Google Maps has been helping people navigate the world for years, and now they are offering real-time public transit info. This goes beyond bus schedules. This technology will allow you to see why your bus is late and when it will actually arrive, thanks to their newest upgrade.

Google users have long relied on Google Maps for public transit information, but it was never very accurate. It relied only on posted schedules, which meant that if there was a delay or cancelation, users had no way of knowing that their transportation wasn’t coming.

Today, Google has partnered with more than 100 transit providers in both the United States and Europe, including CTA and Pace, which brings the total number of providers to more than 200. The company also announced that they have contracted service in Seattle, San Francisco, Budapest, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. The wide-spread service means that the information received is even more accurate, and that the display of real-time public transit will revolutionize the way people travel.

This technology is most useful when used on the Maps app, but it can also be used on the live web version. It’s a huge step for commuters who must leave an hour early just to get to work on time when taking the public transit routes. Instead of only seeing the bus route and the schedule on the app, it will show the bus’s current location and the estimated time of arrival, which will be reported by transit operators in real-time.

Because Google has not yet contracted every public transit provider in the world, the launch of this upgraded display is limited. Though it has more than 200 providers on its side, it’s not enough to launch the full scale app, and users may be disappointed by the number of routes available at startup. They are currently working to connect with all public operators in the system.

This move is a giant leap, not only for Google as a company, but for the environment. Public transit is one of the best solutions for making an eco-friendly impact on the environment, but it is not a popular option because of the uncomfortable nature of the public vehicles and the undependable schedule.

With this real-time, upgrade, Google Maps will have more accurate routes that will entice more of the working class to take public transit to work, which will in turn reduce emissions and help the environment. It’s one step closer to ridding the atmosphere of some of its most toxic emissions.

This project has been in the works since March of 2014 when Google Maps began displaying real-time public transit information, and from now on, it will be available to all who have service in their area.

[Image via Stackoverflow.com]