The application on smart phones will usher in a new chapter of accessibility for public transportation that will benefit all riders of varying abilities.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, Reuters reported on the debut of Waymap’s groundbreaking app that will strengthen and make community travel more accessible for blind and visually impaired people in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Waymap was joined by partners in the public and private sectors such as Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind, WMATA, The White House Office of Public Engagement, several District government agencies, National Industries for the Blind, American Council of the Blind, Verizon, and Catholic University, for the launch of the app at the Brookland Metro station, located in Northeast DC.
In the article, Tom Pey, CEO and Founder, who lost his sight at 39, noted, "Mobility is not a luxury. It is, in fact, a human right. This app will allow more people to become more independent - not to have to rely on family and friends - and use public transport like everyone else."
Waymap, which is free to all users and does not use GPS, is accurate up to three feet from a destination and can operate regardless of cell phone signal strength. The step-by-step audio directions direct users with specific directions as to how exactly they should move and make their next steps with valuable contextual information.
NBC4’s Adam Tuss joined Tom Pey at the Brookland station in Washington D.C. for a demonstration of the app. You can watch the segment here.
Other key articles and news stories that reported on the launch, include:
- Event launch Youtube video
- NBC4: Metro Partners With App to Help Visually Impaired People Navigate Transit
- WTOP: New navigation app aims to empower Metro riders with blindness, low vision
- USA Inquirer: An app to help blind people navigate public transit to launch in Washington
- MyDroll: New Navigation App Aims To Empower Metro Riders With Blindness, Low Vision
- The Fiji Times: App to help blind people navigate public transit to debut in Washington
- TysonsReporter: Morning Notes
- FFXNow: Morning Notes
- Reston Now: Morning Notes
- Planetizen: New App Helps People With Visual Impairments Navigate Transit
- Greater Greater Washington: Breakfast links: Metro to launch new app to help blind and low vision riders better access its transit system
- PC Magazine: Waymap Starts Guiding Blind People Through Washington Subway Stations
- Mobile World Live: Navigation app for the blind launches in the US
The launch of Waymap starts a new chapter for an even more equitable region. Waymap will be rolled out more broadly in phases with the goal of deploying the app at up to 30 Metro train stations and nearly 1,000 bus stops by September of this year. The app is scheduled to be working across the entire Metro system by early 2023.
Visit https://waymap.org/ for more information.
Contact: [email protected]