BEYO Bus

Personalized shuttle service that adapts to recurring schedules for seamless, sustainable commutes.

Role / Skills

UX Design

User Research

Prototyping

User Testing

Design Systems

Team

1 Product Manager

2 Product Designers

1 Data Analyst

Timeline

1 months for MVP, with 2 months of continued iteration

Tools Used

Figma

Dovetail

Maze

The big problem

Students and staff commuting in Ithaca face a transportation gap:

Individual owned gas cars are costly, environmentally harmful, and isolate individuals socially, while ride-hailing services are expensive, unpredictable, and lack features for recurring trips or trusted social connections

Public buses are inflexible, require long walks to stops, and often feel unsafe, especially at night.

This leaves many commuters—especially those living farther from campus due to housing affordability—without a reliable, flexible, and inclusive option.

Our Goal

Create a transportation system that:

Create a transportation system that:

  • Provides end-to-end convenience with flexible pickup and drop-off points.
  • Ensures reliability through real-time tracking and transparent communication.
  • Balances affordability with inclusivity.
  • Prioritizes safety and reliability, especially for women and night commuters.

Research and Discovery

Expert qualitative interviews (Professor Michael Tomlan - city and regional planning), in-depth interviews with Cornell students/staff, competitive analysis, and usability tests.

Key Findings:

Physical experience of cars → autonomy, comfort, but high carbon footprint.

End-to-End convenience → door-to-door or flexible pickup is highly valued.

Affordability → affordability matters

Safety & comfort → women emphasized reliable and safe transit options.

Contextual Insight:

Housing affordability forces students further from campus → transit reliability becomes critical.

End-to-End convenience → door-to-door or flexible pickup is highly valued.

Affordability → affordability matters

Safety & comfort → women emphasized reliable and safe transit options.

Solution

Commuting requires quick, on-the-go decisions. A mobile app enables instant booking (<10 seconds), GPS bus tracking, push notifications, and personalized safety features. It directly supports our users’ top needs—convenience, flexibility, and safety—making it essential for real-time commuting.

Challenge 1: Flexibility with Safety and Comfortability

Community-based route suggestions ensure each stop is within a 5-minute walking distance. Driver profiles and ratings add transparency, helping users feel safe and comfortable throughout the journey.

Starting with low fi

Search Bar

Feature 1

Quick Book Recent Trips

Recent Trips Bar

Feature 2

Feature 3

Main Menu

Feature 4

Personalize Account

Feature 5

Switch Accounts

Feature 6

Insights from User Testing

  • Users unclear whether a ride was successfully booked.
  • Confusion about icons/labels (e.g., “10 min” wait, lightning/pink flash for fast/expensive buses).
  • Users expected a confirmation but didn’t see one after scheduling.

 

Future Improvement Directions

  • Add a confirmation page post-booking.
  • Standardize iconography with tooltips/explanations.
  • Provide real-time booking feedback to reduce uncertainty.

Mid-fi

Search Bar

Feature 1

Quick Book Recent Trips

Recent Trips Bar

Feature 2

Feature 3

Main Menu

Feature 4

Personalize Account

Feature 5

Switch Accounts

Feature 6

Insights

 

  • Scheduling required too many inputs; lack of default settings made it harder to quickly book rides.
  • Users needed clarification between ride types (fast vs. normal).
  • Seat availability was not visible, causing uncertainty about crowding.
  • Payment methods were hard to find, creating friction in completing bookings.
  • Confirmation feedback was missing, leaving users unsure if their ride was booked.
  • Overemphasis on driver ratings cluttered the interface.
  • Inconsistent UI structure (design, color, photo placement) reduced clarity and comfort.

 

Future Improvement Directions

 

  • Default to single-ride options and minimize inputs (e.g., only drop-off time).
  • Clarify ride categories (fast vs. normal) with labels/tooltips.
  • Add seat availability indicators to support comfort and planning.
  • Make payment setup more visible and warn users if booking without a valid method.
  • Provide a clear confirmation page after booking.
  • Reduce emphasis on driver ratings while keeping transparency.
  • Standardize design and visual hierarchy to increase clarity and user trust.

