You can now easily check the status and location of the bus from your smartphone. I’ve setup a favorite from my Treo and it works quite well–just scroll to the bottom of the results page for the info. Here’s the full scoop from Scott at carfree ann arbor:

A while back we got the tip on AATA’s new RideTrak internet service. Choose a route at the AATA website, and it gives you the current location and status (early, on-time or late by X minutes) of the bus. While we were excited about finally getting access to the info, we mostly grumbled about how the service could be better. We, and many others, contacted AATA through their comment form to throw a bunch of well-intended, if demanding and uninformed, suggestions at them. High on that list was mobile access to the updates.

Well, ask and ye shall receive. The front page of theride.org now announces that riders can direct browsers on their PDAs and mobile phones to mobile.theride.org for mobile access to bus updates. We haven’t tried out the mobile edition yet, but are impressed with what seems like a pretty fast response to rider requests by AATA. If you have tried the mobile version of RideTrak, let us know how it worked in the comments.

This is a really nice little app for the Treo featuring:

• Comprehensive information on traffic conditions in more than 30 U.S. major metropolitan areas, including Detroit and A2 area highways.
• Detailed driving directions with traffic estimates to avoid congestions
• One-touch recall of favorite locations and routes
• Integrated search results for business locations, restaurant reviews, hotel amenities and hours of operation
• Interactive maps to explore further, reaching beyond current locations
• Satellite and aerial views.

Download directly from the browser on your Treo: www.google.com/gmm