How the 'Evil MoPac' app can help Austin drivers beat traffic and save cash

Driving on toll roads can be unpredictable. A new app aims to make things a little easier for Austin drivers.

The Evil MoPac app dropped Tuesday on Apple's App Store and on Google Play . It gets its name from a partnership with the satirical social media account of a self-described "pro-gridlock activist."

According to KUT News , Alan Farmer was inspired to create the app after many years of an exhausting commute from Southwest Austin to the Domain.

"Twice a day having to deal with the terrible that is MoPac in the toll lane," he said. "Many days, the toll lane helped me get home quicker, but at a decent cost."

How does the 'Evil MoPac' app work? 

The Evil MoPac app gathers toll rates from the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority and compares them with travel-time data from mapping company TomTom. Users can choose the maximum amount they're willing to spend per minute saved, with a default of $1 per minute, and the app calculates whether using the express lanes is worth the cost.

Toll data is refreshed roughly every two minutes, while travel-time data updates every five minutes. That means unexpected events, such as a slow-moving vehicle, can skew the estimates.

After creating the app, Farmer contacted those who manage the Evil MoPac account to help boost its marketing.

"I thought it would be an interesting branding partnership just to have at least a launching point for the app," he said.