High-fi

Home Page

Tracking Bar Shown

Schedule Ride

Track Ride Page

Solution

The BeYoBus app enhances both ease and trust in ride booking through a streamlined, user-centered design. The Home Page serves as a central hub with intuitive buttons for quick booking, scheduling, viewing recent rides, and exploring suggested options, allowing users to act with minimal effort. Location Input Pages simplify the process by auto-filling the user’s current location and offering recently used destinations, reducing friction for frequent travelers. For planned commutes or events, the Schedule Ride Pages support both single and recurring bookings, helping users stay organized and avoid last-minute stress. Once a ride is confirmed, the Track Ride Pages provide real-time visibility into the bus’s location, detailed station information, and timely arrival notifications. Users can also view driver details, update payment methods, or invite friends to join their ride, ensuring both flexibility and reassurance throughout the journey. Together, these features provide a seamless, efficient, and reliable experience that builds user confidence and comfort at every step.

Challenge 1: Flexibility with Safty anf

Community-based route suggestions ensure each stop is within a 5-minute walking distance. Driver profiles and ratings add transparency, helping users feel safe and comfortable throughout the journey.

Tracking Bus Routes

Enlarged Map Overview of Route

Feature 1

Drop Down List of Stops

Feature 2

Real Time Location of Bus

Feature 3

Time Warning

Feature 4

Flowing Button for Sharing Rides with Friends

Feature 5

Information of the Bus

Feature 6

Reliability (Trustworthy, Real-Time Information)

Insights from User Testing

  • Lack of clear system feedback reduced trust (users unsure if their action registered).
  • ETA and tracking were not visible, causing uncertainty.

 

Future Improvement Directions

  • Implement live bus tracking with accurate ETAs.
  • Expand notification systems (delays, changes, confirmations).
  • Ensure status consistency across all touchpoints (booking → confirmation → ride updates).

Mid-fi

Reliability (Trustworthy, Real-Time Information)

Insights

  • Bus-tracking interface lacked information; hierarchy felt confusing.
  • Users wanted clear estimated arrival times.
  • Lack of booking confirmation reduced trust in the system.

 

Future Improvement Directions

  • Add real-time arrival estimates alongside live tracking.
  • Provide consistent confirmation messages/pages across the flow.
  • Refine information hierarchy, prioritizing ETA over secondary info.

High-fi

Default Status

See Stops

Immediate Ride

Immediate Ride

Solution

The BeYoBus app strengthens trust and dependability by giving users real-time, transparent information at every stage of the booking journey. The Ride Detail Pages provide a complete overview of routes and intermediate stops, helping users make informed decisions before committing. Once booked, the Track Ride Pages keep users updated with the bus’s real-time location, detailed station information, and timely arrival notifications, while also offering access to driver details, booking edits, and payment updates. To reduce uncertainty, the Confirmation Pages allow users to review and approve their selections—whether for immediate or scheduled rides—before finalizing. Finally, the Book Succeed Pages reassure users with a clear summary of ride details after payment, ensuring confidence that their booking was successfully completed. Together, these touchpoints create a reliable, trustworthy experience that keeps users informed and in control.

Challenge 1: Flexibility with Safty anf

Community-based route suggestions ensure each stop is within a 5-minute walking distance. Driver profiles and ratings add transparency, helping users feel safe and comfortable throughout the journey.

Mid-fi

Cost-Effectiveness (Affordable & Transparent Options)

Insights

  • Users could not easily tell how “fast” vs. “normal” rides differed in cost.
  • Limited visibility into trade-offs between time and pricing.

 

Future Improvement Directions

  • Show transparent cost breakdowns for each ride type.
  • Provide side-by-side comparisons of time savings vs. extra cost.
  • Highlight subscription or group benefits during selection.

High-fi

Default Status

Confirmed

The BeYoBus app supports affordability and long-term value through tailored subscription options. The Subscription Pages enable frequent riders to purchase bus passes that lower per-ride costs and streamline their booking experience. By offering clear, cost-saving alternatives for daily commuters and high-volume travelers, the system ensures that users can access reliable transportation without the financial burden of frequent ride-hailing or car ownership. This approach positions BeYoBus as a sustainable and budget-friendly choice for diverse rider needs.

