Customer Reviews (500)

Eskette • 2025-03-22T14:59:29-07:00

Easy & accessible

Lea Ogapong • 2025-03-20T04:59:54-07:00

This app helps me save time and makes travelling easy and relax.

Jacul • 2025-03-19T05:57:34-07:00

I don’t need your go mode. When the trip is current, you default to go mode when the trip is open. It’s too much. And when I try to exit the go mode, I’m returned to all the trips. Please, let me just view the trip.

Summary of Key Insights

The MTA TrainTime app is generally well-received, with a large proportion of users praising its ease of use, convenience, and accurate train schedules. Users appreciate the ability to purchase tickets, track trains in real-time, and access information about train car crowding. However, some significant pain points exist, including issues with payment processing, app crashes, inaccurate schedules, and a lack of clarity regarding refunds. Recent changes, particularly around calendar permissions and removal of the round-trip ticket option, have also drawn criticism. While the overall sentiment is positive, addressing these issues is crucial to maintaining user satisfaction and preventing negative reviews.

  • Overall Rating: High, driven by a large number of 5-star reviews.
  • Key Strengths: Ease of use, convenience, accurate train schedules (generally), ticket purchasing, real-time tracking.
  • Key Weaknesses: Payment processing errors, app crashes, schedule inaccuracies, refund policies, confusing UI elements, calendar permission requests.
  • Overall Sentiment: Positive, but with noticeable negative feedback regarding specific issues.
  • Score Distribution: 5-star: 64.8%, 4-star: 6.8%, 3-star: 3.4%, 2-star: 4.2%, 1-star: 20.8%.

Data & Methodology Overview

  • Data Sample Size: 500 reviews
  • Time Frame: Not specified, but reviews appear to be a mix of recent and older comments.
  • Analysis Methods: Sentiment analysis was inferred from star ratings and review text. Keyword extraction was used to identify frequently mentioned issues, features, and positive aspects. Review text was analyzed for recurring themes and patterns.

Key User Pain Points

  • Payment Issues: Frequent complaints about payment failures, double charges, and issues with specific payment methods (e.g., Apple Pay, FSA cards). Impact: Financial frustration, inability to purchase tickets.
  • App Crashing/Freezing: Users report the app crashing upon opening or freezing during ticket purchase. Impact: Inability to access tickets, missed trains.
  • Schedule Inaccuracies: Discrepancies between the app's schedule and actual train times, including delays and track changes not being reflected. Impact: Missed trains, being late for work/appointments.
  • Refund Policies: Frustration over the $10 refund fee and the inability to get refunds for single tickets. Impact: Financial loss, negative perception of MTA.
  • Confusing UI/Navigation: Some users find the app confusing to navigate, particularly with recent updates. Impact: Difficulty finding schedules, purchasing tickets, etc.
  • Calendar Permissions: Recent update requiring full calendar access has raised privacy concerns. Impact: User reluctance to grant permissions, negative perception of app security.
  • Missing Round Trip Option: Recent removal of the round trip ticket purchase option. Impact: Inconvenience, increased number of transactions.
  • Account Issues: Users reporting issues with account access, password resets, and transferring accounts between devices. Impact: Inability to use the app, frustration.
  • Ticket Activation Issues: Users being penalized for activating tickets after boarding, tickets expiring prematurely. Impact: Unfair penalties, financial loss.

Frequently Requested Features

  • Apple Watch Support: Users want to be able to access tickets and schedules on their Apple Watch.
  • Improved Real-Time Tracking: More accurate and up-to-date information on train delays and track changes.
  • Store Monthly Pass in Apple Wallet/Lock Screen: Easier access to monthly passes.
  • Multiple Ticket Activation: Ability to activate multiple tickets at once.
  • Station Maps: Maps of stations to help users find their track.
  • Ability to see the train that you’re currently on, start and stop times: Easier to track current trip details.
  • Congestion Pricing in the App
  • Improved Subway Integration: Include subway train times in the app.
  • Ability to buy Air Train Tickets
  • Ability to see history of stops

