Terms and Conditions for BusBuddy

1.1 Eligibility

• You must be at least 12 years old to use the BusBuddy application. If you are under the age of 12, you may only use the application with the consent of a parent or guardian.

1.2 Account Registration

• To access certain features of the application, you may be required to register an account. You agree to provide accurate, current and complete information during the registration process and to update such information as necessary to maintain its accuracy.

1.3 Account Security

• You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activities that occur under your account. You agree to notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account or any other breach of security. We will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your failure to comply with this obligation.

2.1 Prohibited Activities

You agree not to use the application for any unlawful purpose or in any way that could harm BusBuddy, its users, or any third party. Prohibited activities include, but are not limited to:

• Using the application to harass, abuse or harm another person.
• Impersonating any person or entity or falsely stating or otherwise misrepresenting your affiliation with a person or entity.
• Interfering with or disrupting the operation of the application.
• Attempting to gain unauthorized access to the application or its related systems or networks.
• Engaging in any activity that could disable, overburden, or impair the proper functioning of the application.
• Misusing the "Inside Bus" feature by enabling it when you are not actually inside a bus, which misleads other students and undermines the community-driven tracking system.
• Using location spoofing, GPS manipulation, or other techniques to provide false location data, especially in connection with the "Inside Bus" feature.
• Creating multiple accounts to exploit rewards programs or other features.
• Using automated tools, bots, or scripts to interact with the application or farm rewards.
• Attempting to defraud or manipulate the "Inside Bus" feature, rewards programs, check-ins, or any gamification features.

3.1 Ownership

• All intellectual property rights in the application and its content are owned by BusBuddy or its licensors. You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to use the application for personal, non-commercial purposes only.

3.2 Restrictions

• You may not copy, modify, distribute, sell, lease or create derivative works based on any part of the application or its content without our prior written consent. Any unauthorized use of the application may result in termination of your access and legal action.

4.1 Privacy Policy

• Your use of the application is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which explains how we collect, use and protect your personal data. By using the application, you consent to the collection and use of your data as described in our Privacy Policy.

4.2 "Inside Bus" Feature - Student Location Sharing

• BusBuddy offers an optional "Inside Bus" feature that allows students who are currently riding a bus to share their location with other students.
• Purpose: This feature is designed as a community-driven bus tracking system. When students enable this feature while inside a bus, their location is shared with other students to help them track where buses are in real-time. This provides additional tracking coverage and helps the student community, especially when driver or volunteer tracking may be unavailable.
• Voluntary Participation: The "Inside Bus" feature is entirely voluntary. Students should only enable this feature when they are physically inside a bus. It is intended to help fellow students, not for spam or misuse.
• When you enable the "Inside Bus" feature, we collect and store only your most recent location update, including GPS coordinates and timestamp.
• How Your Location is Used:
  • Bus Tracking for Other Students: Your location is displayed to other students in the app to help them see where the bus you're on is currently located.
  • Rewards and Recognition: Students who contribute to the community by sharing their location while inside buses may earn rewards, points, or badges to recognize their helpful participation.
  • Fraud and Misuse Prevention: We use location data, timing information, and usage patterns to detect and prevent misuse of the "Inside Bus" feature, such as false reports from users not actually on buses, location spoofing, or other fraudulent activities that could mislead other students.
  • Analytics and Service Improvement: We analyze actual bus usage patterns, popular routes, and peak times based on student-shared location data to improve service quality and optimize routes.
  • Personalization: To provide you with relevant notifications and recommendations.
• Control: You may enable or disable the "Inside Bus" feature at any time through the application. You should disable this feature when you exit the bus.
• Responsible Use: You agree to use the "Inside Bus" feature responsibly and only when you are genuinely inside a bus. Misusing this feature to provide false location information or mislead other students is prohibited and may result in loss of rewards, suspension from the feature, or account termination.
• You may request deletion of your stored location data at any time by contacting us at the email address provided in the Contact Us section.