Results and Matrics

Booking time reduced to under 10 seconds.

Clear confirmation reduced anxiety.

Users valued ride-sharing with friends and subscription pricing.

Real-time tracking increased trust in system reliability.

Negative / Challenges

  • Safety concerns in low-density/night routes remained difficult to solve fully.
  • Balancing inclusivity vs. affordability for different populations was ongoing.

Reflections and Learnings

Transportation has different elemetns

Transportation design is not only about mobility, but also about trust, safety, and community connection.

Be Proactive

Proactive information gathering in complex environments expands the organization’s ability to anticipate change, identify hidden risks, and seize emerging opportunities.

Balancing contraint

Designing for low-density areas, ensuring clarity in iconography, and addressing affordability without exacerbating inequality.

Always iterative as on data

Iterative prototyping with three rounds of user testing, adding confirmation flows, real-time features, and social ride-sharing functions.

Next steps

Pilot in ithaca

Future directions include pilot programs in Ithaca, refining accessibility features, and measuring the long-term impact on carbon emissions.

Quick Access

The Quick Access section includes shortcuts to Schedule Rides and Recent Rides in one click.

Tracking Bar

 

 

 

Handy tab displayed on the homepage that allows users to access their ongoing trip in one click.

BEYO Bus

Personalized shuttle service that adapts to recurring schedules for seamless, sustainable commutes.

Role / Skills

UX Design

User Research

Prototyping

User Testing

Design Systems

Team

1 Product Manager

2 Product Designers

1 Data Analyst

Timeline

1 months for MVP, with 2 months of continued iteration

Tools Used

Figma

Dovetail

Maze

The big problem

Students and staff commuting in Ithaca face a transportation gap:

Individual owned gas cars are costly, environmentally harmful, and isolate individuals socially, while ride-hailing services are expensive, unpredictable, and lack features for recurring trips or trusted social connections

Public buses are inflexible, require long walks to stops, and often feel unsafe, especially at night.

This leaves many commuters—especially those living farther from campus due to housing affordability—without a reliable, flexible, and inclusive option.

Our Goal

Create a transportation system that:

Create a transportation system that:

  • Provides end-to-end convenience with flexible pickup and drop-off points.
  • Ensures reliability through real-time tracking and transparent communication.
  • Balances affordability with inclusivity.
  • Prioritizes safety and reliability, especially for women and night commuters.

Research and Discovery

Expert qualitative interviews (Professor Michael Tomlan - city and regional planning), in-depth interviews with Cornell students/staff, competitive analysis, and usability tests.

Key Findings:

Physical experience of cars → autonomy, comfort, but high carbon footprint.

End-to-End convenience → door-to-door or flexible pickup is highly valued.

Affordability → affordability matters

Safety & comfort → women emphasized reliable and safe transit options.

Contextual Insight:

Housing affordability forces students further from campus → transit reliability becomes critical.

End-to-End convenience → door-to-door or flexible pickup is highly valued.

Affordability → affordability matters

Safety & comfort → women emphasized reliable and safe transit options.

Solution

Commuting requires quick, on-the-go decisions. A mobile app enables instant booking (<10 seconds), GPS bus tracking, push notifications, and personalized safety features. It directly supports our users’ top needs—convenience, flexibility, and safety—making it essential for real-time commuting.

Challenge 1: Flexibility with Safety and Comfortability

Community-based route suggestions ensure each stop is within a 5-minute walking distance. Driver profiles and ratings add transparency, helping users feel safe and comfortable throughout the journey.

Starting with low fi

Search Bar

Feature 1

Quick Book Recent Trips

Recent Trips Bar

Feature 2

Feature 3

Main Menu

Feature 4

Personalize Account

Feature 5

Switch Accounts

Feature 6

Insights from User Testing

  • Users unclear whether a ride was successfully booked.
  • Confusion about icons/labels (e.g., “10 min” wait, lightning/pink flash for fast/expensive buses).
  • Users expected a confirmation but didn’t see one after scheduling.

