Why We Built Anyways: A New Standard for Transit

Public transport is the lifeblood of a city, but the tools we use to navigate it often feel like an afterthought.

Between delayed trains, "ghost buses" that show up on the map but never arrive at the stop, and clunky interfaces that take ten taps just to find a timetable, commuting can be a frustrating experience. Sunny and I realized that while the raw data provided by transit authorities is incredibly powerful, the way it is presented to everyday commuters leaves a lot to be desired.

That is why we started Kontour Labs, and it's why we spent the last few months building Anyways.

The Problem with Transit Apps Today

Most transit applications suffer from a few core issues:

1. Information Overload: They show you everything at once, making it hard to find the specific route you take every single day.
2. Poor Performance: They are bloated, slow to load, and drain your battery when you're just trying to check if you need to run for the train.
3. Stale Data: They rely too heavily on scheduled timetables rather than real-time, live GPS data.

A great transit app shouldn't make you think. It should give you exactly the information you need, the moment you open it, and then get out of your way.

Building a Better Experience

We wanted Anyways to feel different. We designed it from the ground up to be lightning-fast and aggressively simple.

Under the hood, we are doing some heavy lifting to ensure the data is as accurate as possible. We built our backend infrastructure using Go and PostgreSQL (specifically leveraging PostGIS for lightning-fast geospatial queries). This allows us to process thousands of live vehicle positions across Perth, Melbourne, and Sydney in milliseconds.

For the front-end, we wanted a native feel without compromising on the web experience. The web platform you are reading this on is powered by SvelteKit, while our mobile apps are built utilizing native technologies like SwiftUI for iOS and Jetpack Compose (Kotlin) for Android, ensuring they feel right at home on your device.

What's Next?

We are currently rolling out support for our first three major Australian cities:

• Perth (Transperth)
• Melbourne (Transport Victoria)
• Sydney (Transport for NSW)

This is just the beginning. We have a massive roadmap ahead, including predictive delays, smart commute alerts, and deeper integrations with local transit networks.

Whether you're taking the Mandurah line into the Perth CBD, catching a tram down Bourke Street in Melbourne, or riding the ferry across Sydney Harbour, we want Anyways to be the only transit app you'll ever need!