RideFlag's Express Lanes App

Redefining HOV validation to keep traffic flowing and cities moving

Role

Lead UX Designer

team

Partnered with 1 PM, 1 Researcher

Timeline

3 months (Jan - March 2022)

From MVP to Pilot, I led Rideflag's Express Lanes app for accurate HOV validation. The design secured a $375k Utah pilot, a Bay Area Beta, and $9.1M in funding.

From MVP to Pilot, I led Rideflag's Express Lanes app for accurate HOV validation. The design secured a $375k Utah pilot, a Bay Area Beta, and $9.1M in funding.

Overview

HOV lanes promise faster commutes and cleaner cities, but enforcement has long relied on self-declaration systems that were inaccurate and easy to abuse. Agencies lose revenue, and commuters lose trust.

Rideflag’s mission was to prove that Vehicle Occupancy Detection (VOD) could live inside a smartphone — replacing costly roadside cameras with a tool simple enough for everyday use.

As the sole designer, I shaped the Express Lanes app from MVP to Beta, working with agencies in Utah, the Bay Area, Florida, and beyond. My challenge was to make HOV verification accurate, trustworthy, and effortless.

HOV lanes promise faster commutes and cleaner cities, but enforcement has long relied on self-declaration systems that were inaccurate and easy to abuse. Agencies lose revenue, and commuters lose trust.

Rideflag’s mission was to prove that Vehicle Occupancy Detection (VOD) could live inside a smartphone — replacing costly roadside cameras with a tool simple enough for everyday use.

As the sole designer, I shaped the Express Lanes app from MVP to Beta, working with agencies in Utah, the Bay Area, Florida, and beyond. My challenge was to make HOV verification accurate, trustworthy, and effortless.

HOV lanes promise faster commutes and cleaner cities, but enforcement has long relied on self-declaration systems that were inaccurate and easy to abuse. Agencies lose revenue, and commuters lose trust.

Rideflag’s mission was to prove that Vehicle Occupancy Detection (VOD) could live inside a smartphone — replacing costly roadside cameras with a tool simple enough for everyday use.

As the sole designer, I shaped the Express Lanes app from MVP to Beta, working with agencies in Utah, the Bay Area, Florida, and beyond. My challenge was to make HOV verification accurate, trustworthy, and effortless.

I-680 Express Lanes in the Bay Area

The Problem with HOV Validation

HOV lanes were designed to reward carpoolers, but existing systems were failing. Self-declaration transponders made it too easy to cheat — drivers could leave the switch on “3+ people” even when driving alone, gaining lane access and benefits without consequence.

HOV lanes were designed to reward carpoolers, but existing systems were failing. Self-declaration transponders made it too easy to cheat — drivers could leave the switch on “3+ people” even when driving alone, gaining lane access and benefits without consequence.

HOV lanes were designed to reward carpoolers, but existing systems were failing. Self-declaration transponders made it too easy to cheat — drivers could leave the switch on “3+ people” even when driving alone, gaining lane access and benefits without consequence.

Traditional toll tag / transponder used for HOV validation

This caused high misdeclaration rates, lost revenue for agencies, and frustration for real carpoolers. Commuters still demanded speed — anything slower than a toll tag wouldn’t work. The challenge was designing an experience accurate for agencies yet effortless for drivers.

This caused high misdeclaration rates, lost revenue for agencies, and frustration for real carpoolers. Commuters still demanded speed — anything slower than a toll tag wouldn’t work. The challenge was designing an experience accurate for agencies yet effortless for drivers.

This caused high misdeclaration rates, lost revenue for agencies, and frustration for real carpoolers. Commuters still demanded speed — anything slower than a toll tag wouldn’t work. The challenge was designing an experience accurate for agencies yet effortless for drivers.

Designing for Trust, Safety, and Familiarity

I structured the solution around three principles, each shaping clear design decisions.

Design for Trust

The experience needed to be quick, transparent, and secure. Setup took seconds with a license plate scan, while subtle camera hints guided the one-step verification. At trip end, success messages confirmed eligibility and reassured users that images were deleted — building confidence that the app was reliable and privacy-first.

Simple Validation Flow

Design for Safety

To keep drivers focused, the app only communicates before a trip, at reward points, or at trip end — never in motion. Education was front-loaded while stopped, and in-trip messages appeared briefly and cleared automatically, so drivers never needed to touch their phone.

User Communication Diagram

Design for Familiarity

Anything unfamiliar on the road risks slowing drivers down, so I mimicked highway signage for clarity. The home screen featured one oversized verify button, minimal elements, and clear feedback — making the app feel as effortless as reading a road sign.

Element redesign to mimic real highway signage

The Impact

The Express Lanes app turned a technical proof-of-concept into a deployed solution, winning trust from major transportation agencies:

  • Secured a $375k Utah pilot on I-15 Express Lanes

  • Advanced to a Bay Area Beta with MTC

  • Helped secure $9.1M in SDTC funding for sustainable mobility

My work laid the foundation that later positioned Rideflag to win multi-year contract with major transportation agencies such as Georgia's SRTA, Colorado's CTIO, and FDOT in Florida.

Rideflag deployments and pilots by 2022

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