A new year will bring a new addition to the Chicago Transit Authority's tracker system.
Joining the CTA's Bus Tracker will be the Train Tracker, a website reached by computer desktop or smart phone devices to access the estimated arrival times for trains on all eight rail lines, the agency said.
CTA President Richard L. Rodriguez announced Thursday that a pilot version of their highly anticipated Train Tracker will be launched in early January.
"We are just as eager as our customers for this pilot program to launch so that our rail customers have the information they need to better plan their trips and make their experience on the CTA even more convenient and reliable," Rodriguez said in a written statement.
The arrival times of approaching trains within a 15-minute time frame refresh every 20-30 seconds to keep as accurate as possible.
Estimated arrival times will be determined by measuring how long it takes a train to travel a portion of track, meaning it won't have the complete accuracy as Bus Tracker, which uses global positioning system technology.
Over the next few months following the launch, CTA will be making adjustments to the Train Tracker system to improve information accuracy, the agency said.
As part of the Train Tracker pilot, electronic signs at 10 CTA stations also will feature arrival information either on the platform or mezzanine levels.
Specific details regarding CTA Train Tracker and station locations that will display train arrival information will be made available in January when the program is officially launched.
