I'm taking the bus here for the first time on Monday. I took it all the time when I lived in Chicago, but have no idea how it works here. I downloaded the wave app to add funds on my 'virtual card' so far. I will be taking me and my 3 year old daughter from the JWU Harborside campus to woman and infants hospital. Seems easy enough. Looks like the 3 bus in about 20 minutes of riding.

Is there an additional app for a bus tracker? Should I plan on taking a much earlier bus than needed because I've head they may not be the most reliable? Will my 3 year old be charged fare?

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misterspokes t1_j36v886 wrote on January 6, 2023 at 1:24 PM

The Wave App doesn't do tracking, I like the Transit App which tracks fairly well, and has MBTA tracking as well. Children 5 and under are free when accompanied by an adult.

Critical-Paramedic89 OP t1_j36wu0z wrote on January 6, 2023 at 1:37 PM

thanks!

misterspokes t1_j36xhuz wrote on January 6, 2023 at 1:42 PM

You're Very Welcome

exclaim_bot t1_j36wv5g wrote on January 6, 2023 at 1:37 PM

>thanks!

You're welcome!

JeffFromNH t1_j370ogf wrote on January 6, 2023 at 2:07 PM

My car died in Attleboro during COVID and was towed to a shop in Pawtucket. I had never used RIPTA, but the shop was on the bus route.

So I downloaded the Transit app (Google maps also has the info). I paid cash, but took the bus to Kennedy plaza and switched to one to take me home. Worked great.

The next day I installed the Wave app and took RIPTA back to get my car.

My only problem with the app was that it had trouble reading it on the bus. They probably improved it since then, but turn up the screen brightness if it fails to read.

Critical-Paramedic89 OP t1_j37335f wrote on January 6, 2023 at 2:25 PM

thanks for the insight

Ri_Surf t1_j36xbai wrote on January 6, 2023 at 1:41 PM

Use the Transit app!!

jmen5684 t1_j36zb6p wrote on January 6, 2023 at 1:56 PM

Child under 5 is free

kbd77 t1_j36vjwb wrote on January 6, 2023 at 1:26 PM

I’m not aware of a RIPTA-specific bus tracker app, but both apple and google maps do a pretty good job of keeping up with it if you use the “transit” map setting. They seem to have access to real-time data, at least in my experience.

Critical-Paramedic89 OP t1_j36wt1e wrote on January 6, 2023 at 1:37 PM

ok cool, i noticed there was tracking on the google maps app.

n0m_chompsky t1_j37gvsp wrote on January 6, 2023 at 3:56 PM

Side note, you have to hold your phone with the QR code for your fare lower than you'd think for the scanner to pick it up. I struggled with that a bit the first time I rode

Critical-Paramedic89 OP t1_j37ulf2 wrote on January 6, 2023 at 5:20 PM

Ok, I'm sure the driver will help out too if its not scanning...maybe

zebrawithflowers t1_j39pzc3 wrote on January 7, 2023 at 12:23 AM

There's a little yellow strip on the metal stand that holds the scanner. Line your phone up with the yellow strip and that should do the trick. See it in action at 0:59 on their promo video: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ow80C_-wbcI

cmb0415 t1_j3846tt wrote on January 6, 2023 at 6:16 PM

They will! I don’t use the bus very often and each time hold my phone too close at first. They always tell me to try lower and I think oh right I should know that 😂

jmen5684 t1_j36ze03 wrote on January 6, 2023 at 1:57 PM

Transit app tracks the busses timing

sc00p401 t1_j3mh1xn wrote on January 9, 2023 at 4:22 PM

The RIPTA website does a decent job of tracking the buses by route. It's not fully real-time tho, and it's prone to issues from time to time. That's what I use along with the WAVE app. I'd recommend being at the stop 5-10 mins before the bus.

You should have no issues with your daughter riding free at all. If a driver does give you trouble tho, record their badge # and the bus route/time.