Using Commutineer

Registering is free and easy.

1. Click Register and fill out the form. We need your first and last names, a user name (pick one that will not identify you personally) and password, plus your mobile number and email address. We keep your personal contact details secret and only your user name will be displayed on the Commutineer Web site. By clicking the Register button you agree to our terms of use.
2. We'll immediately send you an email containing a verification code. To complete your registration text the code to the Commutineer number using your registered mobile phone. You can log in using your user name and password.

All conversations on the Commutineer Web site are public (excluding flirts, which people have replied to) so anybody can read them, even if they're not actually a Commutineer.

You should always tag a conversation with at least one topic or place. You can add more topics and places if you want.

• From your mobile:

  We do not charge you for sending text messages that are up to 140 characters in length to Commutineer.

  • To start a conversation from your mobile just text your message to the Commutineer number. Don't forget to tag it with at least one topic or place or it'll end up in Lost and Found.
  • To reply to a conversation from your mobile start your text message with the short code that identifies the conversation, e.g. 04k Yes, it's definitely duvet day today. The code is typically found at the start of a text message directly after the sender's name and a chevron >, e.g. the conversation code is 1rf in the message: bob>1rf I like rainy mornings. (On the Web site, the conversation code is in front of the conversation title.)
  • To designate a word in your message as a topic or place tag wrap it with #, e.g. I love #rollerblading# around #Waterloo#. We call this Loud Tagging because the tagged word is displayed as part of the message. Alternatively, use % if you don't want a topic or place tag to appear in the message. This is Silent Tagging, e.g. Great butchers near #Waterloo# %meat%. The message would be tagged with the topic meat and the place Waterloo but the word meat would not appear in the message like Waterloo.
  • To send a text message from your mobile to one of your tribes the message must contain the tribe name wrapped with @, e.g. Meeting @lolcats@ tonight at #London Bridge#.
• On the Web site:
  • To start a conversation on the Web site use the conversation box at the top of every page. Write your message in the box asking: What do you want to say? If you're talking about a specific place write it in the box: About where. If there's more than one place separate them with commas. Do the same for topics using the box: About what. You don't have to use #.
  • To reply to a conversation on the Web site click Reply and type in your message. If you want you can add another topic or place that you think relevant to the conversation. Only tribe members can reply to tribe conversations.

You can apply a tone - flirt, rant, cool, news - to a conversation, but only when its tagged with a station, line or rail network. Flirting at a place, e.g. at Victoria station or on the Northern line, makes each ensuing conversation private between you and the person who replied. That way nobody will know what was said between you and the girl in a green dress that you first saw at Waterloo station.

• From your mobile:
  • To flirt, rant, be cool or share news, text your message to the Commutineer number and wrap the tone with %, e.g. Saw a lovely girl at #Waterloo# %flirt%. Don't forget, you must include a place tag for the tone to be applied.
• On the Web site:
  • To flirt, rant, be cool or share news just start a conversation and enter a station, line or rail network in the box: About where. Then the tones become available and you can choose one.

New conversations without topic or place tags and replies to existing conversations that have omitted the conversation code end up in Lost and Found. Tagged conversations are more useful to commutineers so please remember to add at least one topic or place.

To rescue a conversation from Lost and Found, simply reply and use a topic or place tag you think suits the conversation. This will earn you some vitality.

Each place, be it a station, line or rail network, has its own page that displays all the conversations about it.

• Stations

  You can search for a station on the Places page. When talking about a station on the Web site, write the station name in the box: About where. When sending a text message from your mobile wrap the station name with #, e.g. #Clapham Junction#. Don't include the word station.

• Lines

  A line represents a typical route. Where possible, using the timetables issued by the rail networks, we identify a line by it's start and end station, e.g. Paddington-Penzance. The London Underground is easier because the lines have well known names. You can search for a line on the Places page. When talking about a line on the Web site, write the line name in the box: About where. When sending a text message from your mobile wrap the line name with #, e.g. #Paddington-Penzance#. Don't include the word line. It's best to know the exact line name used on Commutineer before starting a conversation from your mobile about a line.

• Rail networks

  A rail network represents all the lines and stations serviced by a rail operator. You can talk about it as though it's a place, e.g. South West Trains.

  You can search for a rail network on the Places page. When talking about a rail network on the Web site, write the rail network name in the box: About where. When sending a text message from your mobile wrap the line name with #, e.g. #South West Trains#. Don't include the words rail network.

When you discover you have something in common with other people you can form a tribe. A tribe consists of a chief, elders and members. Tribe members, including elders and the chief, can have conversations among the tribe and contact members by text message when tribe forwarding is enabled in their mobile preferences. Elders are the most active tribe members during the past week. The chief can invite others to become members, accept or decline requests to join and evict anyone from the tribe. We expect chiefs to enforce acceptable behaviour in their tribes.

