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Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to Bus Commander! This privacy policy explains how J Pearson ("we", "us", or "our") handles information when you use the Bus Commander mobile application (the "App") for Android devices.

We are committed to protecting your privacy. Bus Commander is designed to provide real-time London transport information while respecting your privacy. We collect only the minimal data necessary to deliver core features like nearby stations, journey planning, and service alerts.

Independent App Notice: Bus Commander is an independent app and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Transport for London (TfL).

2. Information We Collect

Bus Commander collects the following types of information to provide transport services:

2.1 Location Data (Optional, Used Locally Only)

Purpose: To show nearby stations, calculate walking distances, and provide location-based journey planning.

What happens with your location:

1. You tap "Find Nearby Stations" → App requests location permission
2. Device GPS provides coordinates (e.g., 51.5074° N, 0.1278° W)
3. App calculates distances to stations using local station database
4. Results are sorted by distance and displayed to you
5. Location data is immediately discarded after use

2.2 Cached Transport Data (Local Storage)

Purpose: To enable offline access and faster loading of station information.

The following transport data is cached on your device:

• Station lists: Names, ICS codes, and coordinates of London stations
• Route information: Bus routes, stops, and live arrivals
• Recent arrivals: Train times you've viewed (cached for 5-20 minutes)
• Journey results: Routes you've searched (temporary cache)
• Service status: Line status and disruption information

Storage duration: Cached data expires automatically (5 minutes to 7 days depending on type). All cached data is deleted when you uninstall the app.

2.3 User Preferences & Favorites (Local Storage)

The following preferences are stored locally on your device:

• Favorite stations: Stations you've starred for quick access
• Recent searches: Recent station and journey searches
• App settings: Theme, notification preferences, default transport modes
• Alarms: Train arrival reminders and journey notifications

This data is stored using Android's secure SharedPreferences and LocalStorage mechanisms. We cannot access this data - it remains on your device only.

2.4 Usage Analytics (Anonymous, Optional)

Purpose: To understand how users interact with the app and improve features.

We collect anonymous usage statistics through Firebase Analytics:

• Feature usage (which pages you visit, buttons clicked)
• App performance (loading times, API response times)
• Device information (Android version, screen size, manufacturer)
• App version and language settings
• Session duration and frequency

Important: Analytics data is completely anonymous and cannot be linked to you personally. Google Analytics assigns a random User ID that does not identify you. You can opt-out of analytics in app settings.

2.5 Crash Reports & Diagnostics

Purpose: To identify and fix bugs that cause app crashes.

We use Firebase Crashlytics to collect technical diagnostic information when the app crashes:

• Device model and Android version
• App version and state at time of crash
• Error logs and stack traces (technical debug data)
• Memory usage and available storage

No personal data: Crash reports do not contain personal information, location, or user-generated content. Reports are encrypted and used solely for debugging.

2.6 Advertising Data (Google AdMob)

Purpose: To display advertisements that keep the app free.

Bus Commander uses Google AdMob to show banner ads at the bottom of the screen. AdMob may collect device information to serve relevant ads:

• Advertising ID (Android Ad ID)
• Device type and operating system
• IP address (approximate location for regional ads)
• Ad interactions (views, clicks)

Third-party service: Ad data is collected by Google AdMob, not by us. We do not have access to this data. AdMob is subject to Google's privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy

Personalized ads: You can opt-out of personalized ads in your device settings:

• Android: Settings → Google → Ads → Opt out of Ads Personalization
• Or reset your Advertising ID to clear ad tracking

3. Information We Do NOT Collect

4. How We Use Information

Data Type	Purpose	Stored Where
Location (GPS)	Find nearby stations, calculate distances	Local device only (not stored)
Cached transport data	Offline access, faster loading	Local device storage
Favorites & preferences	Personalize experience	Local device storage
Anonymous analytics	Improve features, fix bugs	Google Firebase (anonymous)
Crash reports	Debug and fix errors	Firebase Crashlytics (anonymous)
Ad data	Display ads to keep app free	Google AdMob servers

We do NOT use your information for:

• Selling or sharing with third parties (except ad providers)
• Marketing or promotional emails
• Building user profiles or tracking across apps
• Any purpose other than improving Bus Commander

5. Third-Party Services

Bus Commander integrates the following third-party services:

