Words by Smiley Team
Everyone deserves to travel with comfort and ease – and a brand new travel app is working to make this a reality.
The pioneering accessibility technology company, Transreport, has recently secured new funding from BlackFinch and Praetura Investments to support the expansion of its Passenger Assistance app.
Jay Shen, founder of Transreport, describes the experience of travelling as “seemingly normal for many" – but complex for the disabled community, as many older or disabled passengers travelling on the rail network require assistance to help them on and off trains and reserve seats.
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Jay founded the company 6 years ago while studying for a PHD at Warwick University. He was inspired by a discussion he had with a disabled passenger, which opened his eyes to the trials, tribulations and anxieties faced by those with disabilities on public transport.
Five years later, Jay launched the Passenger Support App, which he hopes will break down those barriers on a large scale. Jay developed a prototype of his app from a garage in Coventry and over the following weeks, his team established a panel of users with first-hand experiences of navigating travel with a disability.
These users gave feedback and, soon, ideas and suggestions were flooding in from everywhere.
Extra access features were built in every step of the way, like different colour schemes and full voice-over compatibility. The app also serves to improve social attitudes and, consequently, transport etiquette towards people with disabilities and access needs.
Jay wants to make it simpler for disabled people to arrange assistance for the journeys they make on public transport, advocating for good travel experiences for all.
DONATE: Scope is a national charity working towards equality for disabled people. Donate now.
VOLUNTEER: Find out the volunteer opportunities with Scope on their website.
