updates for the route. You can even set up departure subscriptions for stop, time of day, and day(s) of the week. Be sure to 'Save' your changes and categories:
Click Add Subscription to save Route subscription settings:
To edit or delete current subscriptions use the Edit or Delete buttons
To add another subscription in the same Route, click the Add Subscription button:
To add a new subscription in a different route, click the Route drop-down, pick a different route, click + button, fill out the information, and click Save Changes. Then check the Subscribe to route messages checkbox.
Categories
Select the categories you wish to receive text messages about and click Save Categories to save your settings. The feature is not commonly used, but the system can populate the list with such message categories as Public, General, and Detours. Checking the Public Messages checkbox will allow you to receive alerts for your subscription(s) and be aware of any changes to routes operations.
Personal Info Tab
Text Message Alerts
In order to receive recurring text message alerts on your smartphone, you must first register an account for myStop® and Login.
to your account to set the alerts up. After setting up an account, you can register your phone number to receive text message alerts. In addition, you can set Quiet Times for times that you do not want to receive any notifications.
To receive text messages instead of emails, the user must first verify their phone number by clicking on the Phone verification link. On the next popup enter your phone number, check the terms and conditions, and click Send Access Code.
When the access code is received, enter it into the ‘access code’ box and click the Verify access code button.
You will see the popup below if the phone number was verified successfully:
You may now begin using SMS notifications. Click on Go back to profile link. To enable notifications on your phone, check the Text Message checkbox.
After you have set up all notification choices in your profile, click the Save button to confirm your information.
Change Password
If you wish to change your password, click on the Change Password link located on the Personal Info tab and enter your current and new passwords, click Change password:
TIP: Passwords do not have an expiry, so resets are not required.
Delete Account
To delete your account, click on the Delete Account link located on the Personal Info tab.
Then confirm you wish to delete your account in the pop-up that displays:
Privacy Policy
If you want to review the privacy policy, click on the Privacy Policy link located at the bottom of the Personal Info tab, it will open the Private Policy details.
myStop® Mobile Application
The myStop® mobile app puts real-time bus information and trip planning in your hands. It allows quick and easy access to vehicle location and schedule information for over 39 public transit agencies throughout the United States, spanning from Florida to California, Alaska, and beyond.
The myStop® phone apps bring you great performance and usability with the same enhanced features mentioned above for the myStop® webpage. You can use it for your trip planning needs via a Google search, quick access to service alerts, integrated email and text notifications, navigation to the nearest stop, real-time graphical bus tracking, bus capacity information, and much more.
Setting Up the myStop® Mobile Application
In your phone app store, search for the myStop® app by Avail Technologies:
Download the app to your smartphone. When you open the app you will see the following welcome screen:
Tap Continue.
Tap Continue.
Tap Grant GPS Access to enable your location as recognized. The app asks for GPS access so the software can filter agencies by proximity to you.
You can opt-out of your location by tapping Don’t Allow or Skip. If you opt-out, the myStop® app will not be able to properly filter information by location.
The app will ask you to select your preferred transit authority. You can also search for one in the Search field and select it.
TIP: Agencies that use myStop® will display in the menu.
After making your selection, simply tap Done:
You've made it to the myStop main screen!
Main Screen
The main screen displays a detailed map of the service area you selected and the following features:
| Main Menu | |
| Favorite Stops | |
| Map/Satellite View | |
| Your Location | |
| View service adjustments, such as weather alerts, etc. |
Main Menu
When you press the Main Menu button, you'll see the following:
Real-Time Info - Takes you back to the map.
All Stops - Shows a list of all available stops. Use the Search field to type either the stop ID or stop name to find your location. Stops will load in a menu according to proximity:
When a stop is selected, a screen with detailed information about that stop will appear. You can favorite it by tapping the star at the top right corner. You can also add a notification for it by tapping the bell icon.
Feedback - Use this area to leave some comments and feedback. Add your name, email address, and comments, then select Submit Feedback. The agency will receive your feedback via an agency email account.
Settings - Allows you to adjust your settings for Accessibility Mode, Map Provider, Transit Data, or Advanced Settings.
TIP: The Accessibility Mode provides audible prompts for passengers with visual impairments.
