Travel Assistance Device (TAD)
From: University of South Florida, Location-Aware Information Systems
Laboratory

It is in the interest of both the transit rider and the transit agency to
support technologies that can aid individuals to travel independently using
fixed-route public transportation.

The Travel Assistance Device (TAD) is a mobile application for global
positioning system (GPS)-enabled cell phones that helps new transit riders
navigate the public transportation system. TAD prompts the rider in real-time
with a recorded audio message (e.g., "Get Ready" and "Pull the Cord Now!"),
visual images, and vibration alerts when the rider should pull the stop
request cord to exit the bus. Personalized trips are planned for each
traveler using the TAD web page. Automated alarms can be triggered and the
travel trainer and/or parent/guardian remotely alerted in case a rider
wanders off their pre-determined path. Traditional phone communication is
possible between the rider and the trainer allowing them to guide the rider
to the correct location if they are lost.

While riders with intellectual disabilities are the initial target market for
this application, TAD could be used by any traveler. Navigating the transit
system can also be a major obstacle for attracting new riders, especially for
special needs populations and tourists. Approximately half of the general
population surveyed can not successfully plan an entire trip on the
fixed-route transit system using printed information materials.

Read more at:
https://www.locationaware.usf.edu/ongoing-research/projects/travel-assistance-device

Links:
Using the TAD Mobile Application
https://www.locationaware.usf.edu/ongoing-research/projects/travel-assistance-device/tad-frequently-asked-questions/using-the-tad-mobile-application

Using the TAD Web Application
https://www.locationaware.usf.edu/ongoing-research/projects/travel-assistance-device/tad-frequently-asked-questions/using-the-tad-web-application

Trip Planner
https://maps.usf.edu

USF Maps App
https://github.com/CUTR-at-USF/usf-mobullity

Submitted by Sean Barbeau