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Learn more at www.houstonconnectsmart.com @HoustonConnectSmart @ConnectSmartTX Frequently Asked Questions & AnswersWhat is ConnectSmart? ConnectSmart is the only mobile app powered by live data from local transportation authorities to give you the most accurate traffic information available. It tells you the best time to start your trip and the best transportation option to use. ConnectSmart also works together with local transportation providers like B-Cycle and METRO to allow you to schedule a trip, buy a ticket, or even find an available e-bike nearby. Its aim is to reduce congestion, improve air quality, and help improve daily travel throughout the Greater Houston Area. ConnectSmart is a public-private-academia collaboration spearheaded by local and regional transportation authorities and services. No matter where you’re headed throughout the Greater Houston Area, ConnectSmart can help you find A Better Way, Every Day. How can ConnectSmart improve my daily travel? ConnectSmart brings the best of the region’s traffic information and travel options together under one roof. Whether you’re a driver, a bus or light rail rider, a cyclist, a carpooler, or all of the above, ConnectSmart will provide you with tailored suggestions to improve your own personal travel. Tips like shifting your travel time to avoid traffic, accessing convenient new modes of transportation, and introducing you to carpooling groups can help you save time and money, avoid traffic, and lower your stress. While ConnectSmart is helping you, you are helping your neighbors and friends find A Better Way, Every Day. Why should I use ConnectSmart? The ConnectSmart app can help you avoid traffic and find faster routes. In the long-term, it can lead to fewer vehicles on the roads, which means you—and your whole community—will be breathing cleaner air. Plus, reduced traffic congestion can help improve access to areas for work and play for everyone. Who is ConnectSmart for? ConnectSmart is for all travelers. Whether you’re a driver looking to avoid traffic, a bus or light rail rider hoping to improve your daily trip, a cyclist searching for the best route, or a carpooler seeking a ride, ConnectSmart will provide you with tailored suggestions to improve your travel. Learn more at www.houstonconnectsmart.com @HoustonConnectSmart @ConnectSmartTX A Better Way, Every Day Where can I use ConnectSmart? You can use ConnectSmart to locate the fastest routes, avoid traffic, purchase transit tickets, carpool, and find more ways to improve travel throughout Harris, Montgomery, Liberty, Chambers, Galveston, Brazoria, Fort Bend, and Waller counties. How is ConnectSmart funded? ConnectSmart is supported by a combination of local, state, and federal funding. The Federal Highway Administration has committed federal transportation funds as part of its five-year, FAST Act-established Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Technologies Deployment Program. In support, the Texas Department of Transportation has contributed state and local funds for ConnectSmart’s implementation. What types of transporation services and options do I have with ConnectSmart? If there’s a way to move, we want to help you connect to it! Use ConnectSmart to drive, carpool, take the bus or light rail, take a Park & Ride, bike, walk, find a bikeshare location, find available parking, and more. How does ConnectSmart help people find and share rides? ConnectSmart’s convenient carpooling feature makes it easier than ever to share a ride with someone heading your way. ConnectSmart uses groups to help people share rides with their friends, family, coworkers, classmates, and more. By joining a group (or creating your own), you can carpool with people you know and trust from your own social circles. How do I join a group? There are several easy ways to join a group: 1. Enter your work or school email address to find out which groups you may already be associated with. 2. Search for the names of clubs you’re associated with, your school, your employer, and more. 3. Search for nearby groups on a map. 4. Create your own group and invite your contacts to join. 5. Learn more at www.houstonconnectsmart.com @HoustonConnectSmart @ConnectSmartTX A Better Way, Every Day www.facebook.com/ConnectSmartTX @ConnectSmartTX How can I find a carpool companion for an upcoming trip? The first step in finding a carpool match is joining a group. Once you’re a member of at least one carpooling group, you’ll want to schedule the trip you’re hoping to share a ride for. ConnectSmart will automatically search your groups for members with rides that match your itinerary; if we find a match, we’ll notify both parties. From there, either person can invite the other to carpool. If you like the match and would like to carpool, simply accept the invitation; if it doesn’t work for you for any reason, simply decline the invitation. Can I pay for transportation services through the app? You bet! ConnectSmart partners with local transportation providers to make taking transit easier than ever. You can purchase METRO bus and light rail tickets directly from the app. Tickets are stored digitally in the app, so you can redeem them by showing your phone to the driver when boarding. What payment methods can I use to purchase transit tickets and points? You have many payment options available through ConnectSmart. You may safely and securely pay with a credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. How do I use a METRO ticket in the app? Once you’ve purchased a ticket, it will be stored in the Wallet until you’re ready to use it. At that point, simply tap the ticket you’d like to use and activate it. Based on the type of ticket you purchase, the app will display the time you have remaining to use the ticket. To use the ticket, show the QR code to your driver when boarding. How do I earn ConnectSmart reward points? From time to time, some users may be offered reward points for various activities, including answering survey questions, changing your departure time, trying out a new way to get around, and more. Sometimes we’ll send you a message about these opportunities, or you may just get an exciting offer to try something new right in the app. Each offer is designed to improve your commute and reduce traffic in the region. Keep your eyes peeled! Learn more at www.houstonconnectsmart.com @HoustonConnectSmart @ConnectSmartTX A Better Way, Every Day www.facebook.com/ConnectSmartTX @ConnectSmartTX How can I spend my reward points? You can redeem your reward points right in the ConnectSmart app for gift cards from Amazon, Starbucks, Best Buy, and more. In the near future, you’ll be able to use your points to pay for transportation services as well. Why should I log my trips? Within the Trip Log feature, you can keep track of the many benefits gained by using ConnectSmart. See the money you’ve saved and the harmful emissions you’ve reduced by traveling at off-peak times, taking transit, carpooling, walking, riding a bike, or even working from home. What types of trips are recorded in the Trip Log feature? No matter how you get to and from work, you can record trips in the Trip Log feature. The following modes are currently included, with more to come in the future: > Transit > Biking > Walking > Teleworking > Driving > Carpooling > Vanpooling How do you keep my personal information secure? ConnectSmart uses the latest encryption technology to keep your data private and secure. Unless you choose to share your social media profiles or contact information to carpool, your personal information will not be visible to others. See our privacy policy for more details. How can I get the app? ConnectSmart is compatible with Android and Apple devices. You can download the app from Google Play and the App Store. Scan the code for quick access. Learn more at www.houstonconnectsmart.com @HoustonConnectSmart @ConnectSmartTX Next >