Our product teams have been busy working on improvements to GoCarma, based on all your feedback. Read all about them below, or if you ever have any suggestions for how we can improve GoCarma further, please send us your idea using our GoCarma Product Suggestion Box - we love to hear from you!
If you have been using the GoCarma app for a while, it will continue to work exactly like before. You don't need to change anything. It will activate automatically when you drive in a TEXpress Lane during weekday peak periods, even when the app is closed on your phone. And if there are at least 2 GoCarma users in the vehicle, you should see an HOV toll discount on your NTTA toll bill.
What's New?
Simpler Vehicle Setup
It's a good idea to add any vehicle you regularly travel in on Dallas-Fort Worth TEXpress Lanes. This helps GoCarma to associate your travel with a vehicle's toll transactions.
With the latest update, it's simpler than ever to add new vehicles:
For any new vehicle you add, you will no longer need to receive or activate a GoCarma Pass! If you already have one in your car, you can just leave it there - it can speed up the process of verifying your HOV.
Adding a vehicle is much faster too. You don't have to enter so many details, and you can even add your license plate or toll tag details by just taking a photo of them.
If you ever need to make a change to a vehicle you added, you can now also do this on the Vehicles screen.
Home Screen Improvements
The improvements to the home screen make it easier for you to confirm that your GoCarma setup is good and that the app is working ok.
A new status bar at the top of the screen confirms when your app setup is ok.
If your app requires additional permissions, you can learn more about why those permissions are requested by tapping on the info button next to the request.
A new card displays to you information about your most recent travel in a TEXpress Lane during weekday peak periods. If you traveled with another GoCarma user in the vehicle, you should see "HOV" on the card. However, please allow a few hours for it to update. If you traveled alone, the card will say "Solo".
Please note that HOV toll discounts are only confirmed on your NTTA toll bill.
Privacy Improvements
Based on all your feedback, we have been working on improvements to make it clearer how and when GoCarma uses your data.
We've added a new Privacy screen in the app menu where you can learn more about how GoCarma protects your privacy.
GoCarma collects GPS data only when you travel near a TEXpress Lane and only during weekday peak periods.
In the Privacy screen, under "Your Data", you can access all the times that GoCarma has shared your occupancy data with a toll operator. When a toll operator detects your vehicle in a toll transaction, they simply ask GoCarma how many people were in the vehicle. GoCarma simply responds with a number. No personal data is shared with anyone, ever.
Your occupancy data is kept for 60 days and then expires automatically.
We've added a Log Out button. When you are logged out, the app will not activate. Your occupancy in a vehicle will not be confirmed.
Other Improvements
Improved iOS keychain integration, so that the app can remember your login details if you wish.
New walkthrough screens when you first open the app.
A few more UI tweaks.
If you have any questions about this release, please send us a message in the app.
And if you have any suggestions for improving the app in the future, be sure to submit your ideas in our GoCarma suggestion box.