Strengths and Positive Aspects

  • Ease of Use: Many users praise the app's intuitive interface and ease of navigation.
  • Convenience: The ability to purchase tickets, check schedules, and track trains in one place is highly valued.
  • Accurate Schedules (Generally): Most users find the schedule information to be accurate and reliable.
  • Real-Time Tracking: Users appreciate the real-time GPS tracking and updates on train location and ETAs.
  • Ticket Purchasing: The app makes it easy to purchase tickets quickly and conveniently.
  • Car Crowding Information: Users find the information on train car crowding helpful for finding seats.
  • Lock Screen Ticket Access: Easy access to activated tickets on the lock screen is a popular feature.
  • Responsive Development Team: Some users have noted that the development team is responsive to bug reports and issues.
  • Superior to other Transit Apps: Users, particularly those who use NJ Transit, find the MTA TrainTime app to be superior.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

High Priority:

  • Fix Payment Processing Issues: Address the frequent payment failures, double charges, and payment method errors. This is a critical issue that directly impacts the app's core functionality.
  • Address App Crashing/Freezing: Investigate and resolve the causes of app crashes and freezes. This significantly disrupts the user experience.
  • Improve Schedule Accuracy: Implement better systems for updating train schedules in real-time, including delays and track changes.
  • Revisit Refund Policies: Re-evaluate the $10 refund fee and consider offering refunds for single tickets. This would improve user perception of fairness.

Medium Priority:

  • Improve UI/Navigation: Address the UI issues reported by some users to improve overall usability.
  • Reconsider Calendar Permissions: Find alternative ways to add events to calendars without requiring full access. Or, provide a clear and compelling justification for needing full access.
  • Reinstate Round Trip Option: Bring back the round-trip ticket purchase option.
  • Improve Customer Service: Address complaints of rude and unhelpful customer service.
  • Address Account Access Issues: Resolve login and password reset issues.

Low Priority:

  • Add Requested Features: Implement highly requested features such as Apple Watch support, storing monthly passes in Apple Wallet, and multiple ticket activation.
  • Enhance Station Maps: Provide more detailed station maps with track information.
  • Improve Language Support: Ensure full language support for LEP customers.

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

  • Transit Delay Prediction Platform: A service that uses real-time data and machine learning to predict train delays more accurately than the MTA app.
  • Commuter Advocacy Service: A service that helps commuters navigate the complexities of MTA policies and procedures, including refunds and dispute resolution.
  • Transit App Aggregator: An app that combines information from multiple transit agencies in the New York metropolitan area, providing a comprehensive view of all available transportation options.
  • Enhanced Accessibility Features: Develop features specifically designed for users with disabilities to improve their experience using the app and the transit system.

Trends and Observations

  • Positive Sentiment Shift Over Time: Some users mentioned that the app has improved significantly over time, suggesting that past updates have been successful.
  • Negative Impact of Recent Changes: Recent changes, such as the calendar permission request and the removal of the round-trip ticket option, have negatively impacted user sentiment.
  • Language Preferences: There's a need for better Spanish language support.
  • Recurring Issues: Recurring problems with payment processing and schedule accuracy suggest underlying systemic issues that need to be addressed.

Conclusion

The MTA TrainTime app is a valuable tool for commuters in the New York metropolitan area. Its ease of use, convenience, and real-time tracking features are highly appreciated by users. However, the app suffers from several significant pain points, including payment processing errors, app crashes, and inaccurate schedules. Addressing these issues is crucial to maintaining user satisfaction and preventing negative reviews. By prioritizing the action recommendations outlined above, the MTA can further improve the TrainTime app and provide a better experience for its users.

Overall, the MTA TrainTime app is a good product with room for improvement. Addressing the identified pain points and implementing the requested features would significantly enhance the user experience and solidify the app's position as a leading transit app.

Original App Link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mta-traintime/id1104885987?uo=2