With PokemonGo making major headlines, Uber Pool joining forces with MTS, and IoT gaining traction – the transportation industry is seeing some incredible innovations.

In this week’s installment of picks of the week, the Passport team has compiled a few of our must-read articles. Everything from how PokemonGo is transforming the way we move to how new technology is changing customer support for the better.

Uber partners with MTS for Comic-Con and MLB All-Star Game

As Uber Pool makes its debut into the ridesharing market, it only makes sense that it would team up with a transit association to make its mark. MTS in San Diego is joining forces with the ridesharing app to handle the large amount of traffic from Comic-Con and the MLB All-Star game. The two events are bringing in a large amount of crowds to San Diego and Uber Pool will be offering special promotions for these riders. The special promo will be a $5 discount from the MTS Transit Centers for Comic-Con and MLB All-Star game attendees.

PokemonGo gets your users on the move

Gamers everywhere rejoiced when PokemonGo launched this week. Since the new game hit the U.S., users have been on the move to “catch em’ all”. The game takes the Pokemon franchise has grown from collectible cards, TV shows and video games – to utilizing augmented-reality technology to bring the characters and game fully to live. It’s a dream come true for Pokemon lovers and it certainly has taken the world by Pokemon storm. As PokemonGo takes mobility to a new level, find out how the game is changing the entire way users are moving…

Public transit riders want better service, not free WiFi

Everywhere we go, nowadays, there’s signs enticing us with ‘free WiFi’. Whatever the place may be – coffee shops, motels, department stores – it’s usually advertised somewhere. Although it might be tempting for those of us who would like to sip on an almond milk latte and knock out a few blogs, it’s not necessarily a number one priority for transit riders. Many riders aren’t too impressed at the shiny, new, and innovative amenities, and they certainly aren’t going to entice people to take public transit. In fact, the amount of money spent to fund these projects is far more than what is benefiting the transit agencies. Instead, transit riders would rather see faster travel times, cheaper fares, robust waiting stations to protect riders from bad weather, and more.

New technology adds value to customer support

Technology advances and it will continue to advance, but one thing stands true: customer support will never take a hit because of the progression of tech. For the parking industry, the inevitable transition into mobile payment technology will further improve customer support. Mobile applications are completely changing the user’s entire experience. From having the ability to reserve your parking spot to having the capability to manage your entire parking experience through a single app, the control is now in the user’s fingertips. Technology is quickly advancing, but the real value still continues to remain in customer support.

How IoT and machine learning can make our roads safer

According to the National Safety Association, over 38,300 people were killed in automobile accidents in 2015. We all know that transportation can lead to car accidents and road disasters every year, but with IoT (Internet of Things) and machine learning – roads can become safer. Don’t exactly understand the Internet of Things? Let us break it down. It’s a concept of connecting everything that has an on and off switch; i.e.: smartphones, tablets, coffee makers, wearables, etc. to the Internet. With the “implementation of IoT technology, we can mitigate risks, prevent damage and reduce costs. The deployment of smart, connected sensors combined with machine-learning powered analytics tools, can enable us to gather information.”