Version 3.1 is the next update for both fixed route and demand response drivers. It makes fixed route assignments easier to follow, improves Push to Talk, and brings navigation, stability and bug-fix improvements for every driver.
Release Timeline
Phased Release: Starting the week of November 2, 2026
Expected Full Release: The week of November 9, 2026
Version 3.1 is delivered through the App Store and Google Play, so drivers on 3.0 need to install the update.
In This Release
Full service day view for fixed route drivers
Clear reasons when a fixed route trip can't be claimed
Fixed route assignment screens sized for phones
Push to Talk (Beta): directions pause while dispatch is talking, and support for more push-to-talk handsets
Clean sign-out when a driver signs in on another device, if your agency turns it on
Other improvements and bug fixes
New Features
Full Service Day View (Fixed Route)
Drivers often work several pieces of work across more than one duty in a day. Before, the Your day panel only showed the duty the driver was signed in to.
The Your day panel now shows every piece of the driver's service day, including pieces on other blocks. Each piece is labeled Current, Upcoming or Other duty, and the time range at the top covers the whole day. Drivers can see when their next piece starts and which duty it belongs to without asking dispatch.
Assignment Screens Sized for Phones (Fixed Route)
The start card, the No Block card and the Claim and Change Assignment pickers now fit phone screens. Block names no longer wrap over several lines, and trip names are no longer cut off. Tablet layouts are unchanged.
Prevent Sign In on Another Device (BETA)
Agencies can now limit each driver account to one device at a time. With this turned on, if a driver signs in on a second device, the first device signs out cleanly and shows the message You signed in on another device, so this device has been signed out. Before, the first device showed a separate "session expired" alert for each request that failed.
This is an agency setting, and it's off by default. To turn it on, go to Settings → Driver Interfaces in Spare Admin and turn on Sign drivers out of other devices. You can turn it off again at any time. It only applies to drivers who sign in with a username and PIN. Drivers who sign in with email aren't affected.
If you don't see the setting, speak to your Spare Representative to have it made available for your agency during this beta.
Push to Talk (Beta) Updates
These updates apply to organizations in the Push to Talk (Beta). Speak to your PSM if you're interested in joining.
Directions pause while dispatch is talking: when dispatch speaks, turn-by-turn voice directions go quiet so the driver can hear the message, and resume once dispatch finishes. This works with both Mapbox and Google Maps navigation. Directions the driver muted stay muted.
More handsets supported: drivers can now use more physical push-to-talk handsets, pressing the handset's button to talk to dispatch. Speak to your PSM to confirm your handsets are supported. Brief connection drops no longer cancel a message or disarm the handset.
Handsets are used as microphones only: when a handset is plugged in, incoming messages now play from the device speaker instead of the handset.
Other Improvements in v3.1 of the Spare Driver App
Improved app stability: Upgraded the app's core framework to the latest version, improving overall reliability and performance.
Faster rerouting on Android: With Mapbox navigation, guidance now finds a new route as soon as the driver leaves the planned route. Before, it could keep the old route until the driver left the next stop.
Better map view on iPads: With Google Maps navigation on an iPad held upright, the map now keeps the vehicle centered instead of shifting it to one side.
More accurate fixed route arrivals: Stop arrivals are recorded more reliably at loop terminals, including terminals split across two nearby stops. When a bus finishes a lap well behind schedule, the app now continues with the next trip and marks the stops of the skipped lap as missed.
More reliable vehicle location: If the device stops reporting GPS during a fixed route duty, the app now restarts location tracking on its own. Vehicle location also keeps reporting through brief network drops.
Dark mode: Lateness badges now match the app's light and dark themes.
Bug Fixes
This release includes several fixes to improve app stability and reliability:
Fixed an issue where the app could crash on Android 14 and later when a USB radio microphone was plugged in.
Fixed an issue where the app could crash on Android when leaving Mapbox navigation, for example when signing out.
Fixed an issue where the Push to Talk Priority button could start after a shorter hold once it had been used. Every press now needs the full 2-second hold.
Fixed an issue on Android where the itinerary sheet stayed open when a break started or when the vehicle reached a break location.
Fixed an issue where inspection signatures didn't upload when the device couldn't confirm its network connection.
Fixed an issue where a decimal point typed first was removed when replacing an engine-hour meter reading during an inspection.
Fixed an issue where the drive-time banner showed "{{minutes}}" instead of the number of minutes in Japanese.
FAQ
Do drivers need to update the app?
Yes. Version 3.1 is a new release from the App Store and Google Play, and over-the-air updates do not move a device from 3.0 to 3.1. Agencies that manage devices through MDM should deploy 3.1 through their MDM.
Which devices are supported?
iPhones and iPads on iOS or iPadOS 16.4 or later, and Android devices on Android 8.0 or later. Devices on iOS 16.0 to 16.3 need an operating system update before they can install 3.1.
Has anything changed for demand response drivers?
Yes. Demand response drivers get faster rerouting on Android, the better map view on iPads, the cleaner sign-out on another device (if your agency turns it on), the Push to Talk updates (for organizations in the beta) and the bug fixes above. The fixed route features apply only to fixed route duties.
Do I need to turn anything on?
Most of this release is available by default. Three parts depend on settings:
Claiming and changing fixed route work: the Choose Trip messages and the resized Claim and Change Assignment pickers appear only for agencies that let drivers claim their own fixed route trips (driver self-assignment). Speak to your Spare Representative to turn it on.
Push to Talk updates: these require Push to Talk (Beta). Speak to your PSM to join the beta.
Signing drivers out of other devices: this is off by default. To turn it on, go to Settings → Driver Interfaces and turn on Sign drivers out of other devices. It applies to drivers who sign in with a username and PIN. If you don't see the setting, speak to your Spare Representative.