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The Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority (PARTA) will introduce SPOT PARTA, its real-time GPS transit information capability, to the ������ community on Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Kent Student Center Kiva.

SPOT PARTA allows users to locate any of PARTA’s fixed-route buses anywhere within Portage County. Members of the public can easily track the location and arrival time of any PARTA bus by using a cellphone, tablet or computer. Simply text 224-300-SPOT (7768) and the location of the next bus will be sent directly to your phone. You also can log in to  to track the location of all PARTA buses by looking up a specific route or entering the unique Stop ID codes that are posted on new PARTA bus signs at bus stops around Portage County.

In addition, Kent State’s Division of Information Services has been working closely with PARTA to integrate the real-time bus information into the KSUMobile app, slated for launch in early November in the Apple app store and the Android version following shortly thereafter.

“The new ‘Live Bus Tracking’ feature will allow KSUMobile users to track current bus locations, see all PARTA routes, set their favorite routes and favorite stops, and determine the time to the closest stop or to a favorite stop,” says Sameer Jaleel, director of systems development for Information Services.

PARTA’s launch event will include demonstrations on how to use SPOT PARTA, and it will feature giveaways, treats and an appearance by the SPOT mascot.

A similar event will take place on Oct. 12 at the Kent Central Gateway to introduce the new feature to the Kent community. Both events are free and open to the public.