BayBoundIntroduction
BayBound is built so that your commute stays yours. The app works without an account, keeps your home, workplace and location on your device, and contains no advertising, analytics or tracking. This policy explains what the app handles and where that data goes.
Data Stored on Your Device
BayBound stores the following on your device only:
- Your commute profile: home and work stations, commute days, the time the app switches to the trip home, and how long it takes you to reach each station
- Your home address and workplace, if you choose to enter them to estimate travel time to the station
- Reminder and location preferences
- The Caltrain timetable and recently downloaded train status, so the app works offline
- Whether you have an active BayBound Plus subscription (a cached copy of what the App Store reports)
This data is never sent to us. "Start over" in Settings erases your commute profile, and deleting the app removes everything.
Location
Location access is optional, and BayBound works fully without it.
- While using the app (optional): if you turn on "Use location to pick direction," BayBound checks whether you are near one of your commute stations to show trains in the right direction.
- Always (BayBound Plus reminders only): if you turn on tap reminders or the approaching-stop alert, BayBound asks iOS to notice when you arrive near your commute stations, so it can remind you to tap your card or phone and tell you when your stop is next.
Location is processed entirely on your device by iOS. BayBound does not send your location to us or to anyone else, and does not keep a location history.
Apple Maps
When you search for an address or ask BayBound to estimate travel time to a station, the search text and the locations involved are sent to Apple's mapping service to return results. This is handled by Apple under Apple's Privacy Policy. We do not receive it.
Train Data From Our Server
BayBound downloads public Caltrain schedule, delay and service alert information from our server, which gets it from 511 SF Bay Open Data. These requests contain no personal information: no account, no device identifier, no location and no commute details.
Like any web service, our hosting provider (Google Cloud / Firebase) automatically records standard technical request logs, which may include IP address, device type and request time. These logs are used only for security and troubleshooting and are deleted automatically, generally within 30 days.
Notifications and Live Activities
Reminders and alerts are created on your device.
When you track a train on your Lock Screen (a Live Activity), your iPhone gives BayBound a push token for that Live Activity, which lets our server update it with delays while the app is closed. We store that token together with the train number, its date, your two stations and your door-to-platform time, and nothing else. The record is deleted automatically when the trip ends, or right away when you stop tracking. With BayBound Plus, if you turn on "Live Activity when I board," your iPhone sends the same kind of information to start the Live Activity when you leave your station on a train. Updates are delivered by Apple Push Notification service.
Purchases
BayBound Plus subscriptions and tips are processed by Apple through the App Store. We do not receive your name, email, payment details or Apple ID. The app checks your subscription status with the App Store on your device.
No Analytics, Advertising or Tracking
BayBound does not use analytics or crash-reporting services, does not show ads, does not use advertising identifiers, and does not track you across apps or websites. We do not sell or share personal information, because we do not collect it.
Children's Privacy
BayBound is designed for general audiences and is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
If a future feature changes what BayBound collects (for example, optional push notifications that would require a device token and your commute times on our server), we will update this policy before releasing it and post the new effective date here.
Contact Us
For questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us through the Contact page.
BayBound is an unofficial app and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Caltrain. Transit data provided by 511.org.