MATBUS’ mobile app has new competition rolling into the App Store.

BusTracker, an app built by tech company Thiken, was released in early January. Since its launch for iOS it has had over 500 downloads.

“The app is quite easy to use, simply add the location of your bus stop in the search bar and then select the bus stop that is closest to you,” Shehan Navarathne, an intern at Thiken, said.

The bus stops and buses that run through campus are included on the app.

After selecting the bus desired, a little bus icon is shown moving along its route in real time and an estimate time of arrival is also given at the bottom of the screen.

The buses are tracked in real time using a GPS tracker located on the bus.

“I personally believe that this is an app that would be enormously beneficial for NDSU students that ride the bus during the harsh winter,” said Navarathne.

The app was created through Thiken and was created by Kalith Kumasaru, Pasindu Withanage, and Pavithra Lamahewa, all of whom were North Dakota State graduate students at the time the app was created. The company itself was created by NDSU alumni.

The app tracks all MATBUS buses in the Fargo-Moorhead area as well as all the stops they make.

The BusTracker app differs from the MATBUS mobile website because the MATBUS app uses Google Maps to track the buses and doesn’t send a notification when the bus is close. BusTracker uses a built-in map created by the developers, which allows a faster app and tracking process.

Notifications can be set up so users are notified their bus will be arriving soon and can set how much time before the bus arrives they you want to be notified.

“I use it all the time, it saves me so much time from having to stand outside in the cold,” Navarathne said.

To download the app search BusTracker Fargo-Moorhead. The app is free to download and use.

An Android version of the app is expected to be available within the coming months.