Google Maps 4.3 for Android adds public transit upcoming schedules

One of the first things I do to start my daily train commute is visit the Android Market on my new Sprint HTC EVO 4G. This morning I was very pleased to see that Google Maps version 4.3 was available as a free update. This latest version provides you with the latest information on restaurants, upcoming bus, train, subway, and ferry schedules, and the ability to find friends and family in Latitude.

I was most interested in the public transit schedule support since I find myself visiting the Sound Transit page if I need to jump on a different train due to a change in my schedule and that happens about once a week. Unfortunately, my Sounder train schedules are not yet in Google Maps. However, there are a ton of bus and even Washington State ferry schedules in there so it is still a very helpful layer to enable. The ability to view when the next bus or ferry will be available is extremely helpful and much better than just having a list of departure times. I wonder if the times change dynamically as real-time data is sent from buses, trains, and ferries?

The quick feedback on restaurants may also come in handy for those times you are visiting a new city or want to try someplace else to eat. You can also now share your location with people from your Google Contacts list and quickly send them a sharing request or drop them from the suggested friends list.

Google Maps on the Android platform is one reason I am a fan of these devices with the superb Gmail support being another key factor.