KCRag Forum

Check out http://ridekc.org for more info and a user guide!

iOS download https://appsto.re/us/PQ_lkb.i

Android download https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... .ridekcapp

This is amazing news! Really, really important IMO.

This is great - and it's also nice that you get a day pass with the download.

That free day pass expires 10 days from when you register in the app, so use it soon!

Installed. And be careful not to activate pass until ready to ride.

So how do you use? Do the buses have NFC or bar code scanning fare boxes and you tap/scan phone or is screen just validated by the driver.

edit: Found this...
http://ridekc.org/assets/uploads/docume ... _Guide.pdf

Driver just looks at your screen with the count down timer and changing animations. Hmm, that could be somewhat easy to fake.

It's not. There is animation on the ticket screen.

Wouldn't be easy to fake with recording but an app developer could potentially emulate it. Will have to check i out even though probably wouldn't become big issue.

Is this a KC developed app or a common used app with other transit systems?

It's an "off the shelf" app. Most of them are.

I haven't seen the screen in action, but I've gotta think anyone with even fairly minimal Java or Objective C experience could put together a pretty convincing fake. Unless Tap to Verify shows like a hash of some verification code or whatever that can be checked with the servers. That would make it pretty daunting.

In any case, very very VERY nice to finally have some kind of off-board fare purchasing.

Seems like a risk worth taking to offer mobile passes.

Does the driver punch something in so RideKC can still get good ridership stats?

KCPowercat wrote:Does the driver punch something in so RideKC can still get good ridership stats?

Yes

I've found a possible loophole that I won't post here and would be easy for anyone to do but haven't validated it yet. It's not related to the driver verification but is the way KCATA is doing something. Will let ATA know as it can be easily fixed.

It's easy to do though is still several steps and maybe not worth the hassle after a few times and maybe ATA doesn't care. Boarding is up to driver discretion anyway.

edit: Turned up nerd volume to 11 and confirmed that it works, though I won't actually use it. Would be able to get free passes. Sending to ATA and Dave. Fun to put the white hat back on.

Any future enhancement of putting free veterans passes or monthly passes purchased through companies on the app? Heard both of those requests when I told people about the app

Pass programs will probably have to wait until after the pilot.

Do you know if the 'free day pass' for signing up is planned long term or just the pilot?

Maybe they'll fix the loophole by the time pilot ends but would be nice to do the free day pass for signing up long term.

I've just triple checked the loophole and was able to duplicate. But I haven't actually tried to use it and don't plan to. It's easier to do than I originally thought.

In terms of the other parts of the app:

Plan my Trip is pretty hit or miss. Some of the routes it's given me have been absolutely insane.

Where's My Ride? recognizes me on GPS but the map goes to random places for some reason. It also takes way too many clicks to get to where I can actually find out where a bus is and it doesn't give a time or schedule.

Yeah nothing can really top Google Maps. "OK Google, navigate to Union Station" - try it, then click on the transit icon. Walks you to nearest bus stop, shows countdown timer to bus arrival in some cases. Have gotten several people timid with transit to use bus first time given how easy this makes it. You don't need to learn bus lines or look things up.

BTW if your phone is rooted on Android, you can use Magisk to hide the rooting from the app. Never understood why apps try to block from rooting, it's easy to avoid for those who need root anyway. It would be like Windows or Mac apps not allowing to have Admin access.

With a closer look at how timer screen works, it would be easy for a novice scripter to emulate and the bus drivers don't look closely even if a poor job. But many transit systems work as an honor system anyway and this would be no different. Recall a stat that says those systems tend to get about 5% fare avoidance abuse, which probably isn't enough to harden the method down.

Yes, you could scam the mechanical farebox if you really wanted to...