Favorite Stops
Tapping the icon will show you Favorite Stops list.
If you haven't saved any favorite stops, you can do so at any time by first selecting a stop from the map (All Stops menu), then simply tapping the star for that stop.
Map/Satellite Views
You can toggle between the default map view and a satellite view
Tap the button to update your view to a satellite view of the map:
Tap it again to return to the default map view.
Your Location
Tap the button to zoom in on your selected area on the map.
View Service Alerts
On the main screen, tap the button to view any service alerts listed from the agency. You may see weather conditions, detours, special events, modified or additional services. Service alerts have different priority levels: Low, Medium, and High:
Routes
On the main screen, tap the Select Routes field at the bottom. The next screen will show the list of available routes. Each route has its name, number, and a specific color.
Locate the route that you desire and check it in the list:
Swipe this list down, to display the map itself on the screen. You will see the routes you selected on the map. Each route will display its stops and the current location of any vehicles servicing the route.
If you have selected multiple routes, you will notice that the traces for each of the routes will be shown:
If you chose the wrong route or want to remove what you have selected, simply un-check the route in the list and the map will update accordingly.
Location and Bus Status on the Route
After selecting a route, you will see the location of the vehicles servicing the route displayed on the map in real time.
TIP: The map can be zoomed in or out by pinching your fingers outward or inward on your touch screen. You can also move the map by dragging it in any direction.
After selecting a route, any buses currently traveling that route will appear on the map as a 'bus bubble' icon (shown above). The icon may also show the > or < sign, which specifies the vehicle direction of travel, to assist in your trip planning.
Tapping on a 'bus bubble' will open the vehicle's service information, shown below:
The Bus Number & Route - When tapping the bus icon, the bus number will appear along with the current route the bus is assigned to. In this example, bus # 100 is traveling on the Blue Loop Route, which is labeled as BL.
Status - The status can be On Time or Late.
Last Stop - This is the name of the last stop served, in this example, it is Hastings Rd at Forest Research Lab.
On Board Count - This is the number of people on board the bus.
Last Updated - The time this information was updated.
Stops
You can find information about your bus stop by tapping the stop circle on the map:
Stop Name and Number - The stop window will show the name of the stop selected and the stop number. The example above shows that the stop selected is located at Pollock Rd at Millennium Science Com, which is stop #55.
Next Departures From Stop - The selected stop will provide you with the upcoming routes and stops, time to that stop.
Star - Tapping the star icon would put this stop in the list of your favorite stops.
Bell - Tapping the bell icon will open another window where the user will be able to set a notification alert for that stop. Fill out how many minutes before you wanted to be notified, departure times, how you wish to receive the alert: by text or email, your phone number, and select
Add a notification to save the alert:
Trip Planning
On the main screen tapping the Trip Planning button will open the Trip Planner window that will help you map out your desired trip:
After entering 'From' and 'To' information, tap the Get Directions button. Google Transit Trip Planner will open in a separate window showing the details of your trip:
You will see route options, travel and walking time, departure time, length/ time of the trip, and cost. Fare and transfer information will vary from agency to agency.
Set Alert
The Set Alert feature allows you to set reminders and have them sent to your email or cell phone (create a myStop® account from the web to receive recurring alerts). The reminders will alert you when a specific bus will depart from a selected stop. This feature allows you to select a specific time range of departure and when you would like to be notified.
- Find the route and the stop on the map
- Click the Bell icon next to the Departure you need:
Fill out how many minutes before you want to be notified and the start/end times:
Set up the amount of time you want the app to notify you by- for the vehicle's scheduled depart time from the stop- in a set of minutes. This allows you to prepare for its departure, in advance, as you'll get a notification text:
- Fill out how you wish to receive the alert: by text or email.
Note: The text message option is only available to customers who have an account for Avail's myStop® applications and are logged in. - Fill out your phone number and select Add Notification to save the alert.
Receive Text Alerts
In addition to subscription alerts, there is the ability to text a stop number to a specific ‘short code’ to receive a return text of the next departure times for the requested stop. The short code number is 321123.
Text ‘Stop #XXX’ to 321123 and the system will text you back the departure information for that stop.