 

Future Improvement Directions

  • Add a confirmation page post-booking.
  • Standardize iconography with tooltips/explanations.
  • Provide real-time booking feedback to reduce uncertainty.

Mid-fi

Search Bar

Feature 1

Quick Book Recent Trips

Recent Trips Bar

Feature 2

Feature 3

Main Menu

Feature 4

Personalize Account

Feature 5

Switch Accounts

Feature 6

Insights

 

  • Scheduling required too many inputs; lack of default settings made it harder to quickly book rides.
  • Users needed clarification between ride types (fast vs. normal).
  • Seat availability was not visible, causing uncertainty about crowding.
  • Payment methods were hard to find, creating friction in completing bookings.
  • Confirmation feedback was missing, leaving users unsure if their ride was booked.
  • Overemphasis on driver ratings cluttered the interface.
  • Inconsistent UI structure (design, color, photo placement) reduced clarity and comfort.

 

Future Improvement Directions

 

  • Default to single-ride options and minimize inputs (e.g., only drop-off time).
  • Clarify ride categories (fast vs. normal) with labels/tooltips.
  • Add seat availability indicators to support comfort and planning.
  • Make payment setup more visible and warn users if booking without a valid method.
  • Provide a clear confirmation page after booking.
  • Reduce emphasis on driver ratings while keeping transparency.
  • Standardize design and visual hierarchy to increase clarity and user trust.

High-fi

Home Page

Track Ride Page

Schedule Ride

Tracking Bar Shown

Solution

The BeYoBus app enhances both ease and trust in ride booking through a streamlined, user-centered design. The Home Page serves as a central hub with intuitive buttons for quick booking, scheduling, viewing recent rides, and exploring suggested options, allowing users to act with minimal effort. Location Input Pages simplify the process by auto-filling the user’s current location and offering recently used destinations, reducing friction for frequent travelers. For planned commutes or events, the Schedule Ride Pages support both single and recurring bookings, helping users stay organized and avoid last-minute stress. Once a ride is confirmed, the Track Ride Pages provide real-time visibility into the bus’s location, detailed station information, and timely arrival notifications. Users can also view driver details, update payment methods, or invite friends to join their ride, ensuring both flexibility and reassurance throughout the journey. Together, these features provide a seamless, efficient, and reliable experience that builds user confidence and comfort at every step.

Challenge 1: Flexibility with Safty anf

Community-based route suggestions ensure each stop is within a 5-minute walking distance. Driver profiles and ratings add transparency, helping users feel safe and comfortable throughout the journey.

Tracking Bus Routes

Enlarged Map Overview of Route

Feature 1

Drop Down List of Stops

Feature 2

Real Time Location of Bus

Feature 3

Time Warning

Feature 4

Flowing Button for Sharing Rides with Friends

Feature 5

Information of the Bus

Feature 6

Reliability (Trustworthy, Real-Time Information)

Insights from User Testing

  • Lack of clear system feedback reduced trust (users unsure if their action registered).
  • ETA and tracking were not visible, causing uncertainty.

 

Future Improvement Directions

  • Implement live bus tracking with accurate ETAs.
  • Expand notification systems (delays, changes, confirmations).
  • Ensure status consistency across all touchpoints (booking → confirmation → ride updates).

Mid-fi

Reliability (Trustworthy, Real-Time Information)

Insights

  • Bus-tracking interface lacked information; hierarchy felt confusing.
  • Users wanted clear estimated arrival times.
  • Lack of booking confirmation reduced trust in the system.

 

Future Improvement Directions

  • Add real-time arrival estimates alongside live tracking.
  • Provide consistent confirmation messages/pages across the flow.
  • Refine information hierarchy, prioritizing ETA over secondary info.