• On the Web site:
  • To create a tribe, go to the Tribes tab on your page and click the button: Create a tribe. Type in the tribe name and a short description. You're the chief of the tribe and you can then invite people to become members of your tribe. A tribe is restricted to 24 members.
  • To join a tribe, the tribe's page and click the button: Join this tribe. The chief will see your invitation request and will either accept your request, adding you as a new member of the tribe, or he'll decline.
  • To leave a tribe, go to the tribe's page and click the button: Leave this tribe. If you're chief, you'll have to appoint a successor first. If you're the only member of a tribe you can't leave.
  • To Send text messages to all or selected tribe members, go to the tribe's page and start a conversation, choosing the names of the tribe members you wish to text. One text credit will be deducted from your account for each tribe member selected. Tribe members will need to have enabled options in their mobile preferences to receive text messages from Commutineer and allow my tribes to send them text messages, otherwise they won't appear in the list.
• When you're the chief:
  • To manage requests to join your tribes, go to the Manage Tribe tab on the tribe's page. You'll see a list of all those people who have requested to join the tribe. You can accept or decline each person's request to join. You also block further their requests to join. Invitations to join a tribe and requests to join a tribe aren't displayed if they're older than a week.
  • To invite people to join your tribe, go to the Tribes tab on the person's page and click the button: Join my tribe. Select the tribe from the dropdown list and click the Invite button. You can also send email invitations from the Manage Tribe tab on your tribe's page.
  • To evict members from a tribe, go to the Tribe Members tab on the tribe's page and open the list of tribe members. For each member you want to evict, click the checkbox next to their name so that it contains a tick and then click the Evict button. As chief you can evict any tribe member when you want.
  • To leave a tribe and choose a successor, go to the tribe's page and select a successor from the dropdown list then click the button: Leave this tribe.
• From your mobile:
  • To receive text messages from your tribes, text START to the Commutineer number followed by the tribe name wrapped with @, e.g. START @Chatswood Rangers@. You could allow several tribes to send you text messages with a single start message, e.g. START @Poodle Fans@ @Lamb Eaters@.
  • To stop your tribes sending you text messages, text STOP to the Commutineer number followed by a space and the tribe name wrapped with @, e.g. STOP @Badgers@. You could stop more than one tribe at the same time, e.g. STOP @Poodle Fans@ @Lamb Eaters@.
  • You can also use a mixed start message and a mixed stop message:
    • To start following the conversation with code 2rf and start receiving a daily text message on the topic of beer and allow the Rangers tribe to send you, text messages text START 2rf #beer# @Rangers@. The order isn't important.
    • To stop following the conversation with code 2rf and stop receiving a daily text message about Chorleywood station and stop members of the Rangers tribe sending you text messages, text STOP 2rf #Chorleywood# @Rangers@. The order isn't important.

We surface interesting weekly trends for your amusement.

• Vitality: A measure of a user's activity on Commutineer.
• Top commutineers: The most active but not necessarily talkative users overall, on a topic, at a station (Sovereign commutineers), or on a line (King of the line).
• Top topics: The topics users discuss the most overall, and the most talked about topics at stations and lines. We also show other topics associated with a topic.
• Top stations: The stations most mentioned in conversations and the stations most mentioned in conversations about a topic.
• Top lines: The lines most mentioned in all conversations and the lines most mentioned in conversations about a topic.
• Top tribes: The most talkative tribes overall, on a topic, at a station.
• What a tribe talks about: The top topics and places a tribe talks about.
• Resident Tribes on a line or at a station: The tribes whose individual members talk the most about a line or station.
• Similar tribes: To promote some healthy rivalry, we match the tribes who talk about the same topics and places.
• Your favourite topics and places.
• Similar users: We match you with users who talk about the same topics and places.

To find a topic or place type the words you want to search for into the search box and click the magnifier icon. You'll be shown results found in conversations, topics, commutineers, tribes and places that matched your search.

Alternatively, you can go to the Places, Topics, Commutineers or Tribes pages and choose the beginning letter or number of the word you're searching for.

On your page, select the Manage Account tab and you can do the following:

• Buy text credits

  You'll need to buy text credits from Commutineer if you wish to subscribe to any of the following optional services:

  • Receive a daily text message on your mobile about a topic or place at your chosen time
  • Receive replies to a conversation on your mobile
  • Receive the first reply to a conversation started from your mobile
  • Start a tribe conversation on the Web site and send it as text messages to selected tribe members
  • Forward tribe conversations and replies from your mobile to all tribe members

    Read about subscriptions for more information. Remember, buying text credits is just like buying a top-up card for your mobile. You can't get the money back so you'll have to use the text credits on Commutineer.

    To buy text credits from Commutineer select the bundle that suits your pocket and click the Paypal button. You'll be redirected to the Paypal Web site and will be required to login (if you don't already have a Paypal account it's easy to create one and you don't have to use the same email address you used to register on Commutineer). Once you've completed the purchase on the Paypal Web site you'll automatically be returned to Commutineer where your account will display a new text credit balance.