4.3 Consent and Control

• By enabling the "Inside Bus" feature, you explicitly consent to the collection, storage, sharing, and use of your location data as described in these Terms and our Privacy Policy.
• You understand that your location will be visible to other students in the app to help them track buses.
• You retain full control over the "Inside Bus" feature and can enable or disable it at any time.
• BusBuddy will not share your precise location data with third parties for advertising purposes without your explicit consent, though aggregated and anonymized location data may be used for analytics and service improvement.

5.1 Advertisements in the Application

• BusBuddy may display advertisements, promotional content, and sponsored materials ("Advertisements") within the application to generate revenue and support the continued operation and improvement of our services.
• Advertisements may appear in various formats including but not limited to banner ads, interstitial ads, video ads, native ads, and promoted content.
• By using the application, you acknowledge and agree that BusBuddy has the right to display Advertisements throughout the application.

5.2 Third-Party Advertisements

• BusBuddy may partner with third-party advertising networks and advertisers to display Advertisements. These third parties may collect certain information about your use of the application to provide targeted and relevant advertising.
• We are not responsible for the content, accuracy, or practices of third-party advertisers. Any interaction you have with third-party Advertisements, including viewing, clicking, or purchasing products or services, is solely between you and the third party.
• Third-party advertisers may use cookies, web beacons, or similar technologies to collect information. Please refer to our Privacy Policy for more information about how data is collected and used in connection with Advertisements.

5.3 Paid Promotions and Sponsored Content

• BusBuddy may offer paid promotion opportunities to businesses, service providers, and other entities ("Sponsors") who wish to promote their products, services, or content within the application.
• Sponsored content and paid promotions will be clearly identified or labeled as such (e.g., "Sponsored," "Promoted," or "Ad") to distinguish them from organic content.
• The inclusion of any Sponsor or paid promotion in the application does not constitute an endorsement, recommendation, or guarantee by BusBuddy of the quality, reliability, or suitability of the Sponsor's products or services.
• BusBuddy reserves the right to accept or reject any potential Sponsor or paid promotion at its sole discretion.

5.4 User Interaction with Advertisements

• When you interact with Advertisements (e.g., clicking on an ad, visiting an advertiser's website, or making a purchase), you may be directed to external websites or applications operated by third parties.
• BusBuddy is not responsible for any transactions, interactions, or relationships between you and advertisers or Sponsors. Any claims, disputes, or issues arising from such interactions must be resolved directly with the advertiser or Sponsor.
• You acknowledge that BusBuddy does not warrant or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or quality of any products, services, or information provided by third-party advertisers.

5.5 Opt-Out and Preferences

• While Advertisements help us provide the application free of charge, we respect your preferences regarding advertising.
• You may have the option to limit certain types of targeted advertising by adjusting your device settings or using available opt-out mechanisms provided by advertising networks. However, opting out of targeted advertising does not mean you will see fewer Advertisements; it means the Advertisements you see may be less relevant to your interests.
• BusBuddy may offer premium subscription plans or features that reduce or eliminate Advertisements. If such options become available, they will be clearly communicated within the application.

5.6 Revenue Sharing and Affiliate Programs

• BusBuddy may participate in affiliate marketing programs, earning commissions or revenue when users make purchases or take actions through links or Advertisements displayed in the application.
• The inclusion of affiliate links or participation in affiliate programs does not affect the price you pay for any products or services purchased through such links.
• BusBuddy may also generate revenue through partnerships, referral programs, and other monetization strategies that do not compromise the quality or integrity of our services.

5.7 Prohibited Advertisement Content

• BusBuddy maintains standards for acceptable Advertisement content. Advertisements must not contain illegal, harmful, deceptive, fraudulent, or offensive content.
• We reserve the right to remove or refuse any Advertisement that violates our policies or is deemed inappropriate at our sole discretion.
• If you encounter an Advertisement that you believe is inappropriate, misleading, or violates our terms, please contact us immediately at the email provided in the Contact Us section.

