Great
Response from developer
Hi z2kaj - Thank you for taking the time to submit a review. We're glad GoCarma makes it easier for you to get HOV toll discounts.
Not in Car
Can’t speak to a live person. The script is the same to repeat the steps sitting in your car. All this to just get a discount which in years pst was available as a right to drive in a HOV lane. Pretty pathetic! Someone needs to fire GoCarma.
Response from developer
Hi Stap31 - We're sorry to hear that you're having trouble being detected in the vehicle. Our product team would like to follow up with you - can you please send us one more message and reference this comment so we can escalate further? The benefits of the move to GoCarma include reducing the number of HOV violations (previously you could activate HOV status even for single occupancy trips) and to automate the process (previously people would forget to activate HOV status in advance). We're confident that we will resolve your setup issues and you'll get the HOV toll discount automatically for your future HOV trips.
Hate the Bluetooth requirement
Now when I try to close the app it says I need to always have the app open to work correctly. So no you need to remember to open the app also before you go. This is worse than the previous app!
Response from developer
Hi there - thank you for the feedback. The app uses Bluetooth Low Energy / iBeacon to detect when you're in the car, so you shouldn't see any negative impact on your battery. The benefit is that you don't need to activate your HOV status prior to each trip - it will happen automatically. You don't even need to open the app.
Not easy...
always location, dead battery
A bit of an invasion of privacy
Also, gocarma gets to know who is in your car with you (if they have the gocarma app installed), whether or not you’re using a toll lane.
Gocarma is a bit of an invasion of privacy.
Setup is also a bit more complicated than it seems it should be. They should be able to get the tag number from the license plate or vise versa. Or get it with your TX tag or roll tag account.
Response from developer
Hi SyragK - Thank you for taking the time to submit a review. Just to clarify, the app only very rarely uses GPS. When you're detected In Car, the app reports you're in the car - not where the car is, except in rare circumstances as additional verification of HOV status at toll gantry locations. However, we understand that the location permissions on iOS can be misleading and so we''re always working on improvements to how we communicate in the app. As an independent company, we do not have access to toll account information - so we are not able to confirm account information simply from a license plate look-up. We understand it can be a pain to look up your toll tag number, but once you are setup, the app will run automatically in the background so you won't have to activate HOV status prior to each trip. We hope that you will find GoCarma a convenient and hassle-free way to save on your tolls after the initial setup process.
If it ain’t broke...
The claim that people would forget to set their HOV before traveling as a reason to switch to this is absurd. It was so much easier to set a weekly schedule instead. Not to mention that if you travel with children that don’t have smart phones, having to order an occupant pass for them feels like an invasion of their privacy. The toll tag was enough personal information. Now we have to have physical passes for each person traveling in the car? Certainly not environmentally friendly, private, or convenient.
This feels like an unnecessary invasion of privacy, as well as unfriendly to the environment with the physical passes required. Users should have the same options to set a schedule, as well as opt out of the “always on” location and add children to the account so there’s no physical piece required.
Response from developer
Hi crlnprchn - Thank you for taking the time to submit a review. We review user feedback each day as a product team, so it really helps us to plan our next product updates. There should be no / minimal impact on your battery. The app very rarely uses GPS - the "Always Allow" permission is required to enable iBeacon / Bluetooth Low Energy detection of when you're in the car. This is part of the "Location Services" permission on iOS, and it enables the app to report "In Car" status even when you don't have the app open. One of the downsides of people pre-activating their HOV status with the previous app is that it led to some people activating HOV status even for non-HOV trips. This is a violation of HOV discount policy and has the negative impact of increase toll prices for all road users. It was also a very common problem that people would forget to set their HOV status in advance of the trip. You don't need to have a physical pass for each person in the car. You need a GoCarma Pass for each car. Most users simply need the app on their phone. However, those who travel in TEXpress Lanes with children can also request an Occupant Pass. These passes do not collect any data - they simply transmit a Bluetooth identifier (number) that enables the app to know when you're in the car. We'd be happy to talk through your concerns further if you send us a message in the GoCarma app, and thank you again for taking the time to send your feedback - we really appreciate it.