High-fi

Default Status

See Stops

Immediate Ride

Immediate Ride

Solution

The BeYoBus app strengthens trust and dependability by giving users real-time, transparent information at every stage of the booking journey. The Ride Detail Pages provide a complete overview of routes and intermediate stops, helping users make informed decisions before committing. Once booked, the Track Ride Pages keep users updated with the bus’s real-time location, detailed station information, and timely arrival notifications, while also offering access to driver details, booking edits, and payment updates. To reduce uncertainty, the Confirmation Pages allow users to review and approve their selections—whether for immediate or scheduled rides—before finalizing. Finally, the Book Succeed Pages reassure users with a clear summary of ride details after payment, ensuring confidence that their booking was successfully completed. Together, these touchpoints create a reliable, trustworthy experience that keeps users informed and in control.

Challenge 1: Flexibility with Safty anf

Community-based route suggestions ensure each stop is within a 5-minute walking distance. Driver profiles and ratings add transparency, helping users feel safe and comfortable throughout the journey.

Mid-fi

Cost-Effectiveness (Affordable & Transparent Options)

Insights

  • Users could not easily tell how “fast” vs. “normal” rides differed in cost.
  • Limited visibility into trade-offs between time and pricing.

 

Future Improvement Directions

  • Show transparent cost breakdowns for each ride type.
  • Provide side-by-side comparisons of time savings vs. extra cost.
  • Highlight subscription or group benefits during selection.

High-fi

Default Status

Confirmed

The BeYoBus app supports affordability and long-term value through tailored subscription options. The Subscription Pages enable frequent riders to purchase bus passes that lower per-ride costs and streamline their booking experience. By offering clear, cost-saving alternatives for daily commuters and high-volume travelers, the system ensures that users can access reliable transportation without the financial burden of frequent ride-hailing or car ownership. This approach positions BeYoBus as a sustainable and budget-friendly choice for diverse rider needs.

Results and Matrics

Booking time reduced to under 10 seconds.

Clear confirmation reduced anxiety.

Users valued ride-sharing with friends and subscription pricing.

Real-time tracking increased trust in system reliability.

Negative / Challenges

  • Safety concerns in low-density/night routes remained difficult to solve fully.
  • Balancing inclusivity vs. affordability for different populations was ongoing.

Reflections and Learnings

Transportation has different elemetns

Transportation design is not only about mobility, but also about trust, safety, and community connection.

Be Proactive

Proactive information gathering in complex environments expands the organization’s ability to anticipate change, identify hidden risks, and seize emerging opportunities.

Balancing contraint

Designing for low-density areas, ensuring clarity in iconography, and addressing affordability without exacerbating inequality.

Always iterative as on data

Iterative prototyping with three rounds of user testing, adding confirmation flows, real-time features, and social ride-sharing functions.

Next steps

Pilot in ithaca

Future directions include pilot programs in Ithaca, refining accessibility features, and measuring the long-term impact on carbon emissions.

Quick Access

The Quick Access section includes shortcuts to Schedule Rides and Recent Rides in one click.

Tracking Bar

 

 

 

Handy tab displayed on the homepage that allows users to access their ongoing trip in one click.

BEYO Bus

Personalized shuttle service that adapts to recurring schedules for seamless, sustainable commutes.

Role / Skills

UX Design

User Research

Prototyping

User Testing

Design Systems

Team

1 Product Manager

2 Product Designers

1 Data Analyst

Timeline

1 months for MVP, with 2 months of continued iteration

Tools Used

Figma

Dovetail

Maze

The big problem

Students and staff commuting in Ithaca face a transportation gap:

Individual owned gas cars are costly, environmentally harmful, and isolate individuals socially, while ride-hailing services are expensive, unpredictable, and lack features for recurring trips or trusted social connections

Public buses are inflexible, require long walks to stops, and often feel unsafe, especially at night.

This leaves many commuters—especially those living farther from campus due to housing affordability—without a reliable, flexible, and inclusive option.

Our Goal

Create a transportation system that:

  • Provides end-to-end convenience with flexible pickup and drop-off points.
  • Ensures reliability through real-time tracking and transparent communication.
  • Balances affordability with inclusivity.
  • Prioritizes safety and reliability, especially for women and night commuters.

Research and Discovery

Expert qualitative interviews (Professor Michael Tomlan - city and regional planning), in-depth interviews with Cornell students/staff, competitive analysis, and usability tests.