5.8 Liability for Advertisements

• BusBuddy makes no representations or warranties regarding any Advertisements, sponsored content, or promoted materials displayed in the application.
• You acknowledge and agree that BusBuddy shall not be liable for any loss or damage of any kind incurred as a result of your interaction with Advertisements or any transactions with third-party advertisers.
• Any reliance you place on Advertisements or sponsored content is strictly at your own risk.

5.9 Changes to Advertisement Policies

• BusBuddy reserves the right to modify its advertisement policies, pricing models, and revenue generation strategies at any time without prior notice.
• We may introduce new types of Advertisements, promotional features, or monetization methods as the application evolves.
• Continued use of the application following any changes to our advertisement policies constitutes your acceptance of such changes.

6.1 No Warranty

• The application is provided on an "as-is" and "as-available" basis without any warranties of any kind, either express or implied. BusBuddy does not warrant that the application will be uninterrupted, error-free, secure, or free from viruses or other harmful components.

6.2 Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, BusBuddy shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from:

• Your use or inability to use the application.
• Any unauthorized access to or use of our servers and/or any personal information stored therein.
• Any interruption or cessation of transmission to or from the application.
• Any bugs, viruses, trojan horses, or similar components that may be transmitted to or through our application by any third party.

In no event shall our total liability exceed the amount paid by you for accessing the application (if applicable).

8.1 Program Participation

• BusBuddy may offer rewards, points, badges, or other incentive programs ("Rewards Programs") to encourage user engagement, recognize helpful community contributions, and enhance the user experience.
• Participation in Rewards Programs is voluntary and may require you to consent to location sharing through the "Inside Bus" feature.
• Rewards Programs are designed to recognize and thank students who help the community by sharing their location when inside buses, thereby helping other students track buses in real-time.

8.2 Earning Rewards

• Rewards may be earned through various activities including but not limited to: using the "Inside Bus" feature to help other students track buses, consistent engagement with the application, completing challenges, referring friends, or participating in community-driven features.
• BusBuddy uses location data and timestamps to verify the legitimacy of reward-earning activities, particularly to ensure that the "Inside Bus" feature is being used genuinely by students who are actually inside buses.
• The number of points, rewards, or benefits you earn may vary based on the activity, your usage patterns, and current program terms.

8.3 Reward Redemption and Value

• Rewards, points, and badges have no monetary value and cannot be exchanged for cash.
• Rewards may be redeemable for in-app benefits, discounts, special features, or other perks as determined by BusBuddy.
• BusBuddy reserves the right to modify, suspend, or terminate any Rewards Program at any time without prior notice.
• Unredeemed rewards may expire according to the terms of the specific Rewards Program.

8.4 Fraud Prevention and Responsible Use

• The "Inside Bus" feature and associated Rewards Programs are intended to help the student community, not for spam or abuse.
• You agree not to manipulate, exploit, or abuse Rewards Programs or the "Inside Bus" feature through fraudulent check-ins (enabling the feature when not on a bus), location spoofing, multiple accounts, automated systems, or any other deceptive means.
• BusBuddy uses location data, timing information, usage patterns, and other analytics to detect and prevent misuse, fraud, and abuse that could mislead other students about bus locations.
• If BusBuddy determines that you have engaged in fraudulent activity, misuse of the "Inside Bus" feature, or abuse of Rewards Programs, we reserve the right to: (a) revoke your earned rewards, (b) suspend or terminate your account, (c) ban you from future participation in Rewards Programs and the "Inside Bus" feature, and (d) take any other action deemed necessary.

8.5 Program Changes

• BusBuddy reserves the right to modify the terms of Rewards Programs, change point values, alter redemption options, or discontinue programs at its sole discretion.
• We will make reasonable efforts to notify users of material changes to Rewards Programs, but we are not obligated to do so.