5.1 Transport for London (TfL) API

• Purpose: Fetch real-time arrivals, line status, and journey planning
• Data sent: Station IDs, line IDs (no personal data)
• Privacy: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/privacy-and-cookies/

5.2 Google Firebase Analytics & Crashlytics

• Purpose: Anonymous analytics and crash reporting
• Data collected: Device info, app usage, crash logs (all anonymous)
• Privacy: https://firebase.google.com/support/privacy

5.3 Google AdMob

• Purpose: Display advertisements to keep the app free
• Data collected: Advertising ID, device info, ad interactions
• Privacy: https://policies.google.com/technologies/ads
• Opt-out: Settings → Google → Ads → Opt out of Ads Personalization

6. Data Storage and Security

We implement appropriate security measures to protect your data:

6.1 Local Storage (On Your Device)

• Encrypted storage: Favorites, preferences, and cached data use Android's secure SharedPreferences
• Sandboxed: App data is isolated from other apps
• No cloud sync: Data stays on your device (not synced to cloud)

6.2 Network Communication

• HTTPS encryption: All API calls to TfL and Firebase use encrypted connections
• No authentication: APIs use public endpoints (no login or passwords sent)
• Timeout protection: Requests timeout after 10 seconds to prevent hanging

6.3 Data Retention

Data Type	Retention Period	Deletion Method
Cached arrivals	5-20 minutes	Automatic expiration
Cached station data	7 days	Automatic refresh
Favorites & preferences	Until app uninstall	Uninstall app or clear app data
Anonymous analytics	14 months	Automatic deletion by Firebase
Crash reports	90 days	Automatic deletion by Firebase

7. Your Rights and Choices

You have complete control over your data:

7.1 Location Permission

• Grant/deny: Android Settings → Apps → Bus Commander → Permissions → Location
• Impact: If denied, you can still search stations manually (no nearby feature)

7.2 Notification Permission

• Grant/deny: Android Settings → Apps → Bus Commander → Permissions → Notifications
• Impact: If denied, bus alarms and service alerts won't appear

7.3 Analytics Opt-Out

• Currently managed through device settings (app-level opt-out coming soon)
• Android: Disable Firebase Analytics via developer options

7.4 Ad Personalization Opt-Out

• Android Settings → Google → Ads → Opt out of Ads Personalization
• Or reset your Advertising ID to clear ad tracking history

7.5 Data Deletion

• Clear cache: Android Settings → Apps → Bus Commander → Storage → Clear Cache
• Clear all data: Android Settings → Apps → Bus Commander → Storage → Clear Data
• Complete removal: Uninstall the app to delete all local data

8. Children's Privacy (COPPA & GDPR-K)

Bus Commander is suitable for all ages, including children under 13. We take children's privacy seriously:

• We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13
• No account registration required (no age verification needed)
• No social features, chat, or user-generated content
• Ads are family-safe and comply with Google's policies
• Location permission requires parental approval on supervised devices

9. International Data Transfers

Most data is stored locally on your device (no transfers). However, anonymous analytics and crash reports may be processed by Google's servers worldwide. Google complies with international data protection laws:

• EU-US: Google adheres to Privacy Shield principles
• UK: Google complies with UK GDPR
• Encryption: Data in transit is encrypted via HTTPS

10. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

For users in the European Economic Area (EEA) and UK, our legal basis for processing information is:

• Consent: Location access, analytics, and notifications require your explicit consent
• Legitimate interests: Caching data for offline access, crash reporting for bug fixes
• Contract performance: Providing core transport information services

11. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

California residents have specific rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

• Right to know: See this policy for data we collect (location used locally, analytics anonymous)
• Right to delete: Uninstall the app or clear app data
• Right to opt-out: We do not sell personal information
• Right to non-discrimination: No penalty for exercising privacy rights

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in the app or legal requirements. We will notify you of significant changes through:

• In-app notification on first launch after update
• Updated "Last Modified" date at the top of this policy
• Google Play Store update notes

Your continued use of the app after changes indicates acceptance of the updated policy. Review this policy periodically for updates.

13. Contact Information

If you have questions about this privacy policy or how your data is handled, please contact us:

Developer: J Pearson
Email: support@buscommander.app
Location: London, United Kingdom
Response time: We aim to respond within 48 hours

14. Disclaimer & Independent Status

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Bus Commander by J Pearson
Privacy Policy Last Updated: March 13, 2026
Effective Date: March 13, 2026