Key Findings:

Physical experience of cars → autonomy, comfort, but high carbon footprint.

End-to-End convenience → door-to-door or flexible pickup is highly valued.

Affordability → affordability matters

Safety & comfort → women emphasized reliable and safe transit options.

Contextual Insight:

Housing affordability forces students further from campus → transit reliability becomes critical.

End-to-End convenience → door-to-door or flexible pickup is highly valued.

Affordability → affordability matters

Safety & comfort → women emphasized reliable and safe transit options.

Solution

Commuting requires quick, on-the-go decisions. A mobile app enables instant booking (<10 seconds), GPS bus tracking, push notifications, and personalized safety features. It directly supports our users’ top needs—convenience, flexibility, and safety—making it essential for real-time commuting.

Challenge 1: Flexibility with Safety and Comfortability

Trusted and Optimized Pickups

Community-based route suggestions ensure each stop is within a 5-minute walking distance. Driver profiles and ratings add transparency, helping users feel safe and comfortable throughout the journey.

Starting with low fi

Search Bar

Feature 1

Quick Book Recent Trips

Recent Trips Bar

Feature 2

Feature 3

Main Menu

Feature 4

Personalize Account

Feature 5

Switch Accounts

Feature 6

Insights from User Testing

  • Users unclear whether a ride was successfully booked.
  • Confusion about icons/labels (e.g., “10 min” wait, lightning/pink flash for fast/expensive buses).
  • Users expected a confirmation but didn’t see one after scheduling.

 

Future Improvement Directions

  • Add a confirmation page post-booking.
  • Standardize iconography with tooltips/explanations.
  • Provide real-time booking feedback to reduce uncertainty.

Mid-fi

Search Bar

Feature 1

Quick Book Recent Trips

Recent Trips Bar

Feature 2

Feature 3

Main Menu

Feature 4

Personalize Account

Feature 5

Switch Accounts

Feature 6

Insights

 

  • Scheduling required too many inputs; lack of default settings made it harder to quickly book rides.
  • Users needed clarification between ride types (fast vs. normal).
  • Seat availability was not visible, causing uncertainty about crowding.
  • Payment methods were hard to find, creating friction in completing bookings.
  • Confirmation feedback was missing, leaving users unsure if their ride was booked.
  • Overemphasis on driver ratings cluttered the interface.
  • Inconsistent UI structure (design, color, photo placement) reduced clarity and comfort.

 

Future Improvement Directions

 

  • Default to single-ride options and minimize inputs (e.g., only drop-off time).
  • Clarify ride categories (fast vs. normal) with labels/tooltips.
  • Add seat availability indicators to support comfort and planning.
  • Make payment setup more visible and warn users if booking without a valid method.
  • Provide a clear confirmation page after booking.
  • Reduce emphasis on driver ratings while keeping transparency.
  • Standardize design and visual hierarchy to increase clarity and user trust.

High-fi

Home Page

Track Ride Page

Schedule Ride

Tracking Bar Shown

Solution

The BeYoBus app enhances both ease and trust in ride booking through a streamlined, user-centered design. The Home Page serves as a central hub with intuitive buttons for quick booking, scheduling, viewing recent rides, and exploring suggested options, allowing users to act with minimal effort. Location Input Pages simplify the process by auto-filling the user’s current location and offering recently used destinations, reducing friction for frequent travelers. For planned commutes or events, the Schedule Ride Pages support both single and recurring bookings, helping users stay organized and avoid last-minute stress. Once a ride is confirmed, the Track Ride Pages provide real-time visibility into the bus’s location, detailed station information, and timely arrival notifications. Users can also view driver details, update payment methods, or invite friends to join their ride, ensuring both flexibility and reassurance throughout the journey. Together, these features provide a seamless, efficient, and reliable experience that builds user confidence and comfort at every step.

Challenge 2: Flexibility with Safety and Comfortability

Trusted and Optimized Pickups

Community-based route suggestions ensure each stop is within a 5-minute walking distance. Driver profiles and ratings add transparency, helping users feel safe and comfortable throughout the journey.

