RideWise wins Rep. Andy Ogles’ 2024 Congressional App Challenge in Tennessee’s Fifth District

When asked what inspired the creation of RideWise, the student said, “It was 3:30, when my school finally let me go on my way home. I listened to the announcements absent-mindedly as I put away the stack of papers my teacher had given me. I started walking out the door when my friend pulled the handle of my backpack, and I nearly fell flat on the ground. He asked me if I had listened to the bus announcements, I said ‘No, I was doing something else.’ He responded by saying, ‘You know our bus is delayed, right?’

That moment stuck with me. Like most students, I just wanted to get home after a long day at school, but instead, I was left waiting without knowing when my bus would arrive. It was frustrating not just for me, but for everyone who had after-school activities, parents waiting to pick them up, or simply wanted to know when they’d get home. I particularly thought about my brother, a fifth grader, who sometimes got confused about which bus to take when there were last-minute changes. More than once, I’ve gotten panicked texts from my mom asking if I knew where he was, only to find out he was on the wrong bus or waiting at the wrong spot.

This experience, combined with seeing my brother’s confusion and my parents’ worry about our whereabouts, inspired me to create this app. I wanted to build something that would solve a problem I personally experienced and help make the daily journey home a little less stressful for everyone involved.”