How-to

Everything you need for your first night, in about two minutes.

SetupFirst nightWake modesCommutingJoin a busBus Pass (TMs)Family linksiPhone extrasProBefore you sleep

1. Setup (once)

  1. Open Lobby Call and allow Location: Always. It only tracks while an alarm is set, so it can keep moving your wake-up as the drive changes.
  2. Allow Alarms. This is what lets it ring through Silent and Focus, like the Clock app.
  3. Allow Notifications if you'll be in a group.

2. Your first night

  1. Tap the destination card and search the hotel, venue or any address.
  2. Pick how early: 10, 20, 30 or 45 minutes out.
  3. Tap Sleep. The readiness check flags anything that's off (battery, permissions, volume).
  4. Plug in and go to sleep. Your lock screen shows the countdown and miles to go.
  5. When it rings, tap I'm up. Snooze is there if you need it.
Turn on the backup alarm in Settings. It rings at a set time no matter what happens to the drive overnight.

3. Wake modes

4. Commuting

  1. Set your stop or station as the destination.
  2. Use Distance (say 1 mile) or ETA (5 to 10 minutes) so you have time to grab your bag.
  3. Riding underground? Add a Clock backup, since GPS drops out in tunnels.

5. Join a bus (crew)

  1. Get the code or QR from your tour manager.
  2. Tap ☰ → Group → Join and scan or type the code. No account needed.
  3. Set your own wake time. Your status (asleep, ringing, up) shows to the group.
  4. If your TM has a Bus Pass, you show up in their Pro requests. Once they approve you, Pro unlocks. You never pay.

6. Bus Pass: how it works for tour managers

One purchase gives Pro to everyone on your bus. The TM pays, the crew rides free.

  1. Start the bus. Tap ☰ → Group → Start group, and name it (for example "Bus 2"). You get a code and QR.
  2. Buy the Bus Pass. In the group, tap Get Bus Pass. Choose $59.99/year (best value, half the price of monthly) or $9.99/month for a short run.
  3. Share the code and approve your crew. Drop it in the tour group chat or put the QR on the bus. New people appear under Bus Pass → Pro seats; tap Approve for anyone on the tour. Up to 15 seats, including you.
  4. Watch who's up. Before you pull in, see who's awake, ringing or still asleep. No more banging on curtains.
  5. Crew changes are easy. Anyone who leaves the group loses their seat. Long-press someone in Crew to take back their seat or remove them. Pro also pauses for anyone who hasn't been near the bus in 14 days, so it stays with the people actually on tour.
A full bus of 12 on the yearly pass is about $5 a person for the year. The receipt comes from Apple, so it's easy to expense to the tour.

Cancel anytime in iPhone Settings → your name → Subscriptions → Lobby Call. Pro stays on for the crew until the end of the paid period.

Share your ride with family

  1. In your group, open Follow the bus and tap New family link.
  2. Say who it's for and how long it lasts (12 hours, 1 day or 3 days), then send it straight to that person.
  3. They see your ETA and a rough map of the bus. It never shows where you're headed (no hotel, venue, address or city) or the band or group name, and the bus disappears from the map near arrival.
  4. Turn a link off anytime. Tour managers can switch family links off for the whole group, which is a good idea on artist buses.

iPhone extras

7. Pro, for yourself

$24.99/year (1-week free trial), $3.99/month, or $99 once for lifetime. Adds live-traffic drive times, tour stops, sleep sounds, wake-up voices, iCloud backup and your full Passport of every night on the road. The yearly plan is the best deal: about half the price of paying monthly.

8. Before you sleep checklist

Still stuck? See Support or email help@lobbycall.me.