VRE Mobile

The app ticketing function does what it’s supposed to. The train status function does not. There’s never an indication that a train is delayed when it clearly is 10+ minutes past published arrival time. The two things that I extremely dislike are the forced camera access, though I understand the reasoning behind it to make sure the passenger isn’t displaying a manipulated screenshot instead of activating a ride. The other is the forced use of location to purchase tickets and also to activate a ride. There’s no reason to require location access when 1) it shouldn’t matter where I am when I buy tickets because I obviously am not going to be able to use them anywhere but onboard a VRE train for the limited stations that the train serves, and 2) the passenger location has nothing to do with validating a ride because the noted origin and destination points on the validated ride are per the points of origin and destination as purchased and are not changeable thereafter. Requiring location access to buy tickets and to validate rides is 100% unjustified snooping and spying on riders and is most likely to generate user data to sell to the countless data hoarders out there. Location access requirement needs to go away.

This is one of the worst apps I have ever downloaded. VRE, did you even try? If your heart’s not in it, take down the app! This app has all the hallmarks of being developed by company insiders without regard to customer needs. First, the train status, perhaps one of the most useful functions, does not provide live status. The status function seems to be based on the normal schedule, but it definitely does not provide info of delays. Second, no train schedule (seriously!!!???) Third (like much else on the VRE) you have to memorize your train numbers, which, ironically, are only matched to a corresponding time on the aforementioned nonexistent schedule. There is not a single place on the entire app that mentions what “Train 324” is, for example. Even as a daily commuter, I have a hard time remembering what train number corresponds to what departure. Other annoyances, the app always defaults to “buy tickets” (which is also very clunky and I continue to use my paper monthly ticket.) To get to the status, or any other, section always takes several clicks. VRE tries very hard to communicate with passengers: they even have their officials ride trains regularly and announce where they will be so passengers can approach them and talk to them. They are also pretty good at status emails. Time to enter the 21st century and have a useful app that reflects VRE’s intent to maintain good communication with its customers. Start from scratch with a good app developer and ask customers what they would want from an app.

I use the VRE app instead of paper tickets and works fine for me for its ticket function. And I like not having to worry about a paper ticket. My main complaint is that the app doesn’t have the actual times for train schedules (just a countdown in minutes to when the train is scheduled to arrive at each stop) or real time status (have to link through the website). It would be great to have push notifications when delays are occurring or for info on what’s happening when you’re on the train and there’s delays (instead of having to check Facebook and hope for info). Also had a lot of difficulty when updating card info.