For once the Bay Area Rapid Transit service has more to brag about than its endless supply of used under-the-seat bubble gum and noxious mystery smells. According to its site, Bay Area Rapid Transit will be the first transit agency to partner with location-based game sensation Foursquare.
ReadWriteWeb first covered the point-based check-in service in March, and since then Foursquare has spread like wildfire across the US and to the UK. As of next month, users from Dublin to Milbrae will have a chance to win the coveted title of Mayor of one of the most utilized transit services in the Bay Area. From November onward, the transit authority will award $25 promotional tickets to random users who check-in at one of 34 BART stations. During the three month pilot program, the agency will also look for new ways to reward Foursquare mayors and incorporate local discounts from mybart.org venue partners.
Said BART website manager Timothy Moore, “We hope this partnership will encourage users to check out different stations and neighborhoods, and will show people who aren’t already BART riders some of the great things to do that are easy to get to on transit.”
Despite the fact that a number of BART-related Foursquare tips are going to document urine stains and public drunkenness, the reality is that absolutely anything beats driving the US-101 during rush hour traffic. BART check-ins are likely to encourage tired drivers to get out of their car and into a greener and less frustrating alternative. Those interested in official BART tips can visit the transit authority’s profile page at foursquare.com/user/SFBART.
