A1: Please click on USF Carpool Study Agreement to Participate for more detailed information and to sign up to participate in the study.

A2: Yes! After completing the USF Carpool Study Agreement to Participate, each person in the carpool may verify the same trip and receive the same compensation as shown in the Table of Compensation for Study Participants. All participants must complete USF Carpool Study Agreement to Participate form to be eligible for compensation.

A3: If your request to participate is accepted, you will then receive an email from mark@rideflag.com of RideFlag, with the subject heading, “USF Carpool Study”, which will contain a link to a beta version of the RideFlag app found on TestFlight for iOS phones or on App Tester for Android phones.

A4: The pilot is being conducted now and your participation in the pilot will start as soon as you download the app and log your first carpool trip.  Your test of the app will end after you have completed 36 trips or after 30 days from your start date, whichever comes first.

A5: Instructions for downloading the app will be emailed to you after we have received your completed Agreement to Participate and it is approved.

A6: Please see the Table of Compensation for Study Participants.  Participation in the USF Carpool Study does not award free access to any Express Lanes facility.  Participants must continue to abide by all rules of Express Lanes.

A7: You verify always before beginning your trip, whether you’re parked in a parking lot, garage, or on a driveway. Safety is paramount. Do not attempt to verify occupancy while driving.

A8: If you are located in South Florida, then part of your carpool trip must occur on I-95 in South Florida, on any portion of the Interstate between Dolphin Expressway (SR 836) in downtown Miami and Exit 87 in Jupiter.  If you are in the Tampa Bay area, then part of your carpool trip must occur on I-275 on any portion between SR 60 near Westshore and Bearss Avenue. If you are in Utah, then part of your carpool trip must occur on the I-15.

A9: No, you just need to be traveling on any lane within the facility listed in A8 above.

A10: For purposes of testing the RideFlag app, the carpool trip will end.  You will be asked to submit verification photos and prompted to click on “End Trip”.  It will be logged as a completed carpool trip.  When you are ready to re-enter your highway listed in A8, treat it as a second carpool trip and click on “Verify HOV.”  You may log up to four (4) carpool trips per day.

A11: In South Florida, just two (2) people are required for the carpool trip in this study (i.e., driver and passenger). Please note that while just two (2) people are required in the vehicle on HOV lanes north of Glades Road, three (3) people ages 16+ are required for toll-free access if you choose to travel on I-95 Express Lanes (and you must already be registered with South Florida Commuter Services). Participation in the USF Carpool Study does not award free access to the I-95 Express Lanes. Participants must continue to abide by all rules of the I-95 Express Lanes if they choose to use them. In the Tampa Bay area, just two (2) people are required to test the app. In Utah, participants must abide by the HOV occupancy rules of the facility you are traveling upon.

A12: You are able to verify with the infant and other occupants prior to entering the vehicle (i.e., in your house, on the driveway, etc.)

A13: After verifying, the app will return to the home screen where you will see a number at the top right. This number represents the occupants that were verified.

A14: Participants can check their logged carpool trips by clicking the menu icon at the top left corner of the app’s home screen and then clicking on Trip History.

A15:  Yes, the app must remain open during the duration of the trip, but it can be open in the background so that you can listen to music, take phone calls, use navigation, or anything else you may wish to do that is safe while driving.

A16: The app must remain open during the carpool trip but buttons are disabled while the vehicle is in motion to discourage distracted driving.

A17: As long as your phone connects to a network at the end of your trip, the trip data will be sent to our server and processed accordingly.

A18:  The app will remind you to end the trip after the vehicle has stopped moving. A notification will appear on your screen, “Are you still carpooling?” if no motion is detected in 15 minutes.

If you do not respond, the app will automatically end the trip after 2 hours of inactivity. If a trip automatically ends after 2 hours of being closed, the user will not receive credit for their carpool trip.

A19: You will be invited to complete a short exit survey.  You will be compensated with an Amazon e-gift coupon of $5.00 value.

A20: You will see all your logged carpool trips up to 36 maximum for e-gift card credit in “Trip History.”  Click on the menu icon at the top left corner of the app’s home screen or contact us at support@rideflag.com.

A21: Yes, the app casts a white veil onto occupants in dark lighting conditions to aid in verification.

A22: Yes, the app can verify occupants wearing face masks as well as sunglasses.

A23: We are happy to answer any question(s) you may have. You can either click on the menu icon at the top left corner of the app’s home screen or send an email to support@rideflag.com.

A24: Click on the menu icon at the top left corner of the app’s home screen or contact us at support@rideflag.com.