These 4 apps for commuters will help you find the best route, beat traffic, log your miles and stave off boredom – all for free!
When you think about work, what’s the most frustrating thing about it?
Sure it might be lousy hours, your gossipy boss, or the mounds of paperwork you’re responsible for every day. But if you’re like millions of commuters, isn’t the long drive to actually get to work among the most rattling, stressful and frustrating parts of your 9-5?
Whether it’s battling traffic, dealing with bad weather, or navigating unexpected detours, the daily migration to work suddenly makes you want to stay home, curl up with your SURE Universal and binge watch some good ol’ Netflix.
The truth is, all you really need is a co-pilot to make the journey with you. Whether you ride your bike, take transit or drive a car, your smartphone can help you have a smoother commute. Check out these four apps to help you get to the office in good time and in happy spirits.
1. Citymapper
Cost: Free | Available on: Android, iOS
This app is for the urban commuters. Citymapper help you plan your trip by finding the best modes – walk, ride, Uber, train, cab – and the best routes.
With real time data that helps you never miss the bus or train again, and the ability to bookmark your travel from home to work, Citymapper can even tell you what seat to sit on in the bus or subway so you’re as close to your destination as possible.
This app truly is your best bud in the city.
2. Waze
Cost: Free | Available on: Android, iOS
You just got on the freeway and you’re already stuck in traffic. You had no idea that today you would sit in traffic for three hours because of construction, unable to move. #hookyfromwork
In case you don’t want to play hooky – and you do have intentions of going to work – one thing you want to avoid are traffic jams, accidents and anything else that will delay you.
Waze is a navigation app that is community-based. You rely on the other drivers near you to update Waze and provide in-the-moment reports on things like accidents, if the police is nearby or if there’s a roadblock to avoid.
With live maps that are frequently updated, automatic rerouting and the ability to learn your driving patterns, Waze is your new best driving friend.
Now you never have to worry about being late to work or any other appointments you have. With Waze, you’ll always be on time.
3. Pocket
Cost: Free | Available on: Android, iOS
So, what do you do if you take public transportation to work and your typical commute time is over an hour?
Sure, you can bring a book or a newspaper, but that can get kind of boring after a few days.
What if you could watch those videos or read those blog posts you’ve been meaning to for weeks, but never had the time? Or maybe you have had the time, but can never remember the title or the site.
Pocket let’s you do just that. You can save articles, YouTube videos, webinars, or blog posts to be bookmarked for a later time. And, Pocket syncs across devices so you can save things on your desktop or your tablet at home, and later access them from your smartphone.
What’s also great is that Pocket lets you download files for offline viewing. This comes in handy if you’re traveling where there is no cellular service.
And if you’re driving, Pocket can even read your articles to you!
4. TripLog
Cost: Free | Available on: Android, iOS
Does your employer require you to track your mileage when driving to visit clients, makes sales presentations, or perform other work-related tasks? If you’re like many people, sometimes you forget to jot down your starting or ending mileage, and at the end of the day you’re playing catch up and doing math in your head.
With TripLog, you can forget about having to remember any of that. It automatically starts tracking your mileage when your car hits 5 miles per hour and stops tracking when the car stops.
It also keeps track of business expenses for bookkeeping, calculates fuel economy and is IRS compliant.
If you spend time on the road, don’t leave home without TripLog.
Finally, You’re Home
Getting to work – and travelling for work purposes – can be annoying and stress inducing. But with these four apps, you’ll have a much faster and smoother commute getting to your destination.
But, isn’t it nice to finally come home after a long day of commuting and working? All you want to do is sit down in your recliner with your favorite snack, your SURE Universal remote app, and a good movie.
Yes, that sounds like a fantastic end to a busy day.
Now it’s your turn – tell us your favorite apps that make for a better commute.
