AllBusApp: The Hawaii Bus App I Built for Myself and Use Every Day
I built AllBusApp to solve my own problems riding the bus in Hawaii, and I still use it every day. Here's what it does, and how it's different from Transit and the island bus trackers.
AllBusApp is a free iPhone and Android app for riding the bus in Hawaii. I built it to solve my own problems, and I use it every day. It shows the stops around you and when your next bus is coming. On O'ahu, it also shows where that bus is right now. It covers TheBus and Skyline on O'ahu, plus Maui Bus and Kauai Bus, in one app.
Why I built it
I ride TheBus, and riding it means asking the same few questions every day. Which stop is closest? When is my bus coming? Is that time live, or is it just the schedule? Did I already miss the last one?
Those are small questions, but I wanted the answers without planning a whole trip first. I wanted to open one app, check my stop and put my phone away. So I built it for myself, then put it on the App Store and Google Play for everyone else.
I still use it every day. That keeps me honest: if something in the app is slow or wrong, I feel it at the bus stop too.
What AllBusApp does
Nearby stops as soon as you open it
The app shows the stops around you on a map, with the closest ones listed below. You can also search for a stop by name or by the number on its sign.
Arrivals that tell you what's live
Tap a stop and you get the buses coming next, soonest first, with a countdown. Each arrival is labeled live or scheduled, so you know whether a bus is really on the road or the time is only what the timetable says. The app also marks the last bus of the night, so you're not guessing when it gets late.
Follow your bus on the map
On O'ahu, tap an arrival to follow that bus toward your stop. You see the bus, your stop and where you are on one map, with a countdown and whether the bus is on time. That tells you if you have time to finish your coffee or need to start walking.
Stars for the stops you actually use
Star the stops and routes you use most, and they're one tap away.
Full schedules for any day
Pick a date and a route to see the full timetable at your stop. It's useful when you're planning a weekend trip, or heading to a stop you don't use often.
iPhone extras
On iPhone, you also get arrival alerts 2 to 5 minutes before your bus comes, a route view with every stop and the buses on the road, and Look Around street imagery so you know exactly where to wait.
What sets it apart
Hawaii riders have good options, and the biggest change came from the city. In April, Honolulu retired DaBus 2 and moved riders to Transit, now its official app for TheBus and Skyline. Transit is free and built for door-to-door trips across TheBus, Skyline, Biki and rideshare. It's a strong choice if that's what you need. Maui and Kaua'i also have their own live trackers, Maui Bus and The Kauai Bus Tracker.
AllBusApp takes a different approach:
- It starts at your stop, not with a trip. You don't enter a destination. You open the app, see your stop and go. Everything in it is built around one question: when is my bus coming?
- Live times come straight from TheBus. On O'ahu, AllBusApp reads TheBus's own arrival and vehicle data, used with permission from Oahu Transit Services. It doesn't need another rider on your bus to share their location.
- It keeps three islands in one app. O'ahu, Maui and Kaua'i all work the same way, and the app picks your island from your location. If you fly to Maui or Kaua'i, you already know how to use it.
- It's built here by someone who rides here. Transit works in more than 900 cities. AllBusApp only has to get Hawaii right. There's no support queue, either. When you email, I'm the person who reads it.
Try it
AllBusApp is free on the App Store and Google Play.
If you ride the bus in Hawaii, try it on your next trip and tell me what it gets wrong at apps@kantoprojects.com.
FAQ
Is AllBusApp the official TheBus app?
No. AllBusApp is an independent app from Kanto Projects. Honolulu's official app for TheBus and Skyline is Transit. Route and arrival data is used by permission of Oahu Transit Services, Maui Bus and Kauai Bus.
Is it free?
Yes. Ads keep it free. On iPhone, a one-time purchase removes them.
Does it show live buses on Maui and Kaua'i?
No. Live arrivals and bus tracking are for O'ahu only. Maui and Kaua'i show scheduled times. If you need live buses there, use the Maui Bus or Kauai Bus Tracker apps.
Does it cover the Big Island?
No. AllBusApp covers O'ahu, Maui and Kaua'i.
Does it plan trips?
No. AllBusApp tells you when your bus is coming. For door-to-door planning, use Transit, or keep an eye out for Bus Bike Walk Oahu, my trip planner for O'ahu.
Are the iPhone and Android versions the same?
They share the basics: nearby stops, arrivals, bus tracking on O'ahu, favorites and schedules. Arrival alerts, the route view and Look Around are on iPhone only right now.