• Change my mobile preferences

  You can enable or disable the following options in your mobile preferences:

  • Receive text messages from Commutineer on your mobile. Master switch controlling all text messages from Commutineer.

    From your mobile:

    • To allow Commutineer to send text messages to your mobile, text START to the Commutineer number.
    • To stop Commutineer sending text messages to your mobile, text STOP to the Commutineer number.
  • Receive a text message containing the first reply to a conversation started from my mobile. This will give you the conversation code allowing you to also reply from your mobile. This requires text credits.
  • Forward text messages to my tribes. Have Commutineer forward your tribe text messages to the mobiles of all tribe members. This requires text credits.
  • Allow my tribes to send me text messages. Decide which of your tribes can send you text messages.
• Change details of my commute

  If you want, you can set your home station and your main commuting line for others to see where you travel.

• Change my mobile number and email address

  You can change your mobile phone number or email address. When you do we'll send you a verification code by email. To confirm the changes simply text the verification code to the Commutineer number using your mobile.

Commutineer offers some optional services that send text messages to your mobile. To subscribe to these services you'll need to first buy text credits from Commutineer using Paypal.
You will only receive text messages from Commutineer if your account contains text credits and you have enabled text messaging in the mobile preferences on the Manage Account tab on your page.

You can manage your subscriptions on the Subscriptions tab on your page.

• Daily text messages about topics and places

  To hear the latest on your favourite topic or place you can receive a text message on your mobile every day at a time of your choice. One text credit will be deducted from your account for each text message Commutineer sends to your mobile.
  The text message will be from another Commutineer and will never be older than a day. If the message is older than a day then you won't receive it. It will contain the sender's user name, the conversation code and the sender's message. You can reply using your mobile. Just text the conversation code followed by a space and your message to the Commutineer number. Try selecting a timeslot when you're commuting, this way you may be able to strike up a conversation with other people commuting or receive news about a station on your journey.

  You can stop receiving a daily message whenever you want.

  • From your mobile:
    • To receive a daily text message about a topic or place on your mobile text START to the Commutineer number followed by a space and the topic or place name wrapped with #, e.g. START #wine#. You can request multiple daily text messages using one text message, e.g. START #bagel# #Holborn#. The daily text message will be sent to your mobile in the 30-minute timeslot following the timeslot in which we received the START message from you. If you have other things to start too you can use a mixed start message.
    • To stop receiving a daily text message on your mobile text STOP to the Commutineer number followed by a space and the name of the topic or place wrapped with #, e.g. STOP #chocolates#. You can also stop multiple daily text messages in one go, e.g. STOP #beer# #Putney#. If you want to stop a number of things you can use a mixed stop message.
  • On the Web site:
    • To receive a daily text message on your mobile go to the topic or place page, choose a convenient 30-minute timeslot in which to receive the message and click the button: Text latest to my mobile.
    • To stop receiving a daily text message on your mobile go to the Subscriptions tab on your page. Click the checkbox for each daily text message you want to stop and then click the Stop button.
• Conversation replies on your mobile

  You can receive the replies to a conversation as text messages on your mobile. One text credit will be deducted from your account for each reply Commutineer sends to your mobile.

  Each text message will contain the sender's user name, the conversation code and the sender's message. If you want to reply using your mobile, text the conversation code followed by a space then your message to the Commutineer number.

  You can stop receiving the replies whenever you want.

  • From your mobile:
    • To receive replies to a conversation on your mobile text START to the Commutineer number followed by a space and the conversation code to the Commutineer number, e.g. START 1bf. You can follow more than one conversation, e.g. START 1b 2ff 3en. If you have other things to start too you can use a mixed start message.
    • To stop receiving replies to a conversation on your mobile text STOP to the Commutineer number followed by a space and the conversation code to the Commutineer number, e.g. STOP 1vc. You can stop following more than one conversation in the same text message, e.g. STOP 1b 2ff 3pn. If you want to stop a number of things you can use a mixed stop message.
  • On the Web site:
    • To receive replies to a conversation on your mobile click: Text replies to my mobile, next to the conversation.
    • To stop receiving replies to a conversation on your mobile go to the Subscriptions tab on your page. Click the checkbox for each conversation you want to stop and then click the Stop button.

Help us to keep Commutineer clean and meaningful by reporting what you believe to be offensive content.

• On the Web site:
  • To report a conversation or reply, click Thumbs Down next to the message.
  • To report a topic or tribe, click Thumbs Down next to the page title.
  • To report a user or user name, click Thumbs Down next to the user name on that user's page. (If the moderator renames an offensive user name, the person will have to guess what his new user name is from the content of the Web site before he can log in.)

If you break our terms of use, your account will be suspended and you won't be able to log in or send text messages to Commutineer from your mobile.

We'll send you an email when we suspend your account.

Please let us know if you have something to say about Commutineer. We'd really appreciate your feedback and would love to hear your ideas for improving the site.

Click contact us and fill in the form. You don't have to be a registered user to contact us.