Tracking Bus Routes

Enlarged Map Overview of Route

Feature 1

Drop Down List of Stops

Feature 2

Real Time Location of Bus

Feature 3

Time Warning

Feature 4

Flowing Button for Sharing Rides with Friends

Feature 5

Information of the Bus

Feature 6

Reliability (Trustworthy, Real-Time Information)

Insights from User Testing

  • Lack of clear system feedback reduced trust (users unsure if their action registered).
  • ETA and tracking were not visible, causing uncertainty.

 

Future Improvement Directions

  • Implement live bus tracking with accurate ETAs.
  • Expand notification systems (delays, changes, confirmations).
  • Ensure status consistency across all touchpoints (booking → confirmation → ride updates).

Mid-fi

Reliability (Trustworthy, Real-Time Information)

Insights

  • Bus-tracking interface lacked information; hierarchy felt confusing.
  • Users wanted clear estimated arrival times.
  • Lack of booking confirmation reduced trust in the system.

 

Future Improvement Directions

  • Add real-time arrival estimates alongside live tracking.
  • Provide consistent confirmation messages/pages across the flow.
  • Refine information hierarchy, prioritizing ETA over secondary info.

High-fi

Default Status

See Stops

Immediate Ride

Immediate Ride

Solution

The BeYoBus app strengthens trust and dependability by giving users real-time, transparent information at every stage of the booking journey. The Ride Detail Pages provide a complete overview of routes and intermediate stops, helping users make informed decisions before committing. Once booked, the Track Ride Pages keep users updated with the bus’s real-time location, detailed station information, and timely arrival notifications, while also offering access to driver details, booking edits, and payment updates. To reduce uncertainty, the Confirmation Pages allow users to review and approve their selections—whether for immediate or scheduled rides—before finalizing. Finally, the Book Succeed Pages reassure users with a clear summary of ride details after payment, ensuring confidence that their booking was successfully completed. Together, these touchpoints create a reliable, trustworthy experience that keeps users informed and in control.

Challenge 3: Cost-Effectiveness

Trusted and Optimized Pickups

Community-based route suggestions ensure each stop is within a 5-minute walking distance. Driver profiles and ratings add transparency, helping users feel safe and comfortable throughout the journey.

Mid-fi

Cost-Effectiveness (Affordable & Transparent Options)

Insights

  • Users could not easily tell how “fast” vs. “normal” rides differed in cost.
  • Limited visibility into trade-offs between time and pricing.

 

Future Improvement Directions

  • Show transparent cost breakdowns for each ride type.
  • Provide side-by-side comparisons of time savings vs. extra cost.
  • Highlight subscription or group benefits during selection.

High-fi

Default Status

Confirmed

The BeYoBus app supports affordability and long-term value through tailored subscription options. The Subscription Pages enable frequent riders to purchase bus passes that lower per-ride costs and streamline their booking experience. By offering clear, cost-saving alternatives for daily commuters and high-volume travelers, the system ensures that users can access reliable transportation without the financial burden of frequent ride-hailing or car ownership. This approach positions BeYoBus as a sustainable and budget-friendly choice for diverse rider needs.

Results and Matrics

Booking time reduced to under 10 seconds.

Clear confirmation reduced anxiety.

Users valued ride-sharing with friends and subscription pricing.

Real-time tracking increased trust in system reliability.

Negative / Challenges

  • Safety concerns in low-density/night routes remained difficult to solve fully.
  • Balancing inclusivity vs. affordability for different populations was ongoing.

Reflections and Learnings

Transportation has different elemetns

Transportation design is not only about mobility, but also about trust, safety, and community connection.

Be Proactive

Proactive information gathering in complex environments expands the organization’s ability to anticipate change, identify hidden risks, and seize emerging opportunities.

Balancing contraint

Designing for low-density areas, ensuring clarity in iconography, and addressing affordability without exacerbating inequality.

Always iterative as on data

Iterative prototyping with three rounds of user testing, adding confirmation flows, real-time features, and social ride-sharing functions.

Next steps

Pilot in ithaca

Future directions include pilot programs in Ithaca, refining accessibility features, and measuring the long-term impact on carbon emissions.