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MACOMB, ILL. -- The Go West bus system in Macomb has been using some new technology in its buses for the past month, it is now going after a grant to help with operating costs for that technology.

There are two new pieces of technology, one is a text based scheduler.

Any body can send a text message to a certain number with the code of the bus stop they are at.

With in about ten seconds they will get a text back with the next three scheduled stops at that location.

The other piece of technology is a real time map of where the buses are and how long it will take for the next one to get to your stop.

That is available on WIU's website.

It takes about $38,000 a year to operate both of those systems, the grant would help pay for half of that.

If Go West does not get that grant, it would continue to use the systems, but only for as long as the current budget would allow.

"If gas prices go up or we have any other type of fluctuation with gas or parts, then essentially you have to go back and look at your mission. What's your mission? You have to make sure we have our core usage, make sure buses run, so GPS becomes more of a luxury at that point," said Go West Director Jude Kiah.

Over the past four weeks, 250 people have used the text based scheduler every day.

And 1,100 people have used the real time bus tracker every week.