Inclusive Transit Navigation: A Real-Time Accessibility-Aware Mobile Application

Abstract

Transportation is required for social participation, equality of opportunity and independence. Nevertheless, a billion-plus disabled individuals continue to face challenges using the transportation systems. Ordinary issues such as cars with steps, broken ramps or elevators, confusing signs, absence of tactile trails, and audio announcements make travelling hard and sometimes impossible. Although there are laws in place, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the UK Equality Act, and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), they are still not equally applied. Most cities have not yet implemented accessible trip-planning tools or barrier-free infrastructure. Most transit apps already in operation make all routes look the same and fail to indicate whether a route is reachable. In this paper, a mobile application that provides real-time information on train, bus, and station accessibility is discussed. It combines GTFS transit data, OpenStreetMap, and user feedback to suggest the most accessible routes based on a user's mobility, visual, auditory, or cognitive requirements. The system consists of a scoring model, a multi-criteria routing algorithm and an Accessibility Knowledge Graph. Based on the initial tests, the user is more confident and has fewer travel failures. The proposed solution aligns with smart city goals and closes gaps in current policies by fostering independence and inclusivity.