The Metropolitan Transit Authority unrolled its expanded rider alert system Tuesday that notifies riders of delays with text messages as well as e-mail.

The MTA originally launched its alert system last August after a storm knocked out Metro-North and other commuter rail service to some customers. Now commuters can sign up for alerts for unexpected weather emergencies, planned maintenance or schedule changes for any of the MTA?s bridges, tunnels, rail or bus lines.

The information has always been available on the MTA?s Web site, but riders say accessing it by cell phone makes much more sense.

"I like sending text messages and I?m always on my phone so I think it's better to have it on my phone," regular Metro-North Rider Yanghen Dolkar says.

MTA