Ian Juarez EDINBURG – The UTRGV Parking and Transportation Services changed its mobile app used for ride tracking after six years.
Since 2019, UTRGV students could use the Ride Systems app for tracking both bus and VOLT routes.
Starting in 2025, students will need to download TransLoc for all transportation services, such as route tracking for the VOLT and Vaquero Express, and times for arrivals and departures.
KVAQ-TV spoke with Maribel Contreras, director of transportation services, to ask what factors led to the switch.
“The reason why we are replacing it is because Ride Systems and TransLoc merged. So, their new application they’re going to be using is [going to] be TransLoc.”
Some students on campus who frequented the bus voiced their concerns about the switch.
Cassandra Luna, a biology graduate student, stated, “I heard there was [going to] be new requirements when you like ride the bus, but I didn’t know they were switching the apps. […] I don’t think [TransLoc has] been advertised well enough, I didn’t know they existed honestly.”
Amhad Amro, a biology freshman, stated he “wasn’t aware” of the new app.
On the Google Play Store, Ride Systems has a 4.4 star rating, while TransLoc has a 2.8 star rating.
Contreras shared an additional statement via email with KVAQ-TV concerning the difference in ratings on the Google Play Store.
“Since they merged together, they have successfully added important features to the TransLoc app and have successfully sunsetted other Fixed Route and OnDemand apps that were legacy products. […] By having one OnDemand and one Fixed Route app, it will allow for TransLoc to focus more on just the two apps and incorporate more feature requests in the future.”
For more information on TransLoc, visit Parking and Transporation Services.
