The new Evil MoPac app aims to help Austin drivers decide on using MoPac toll lanes by analyzing real-time data.
AUSTIN, Texas — Sitting on traffic in MoPac is something that all Austinites unfortunately know all too well.
“I don’t know that anybody has said anything nice about MoPac,” Alan Farmer, the creator of the Evil MoPac app said while laughing.
Now, a new app could take away some headaches as drivers get on the MoPac Expressway. On Tuesday, Farmer launched his free app “Evil MoPac” on the App Store and Google Play Store.
The app tracks real time data from the Central Texas Mobility and Regional Mobility Authority every five minutes, and displays the time of the regular lane versus the toll lane. It shows the cost of that stretch of road either Northbound or Southbound, then determines if it’s worth it to take the toll.
You can also personalize the settings to save more or less money per minute, or more or less time saved – the average setting is a $1 saved per minute. The app also comes with notification settings, so it can remind you before you leave for your commute in the mornings or evenings.
Farmer’s idea for the app came out of frustration when his job suddenly decided to move locations from West Campus all the way up to the Domain, nearly doubling his commute time.
“My commute time went to at least 45 minutes in the morning and sometimes later in the evenings,” Farmer said. “This got me thinking, surely there has to be a better way; something that’s going to give me a better idea of how much time I could potentially save.”
He and his wife started dreaming up the app a few months ago, and since then, he’s spent his late nights and weekends working on the app, outside of his 9-5 job.
Once he felt like the app was ready, he reached out to the anonymous satirical social media account Evil MoPac to see if they’d be on board to partner with him for the app. There will be some subtle adds in the app to pay for the upkeep of it, but it will remain free to download. Farmer said he wanted to app to be accessible to everyone.
“This is just helping other people,” Farmer said.
There is also a contact email within the app, where people can reach out if they have any ideas or ways they want it to improve.
“I just hope that as more people download it, you know, it’ll get a decent number of followers that are interested in it, and I’m always open to feedback,” Farmer said.