Bron: Amsterdam Intelligence
Within this week's blog post, we share our talk with Lino Miltenburg and Jurian Baas about the Haltebuddy project. This project and the outcome was in line with the ambition of the Amsterdam for All project, and has been started to make the (general) public transport within the City more accessible to people with disabilities. Data about the physical features of, for instance, elevation thresholds was implemented into the Haltebuddy application to personalize the accessibility information about public transport for the abilities of the user. The GVB, the public transport organization within Amsterdam, even implemented the data and some of the functions of the Haltebuddy application into the GVB application. In this interview, we explain how the project was started, the relevance, and the outcomes.
How did the project start?
We were investigating if it was possible to better organize the special public transport for people with disabilities. During that investigation we discovered the existence of a national dataset of all sorts of information about public transport stops throughout the country. In the Centraal Haltebestand, developed by CROW-NDOV, transporters, public transport authorities and road authorities work together to keep public transport stop data up to date. The data for Amsterdam seemed not available in a user-friendly way. In addition, the team knew from interviewing people with disabilities that the categorization of a public transport stop as 'accessible' or 'not accessible' for all people doesn't do justice to the real world: what is accessible for some people with a disability in mobility might be not accessible for others, and vice versa. So the team examined if it's possible to create a user-friendly way to access the data, and to see if that data could be personalized according to individual needs.
How did you know what additional information was needed to make the public transport more accessible?
We asked people who, for instance, use a wheelchair or have difficulties walking how they planned their trip when they would go by public transport. During those conversations, it became clear that minor physical aspects of public transport, like the height of a step or threshold, and the distance between bus stops, could already make public transport inaccessible. We found it noteworthy that some thresholds would still be accessible for some people who, for instance, use a wheelchair, depending on the size and type of the wheelchair. However, the information about the threshold would often say it is not accessible for any wheelchair based on general accessibility thresholds. Providing more information about the physical aspects of thresholds could display for each user’s abilities. Fortunately, there is a lot of information about all the physical aspects of bus stops and tram stops. And so, the idea was born to match the data about people’s individual requirements for the physical aspects of public transport with the available data about the physical aspects of, for instance, bus stops and tram stops.
How did you match the data about people’s individual requirements with the available data about the physical aspects of public transport within Amsterdam?
Before matching the information, we investigated the needed information for an individual profile about the requirements. Then we made a prototype of such a profile and finally tested it by potential users. After collecting the feedback from the potential users we built the Haltebuddy application that combines all the information. The GVB is the first organization to implement the information within the GVB travel application. They will show personalized information next to transport stops that could include, for instance, the accessibility of tram stops for a particular sized wheelchair; or the height elevation someone can make with crudges; or whether someone requires extra space for turning with their aid on the platform. Incorporating this personalization into their travel advice will require some additional work, but that functionality is also on their roadmap.
What are the functionalities of the Haltebuddy application?
Within the Haltebuddy application the users can view what bus, tram, and train stops are accessible for their personal situation. The application asks you if you travel by, for instance, an electric wheelchair, a manual wheelchair, walking sticks, or crutches. In addition, you can enter the width you need to enter and leave the vehicle; how high a threshold or the height to a vehicle can be; and if you want to use a ramp at higher thresholds. After answering those questions you can see what stops are accessible to you, keeping your personal situation and preferences in mind. We also incorporated a ‘’Stop Button’’, which allows you to let the public transport staff know that you are coming and need extra help or time when boarding.
Bron: Amsterdam Intelligence
What is the difference between the Haltebuddy application and the function on the GVB application?
They are almost the same. Although, we developed the Haltebuddy application to display the possibilities. Transport organizations can copy the functionality to improve the travel advice within their applications for people with disabilities. We have included the source code and technical documentation on our landing page to facilitate this. Therefore, the Haltebuddy app is not developed to be a long-term solution of its own.
‘’It is developed to show what is possible to others so that they can implement these features themselves''.
We also asked the GVB to make the data API open source, so that others can easily use it. In addition, there is also someone at the Amsterdam Transport Authority that can help others to implement the same function.
Were there any complications during the Haltebuddy project?
Everything went pretty smooth and fast. The developers at GVB could fairly easily write our code into the GVB app. However, the biggest challenge is to translate it to a full travel advice function on the GVB app. For that a change is needed in the routing API they use. It’s on their roadmap however!
How is the application received by its users?
Quite good. We tested it with the UX lab from the municipality. The test group shared their experience during the use of the app. One of the users understood the Haltebuddy application less well than the others, but most of them were happy with the Haltebuddy application. The GVB also did a test for the function within the GVB application. The most exciting question is if the reality is in line with the data, the best way to find that out is by letting people use the Haltebuddy application and the function on the GVB application.
Summed up, we developed the Haltebuddy application to prove that you can successfully match data about people’s individual requirements with the available data about the physical aspects of public transport within Amsterdam. We found the GVB willing to implement some of these functions into their app. We hope this makes planning for regular public transport a bit more accessible for people with disabilities.
Wanna read more about the Haltebuddy project? Read it at Haltebuddy en Halteknop (focustest.nl)!
Auteur: Timo Nieuwenhuis
Dit artikel is afkomstig van de website van Amsterdam Intelligence