An Android-based mobile paratransit application for vulnerable road users

Making an optimal travel plan is not an easy task, mostly for vulnerable road users like the elderly and people with mobility disabilities. This optimal travel plan is dependent on the time of day to travel, the route to ply, ways to navigate, and suitable mode of transportation as these vulnerable road users need to reserve paratransit ahead of time. Researchers and mobile app developers are faced with difficulties in incorporating all necessary information that would ease navigation and bus riding for vulnerable road users (that is, making a more assistive system for vulnerable road users). In response to these challenges, this research is designed to develop an interactive android mobile application to ease and significantly encourage vulnerable road users (VRUs) especially the elderly and the disabled to use paratransit to improve their traveling experiences. This paper assesses the challenges facing the paratransit service. It provides an improvement in areas of reservation, dispatch & routing, and user experience. In response to these challenges, an interactive android mobile application has been developed to ease and significantly encourage vulnerable road users (VRUs) especially older adults and the disabled to use paratransit services and improve their traveling experiences.