18 apps you should be using on your commute
Millions of people commute to work every day in the United States. A survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2013 found that 86% of workers commuted by automobile — and the vast majority of them drove alone.
Getting to work can be a the most dreaded, frustrating part of someone's day, but it doesn't have to be. There are a bunch of great smartphone apps to help you navigate (whether it be on public transit or driving) and keep you entertained.
Whether you're new to a big city or a seasoned public transit veteran, Citymapper will be your best friend.
The app plugs into a city's public transit data and becomes an all-knowing psychic for getting you from point A to point B in the quickest way possible. You can save bookmarks for your home and work address so that navigating between them is only a tap away.
Citymapper has all kinds of little details that make it a commuter's dream come true. For instance, it will tell you where to sit in the subway car so that you're as close as possible to your stop's exit. You can also set your desired departure and arrival times to plan for a trip in the future.
Citymapper works in dozens of cities around the world, including New York, San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
Cost: Free
There are three navigation contenders for car commuters: Google Maps, Waze, and Apple Maps.
If you're driving yourself to work, you have several options. The three main maps apps are Google Maps, Waze, and Apple Maps. They all have their own pros and cons, and deciding on the right one is similar to picking a wireless carrier — it's going to come down to what works best in your area.
Anecdotally, Google Maps (on iPhone and Android) is considered to be the most reliable navigation app (it also does public transit directions). People like Waze (on iPhone and Android) for its crowd-sourced traffic and police location information, but the app's design leaves much to be desired.
Apple has been rapidly improving its Maps app that comes preinstalled on nearly every device it sells. The company is adding transit directions in its forthcoming software update iOS 9, but it supports considerably fewer cities for transit directions compared to Google Maps.
Paired with its $100 adapter, the Automatic app will turn your old car into a futuristic vehicle from "The Jetsons."
OK, so your 2000 Honda Civic won't be able to fly, but Automatic will make it much smarter.
Here's how it works: Plug the $100 Automatic adapter into your car's diagnostic port under the dashboard (every car made since 1996 has one). Pair it with the mobile app, and you'll suddenly have access to all kinds of helpful information, like exact mileage and the ability to see the specific issue(s) causing your check engine light to come on.
There's a lot more Automatic can do, like help you find where you park your car and even integrate with expensing tools like Concur.
Cost: $99.50 one-time payment to buy the car adapter, free app download
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