From bike share to rail to ride sharing, if you live in a big city, chances are there is a ton of transportation options to choose from. And with so many options come different pricing, routes, and timing, so it can be tough to pick what works best in each situation. That’s where RideScout comes in.
RideScout is a relatively new app that takes multiple forms of transportation into account when searching for directions. The app compares cycling, driving, taxis, ride share, and public transportation to give you the best options in regards to timelines, cost, and health. Read my full Ridescout review to learn more.
Usage
When you first launch RideScout, you’ll be brought to a standard map view. In this map view, you can view transit options around you including subway stations, bus stops, bike share stations, available taxis, and even Sidecar ride sharing cars. If you decide to book a taxi or Sidecar, you can tap them on the map and their respective app will launch automatically.
Additionally, you can search for directions in the app as well. To do this, look towards the top of the map view and enter your starting location and destination and tap the Search Rides button. You’ll then be taken to a window where you can sort your available rides by departure time, arrival time, and estimated cost.
Tapping on each of the available routes will show them highlighted on the map, or, if you selected a taxi or ride share, it will bring you to a page where you can book your ride. Underneath all of the available routes will be the estimated cost of your ride. If you’re riding a bike, it will show the estimated amount of calories burned when riding to your destination.
If you choose to drive to your destination, you can choose to enable Social Ride. This service is RideScout’s in-house ride sharing application that will let you give or take rides to and from other RideScout users who are going to a similar destination.
Design
I have a love-hate relationship with RideScout’s design. I really love how the application can get you up and running in seconds as the map view and direction bars are front-and-center. Additionally, the app’s route comparison window shows all rides intuitively, helping  you find the best route for your needs.
However, I feel like the app’s design needs a bit of retouching and modernization. When viewing the map, transit option icons can be somewhat distorted, and the app’s graphics could use a bit of modernization. Something about the overly straight lines and dull buttons make RideScout feel dated.
The Good
This app shows more transit options than any other mapping application I’ve used in the past, and lays out these options well. I also really like how the app lets you compare pricing and book rides on popular ride sharing and taxi hailing apps.
The Bad
The app’s design can use a bit of touching up, and needs something to make it look a bit more modern. Additionally, at least in the Chicagoland area, the app doesn’t count the price of transfers when viewing transit options by price. Hopefully this is fixed in a future update.
Value
Since RideScout is free and does a wonderful job of providing directions in numerous metropolitan areas around the United States, it is definitely a good value.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMDPSvNYeAI
Conclusion
All in all, I highly recommend RideScout to any city dweller who wants to get around their city fast. I’ve been using RideScout almost daily since downloading it last month, and can safely say it’s the best transit app I’ve used. Although the design isn’t the best, RideScout hasn’t gotten me lost yet, something I can’t say for other transit apps I’ve tried. Download Ridescout for free.
Related Apps
Google Maps for iOS does a great job of giving transit and cycling directions and even integrates with Uber. However, unlike RideScout, Maps has yet to display bike share stations or integrate with taxi hailing applications like Hailo.