Google Maps made some key changes. Use them to improve your commute.

In many cities, taking a train, bus or ferry can be a nightmare, but it is the only way for millions of people to commute every day.

You can rely on experience and luck to deal with these occasionally messy traffic systems, but if you are a Google Maps user, you just need to use the device in your pocket. Over the years, this well-known app has incorporated some features that allow us to improve commuting efficiency. From combining trains, boats, taxis and buses like experienced passengers to avoid crowds and icy subway cars, Google Maps platform has everything you need.

Avoid crowded and cold transportation

Google Maps recently introduced a new feature that helps commuters understand in advance how crowded the train, bus or ferry they are on.

When you choose a route, you will see a car condition under each vehicle name? Problem. You will see a temperature tag ranging from very cold to too hot; crowding from not crowded to full, and Accessibility and Carriage safety .

Understanding the level of congestion you are about to face can help you decide whether it is worth waiting for the next bus to get a seat, or if you carry large cargo, make sure no one looks at you with a strange look.

Some stations also provide real-time information about their overall busyness. In your route, you will find this information in the real-time message (displayed in pink) below the station or terminal name. Click on it and you will see a chart of the busiest time of the day. Click the peak hours at the top of the screen to see how peak hours change based on the date of the week.

[Related: 19 Evidence-Based Plans to Solve the New York Metro Crisis]

Remember that you don't always find all this information for every trip. For example, Google Maps uses artificial intelligence, historical location trends, and user input to predict congestion. Various data sources make it more likely that you will find information about the number of people riding a train at any given time, but carriage temperature and safety depend on the information the user provides to the application. If there is not enough data (i.e., there is not enough user information), Google Maps will not display it.

If you want to help provide this information, Google Maps will randomly prompt passengers to do so. But you can also proactively add information (or even correct what the app has already provided) by clicking on the tag with the plus sign and selecting one of the available options.

If you live in New York City or Sydney, you can also evaluate the level of congestion at the train carriage level. Google is testing this feature in these cities, and you can quickly see how to avoid crowds and arrive on time at the same time.

Stay in place as long as possible

We all have this experience: you had a great time with your friends, but then you remembered that you were subject to the train schedule.

Don't have to ask friends to sleep on their sofa by letting Google Maps determine your last ride home. On Android and iOS devices, open the app, set your destination, and click

Route. At the top of the screen, select Public Transport (it is the second train icon from the left), and click Departure Time below. In the pop-up window, select at the latest and then select Settings or to complete , depending on your operating system. The app will show all possible ways to get to your destination, starting with the latest way to arrive, so you can enjoy a little more time with your friends and make sure you do have time to have your last drink.

Arrive on time

Don't give your date any reason to be angry when you arrive: make sure you arrive on time by letting Google Maps tell you the exact time to go.

As before, open the app, set your destination, click Route, and select Public Transportation. Click Departure Time and select Arrival Time from the pop-up window. You can set it as the exact time of your date, or even a few minutes ahead if you want to be foolproof. When you are done, click Set (or Done , depending on your operating system), and select the route that is most convenient for you. Google Maps will then tell you when you need to start your trip and consider distance and other variables, such as transfers and how crowded public transportation can be at a specific time of day.

[Related: Economical driverless cars may curb public transportation]

To ensure you set off on time, create Google Calendar events via Google Maps so that you will be notified before departure. Open the route you selected, scroll all the way down, and click to add to calendar . Like every other event on your schedule, you will receive a default notification 10 minutes before departure, but you can also add more notifications – 5 minutes ahead if you are easily distracted; if you need to dress up, 1 hour in advance; or any time range that suits you.

Optimized search

If you are the type of person who likes to take the train but doesn't want to take the bus, know that you can exclude the entire mode of transportation from your Google Maps search.

First, open the app, set your destination, and click Route. At the top of the screen, click All Transportation Modes to see a list of all transport types that the platform is considering for your route. By default, they are always selected, so for example, to rule out the possibility of having to board a boat, unbox the checkbox next to ferry in the Android app. You can uncheck any number of check boxes, and when you are done, just click apply at the bottom of the screen to optimize the results. On iOS, select the option to view the mode of transportation and deselect the mode of transportation you do not need. To complete, click Apply .

Depending on variables like mobility, time, age, and even the weight you carry, you may choose a slower route that takes fewer walks, fewer transfers, or includes barrier-free stations and transportation. To reset your priority on your Android device, enter your destination and click Route and then click Best Route. On iOS, click the option after Route, and select Best Route from the menu.

Doing this will open the Route Options window, which is set by default to Best Route to provide the route that best balances between all variables. To prioritize one variable over another, just click the checkbox next to it and select Apply .

Share your location

For some people around the world, public transportation does not seem to be the safest place. Being robbed, harassed or worse, unfortunately, is some experience when people travel through the city. Any feature they can get that makes them feel safer about commuting can improve their day and even save their lives.

If this is your case, Google Maps provides an option to share your location with one or more of your contacts, even if they don't have a Google account. Doing so will allow them to track you in real time for a while while you are on the transportation.

To activate this feature on an Android device, click the avatar in the upper right corner of the screen and select Location Sharing . On iOS, open the app, click on your avatar, and then select New Share under Location Share.

[Related: How to share your location (without broadcasting it to the world)]

On the next screen, you will be able to choose who can track your whereabouts and how long – from one hour to three days, or you can turn this off on your own initiative. Not only does Google Maps share your GPS location, but it's actually a good thing. When sharing your location on this platform, the people who track you will also be able to see the remaining battery of your device, whether you are walking or driving, and where you have just been. This information may be crucial if an accident occurs while riding a transportation.

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