Let Montreal Track Your Travel Data via iPhone App, Enter to Win an iPad

The City of Montreal, the Société de transport de Montréal and Bixi have launched the iOS (and Android) app Itinerum, developed as part of a research project at Concordia University, to “better understand how smartphones can be used to collect information on people’s travel patterns for use in the transportation planning of cities.”

They’re looking for volunteers to help share their transport habits, for their research, while also be entered into a contest to win an iPad and more, for doing so.

STM chair Philippe Schnobb told the Montreal Gazette, “The data will only be accessible to researchers working on the project and at no time will your identity be revealed.”

The data collected will help the STM understand how travellers move between various methods of transportation.

The iOS app comes with a warning that it uses your location data and will drain your battery, so having spare power if you’re using it often is recommended. Testers who participate from July 3 to July 28, will need to provide travel data for 7 straight days, plus give a valid email address.

Here are the prizes to be won, which includes a new Apple iPad:

• iPad ($449 + taxes)
• STM annual fare subscription ($996 value)
• 3 x STM monthly fares ($83 value each)
• 3 x Annual memberships with BIXI ($89 value each)

The app was created by the Transportation Research for Integrated Planning (TRIP) at Concordia and “registers all forms of travel in the city by survey participants, regardless of transportation mode.”

The app will be used later this year in Quebec to track how Montrealers get to and from work/school. Normally, this data is collected via survey but now it can done through a smartphone. The University of Toronto is also set to use this app as well to study the city’s travel patterns, said Zachary Patterson, associate professor in Concordia’s geography, planning and environment department.

Click here to download Itinerum for iOS in the App Store. Let us know if you’re going to try this. You may have good odds to win a prize depending on how many people participate.