With a newly launched app, bus riders can check the location of their bus in real time, check routes and stops, see estimated arrival times, and get service alerts.

NORWICH – Local bus riders can now track routes and plan trips from their phones, thanks to the release of a new app by Chenango County Public Transit and Cathay Express Transportation.

Transit organizers recently unveiled TripShot, a real-time bus tracking app that streamlines the local busing system for riders, making trips easier, more convenient, and more reliable.

“Providing riders with accurate, accessible information is an important part of improving public transportation in Chenango County," said Sheri Howe, Chenango County Clerk of the Board. “TripShot gives our residents another tool to confidently plan their trip using public transportation and know when their bus is expected to arrive.”

With the app, riders can check the location of their bus in real time, check routes and stops, see estimated arrival times, and get service alerts. The goal, said Howe, is to make public transportation easier and more accessible for all riders.

Chenango County sees consistent use of its public transit system, which covers Greene, Bainbridge, South Otselic, Sherburne, New Berlin, and the City of Norwich. Nevertheless, ridership remains lower than county officials would like to see, said Howe. Total ridership in the City of Norwich averaged 18 people per day since March. In the same timeframe, it averaged six people per day in Greene, three per day in Bainbridge, three in South Otselic, two in Sherburne, and one in New Berlin.

“I sincerely hope we will continue to see our numbers increase,” Howe said.

The Chenango County Planning Department has launched a public transportation survey to understand ridership trends and improve the busing service. The survey, available on the Chenango County Planning Department Facebook page, seeks feedback on traveler habits, which transportation services are most important to the community, and where improvements are needed.

The Planning Department says survey responses will “help inform future transportation planning and efforts to make public transportation in Chenango County more accessible, convenient, reliable, and responsive to the needs of the community.”

“We want to hear from the public; what’s working and what’s not working so we can make sure we are meeting our community’s needs,” Howe said.

Chenango County re-launched its public busing system in March 2026, after going nearly 15 months without a provider. The 20-plus bus fleet is owned by Chenango County; however, busing operations are managed by Cathay Express Transportation, the county's premier public transportation provider that initiated a contract with the county earlier this year.

Under the current contract with Cathay Express, the transit system is funded through Federal and State transportation grants without the use of local taxpayer dollars. Officials warn that could change when the $2 million contract expires in 2028. The county will then have an option of continuing the program through one-year renewals.