UK Bus Checker iPhone app review

Much as I love the UK, getting from A to B can be a panic inducing frenzy, so anything to alleviate the pain of commuting is welcomed with open arms. Building on the success of London Bus Checker, comes UK Bus Checker, a clever little app that brings bus travel kicking and screaming into the modern age. I’m fond of saying that we already live in the future – we just don’t recognise it and it’s the little things like Bus Checker that can subtly disrupt our daily routine in mind-blowing ways.

At its core the app simply tells you where you are, where you nearest bus stop is and when it’s coming. Well I say “simply” but as someone who has cumulatively spent hours waiting for buses this has the potential to change the way I live my life. Even simple things like knowing exactly when my night bus is coming means I can time my exit from any seedy late night establishment I might have found myself in (more often than not the institute of education).

You can set alerts for where to get off, so your phone will buzz when you get to a stop (or just before if you so desire). You can also set favourites for stops that for a regular part of your daily grind.

Click on show route and there’s a super cute bus icon that you can drag along various stages of your journey. There are lots of little touches like that and it’s in the attention to detail where apps like this really shine. Whilst the functionality is solid, playful touches make finding information about buses – which whilst important is also mundane – fun and enjoyable. My favourite of these is the bus stop graphic that mimics staring at your local bus stop’s departure board.

UK Bus Checker is out now for £2.49 from iTunes.