 		// initialize timer to automatically call update() how ever often updateTime states
 		let timer = NSTimer.scheduledTimerWithTimeInterval(NSTimeInterval(updateTime * 60), target: self, selector: Selector("update"), userInfo: nil, repeats: true)
 
-		// check the notification every 15 seconds
-		let notificationTimer = NSTimer.scheduledTimerWithTimeInterval(15, target: self, selector: Selector("updateNotification"), userInfo: nil, repeats: true)
+		// necessary for sending notifications when app is not active
+		NSUserNotificationCenter.defaultUserNotificationCenter().delegate = self
 	}
 
 	func applicationWillTerminate(notification: NSNotification) {
 		NSUserDefaults.standardUserDefaults().setInteger(numRowsToShow, forKey: "numRowsToShow")
 		NSUserDefaults.standardUserDefaults().setObject(cm.stopDict, forKey: "stopDict")
 		NSUserDefaults.standardUserDefaults().setInteger(updateTime, forKey: "updateTime")
+	}
+
+	// necessary for sending notifications when app is not active
+	func userNotificationCenter(center: NSUserNotificationCenter, shouldPresentNotification notification: NSUserNotification) -> Bool {
+		return true
 	}
 
 	func setupUI() {


	var updateTime = 1		// how often in minutes the app calls update()

	var notificationSet = false
	var notificationTime = NSDate()

	let statusItem = NSStatusBar.systemStatusBar().statusItemWithLength(-1)


		statusItem.image = icon
		statusItem.menu = statusMenu
	}

	func update() {
