Metro City Transit app
Arnav Dogra
Overview
The goal of this project is to improve the public transit experience in Indian metro cities by streamlining the commuting process and making it hassle-free. One way to achieve this is by implementing new technologies that help passengers better plan their trips, reducing wait times and improving the overall experience.
Challenge
The use of public transport in India’s daily commute has noticeably decreased in recent years. This trend is largely attributed to the growing popularity of app-based cab services like Uber and Ola. Furthermore, the public transport system suffers from several issues that have a negative impact on the overall commuting experience. These issues, coupled with the recent impact of the pandemic, raise concerns about the future of Indian public transport, potentially prolonging its declining trend.
Strategy
To address this issue and revitalize the public transit system, the following pain points faced by the average daily commuter need to be resolved:
Unclear Routes and Schedules:
Commuters struggle with a lack of clear and easily accessible information on bus and train routes, as well as schedules. This leads to confusion and inefficiency in trip planning, resulting in longer waiting times and increased frustration.
Fragmented User Experience:
The absence of an integrated app that provides comprehensive transit information forces users to juggle multiple applications. This lack of cohesion complicates the user experience, making it difficult for commuters to access all relevant information seamlessly.
Inadequate Journey Tracking:
The lack of a proper journey tracking system poses challenges for commuters who seek real-time updates on their trip progress. Without reliable tracking, commuters may miss stops or face uncertainty during their journey.
Inefficient Ticketing Process:
Long ticket lines and the absence of a digital ticketing system contribute to delays and inconvenience for passengers. The reliance on traditional paper tickets hinders the efficiency of the transit system, discouraging potential users from opting for public transit.
Solution
To solve the aforementioned user pain points, we came up with a solution in for of an app that tackles the pain points faced by average daily commuters by offering clear and accurate route information, real-time journey tracking, and a digital ticketing system.
Commuters can now plan their journeys, eliminating confusion and inefficiency. By providing a unified platform with integrated maps and schedules, users no longer need to switch between multiple apps. With the ability to track their journey progress in real-time, commuters can confidently navigate through the city and never miss a stop.
Phase 1: Discover
Initial brief
Our initial research delved into a comprehensive understanding of users’ daily journeys and the primary pain points they encounter while utilizing public transit services.
Focus Areas: We concentrated our efforts on the following key areas to gain valuable insights:
Transit Information Apps:
Identifying the existing apps that users rely on to access transit information such as schedules and routes. Understanding the current landscape helps us recognize potential gaps and opportunities for improvement.
User Interaction Patterns:
Analyzing how users interact with the existing transit apps to uncover usability patterns and preferences. This knowledge enables us to design a seamless and intuitive user interface for Metro City Transit.
Identifying User Pain Points:
Unearthing the pain points users face while using existing transit apps, from unclear schedules to inefficient ticketing processes. By addressing these challenges, we aim to deliver an enhanced and frustration-free commuting experience.
Innovative Feature Integration:
Exploring novel features and functionalities that have the potential to elevate the overall user experience. Our research focuses on identifying user desires and expectations to introduce valuable and convenient features in Metro City Transit.
Secondary research
Before diving into primary research, I conducted thorough desk research to lay the groundwork for my user interview questions. This enabled me to gain insights into the current public transit scenario, competitive analysis, and relevant statistics.
According to reports, the share of public transit in daily commute is projected to decrease from 75% to 44% in the coming years (source: Click here).
Several factors contribute to the challenges faced by public transit in India:
Increase in Private Transportation:
The rise of private transportation options has impacted the share of public transit in daily commuting.
Growing Popularity of App-Based Cab Services:
The convenience and on-demand availability of app-based cab services like Uber and Ola have drawn commuters away from traditional public transit.
Lack of Comfort and Efficiency:
Many commuters find public transit lacking in comfort and efficiency compared to private vehicles or app-based taxis.
Time Consuming Activities:
Activities like waiting in long ticket queues and transit delays contribute to a perception of inefficiency in public transport.
Recent times have witnessed a crisis in the public road transportation infrastructure of most Indian cities, as ridership declines due to the growing popularity of private transportation and app-based taxi services (Source: Click here).
Moreover, the distinction between public and private transport is becoming less clear as public transit begins to offer conveniences like on-demand availability, origin-to-destination travel, comfort, and safety, appealing to personal motor vehicle users (Source: Click here).
User interviews
To kickstart the project, we focused on Mumbai as our primary city of interest. Conducting 10 insightful interviews via Zoom, we engaged individuals aged between 15 to 45 years, grouped into three categories:
Regular Commuters: Users who rely on public transit for their daily travels.
Occasional/Rare Commuters: Users who use public transit infrequently.
New City Dwellers: Users who recently moved to Mumbai or are relatively new to the city.
The interview’s main objectives were to gather essential insights regarding:
Commute Patterns: Understanding the daily travel routines and modes of commuting for each user.
Public Transit Preferences: Identifying user preferences and expectations when it comes to public transit options.
Pain Points: Uncovering the challenges they encounter during daily public transit usage.
A carefully curated set of questions was prepared for the user interview, designed to delve into the users’ experiences and perceptions:
Daily Commute Details: Describe your daily schedule and typical commuting methods.
Public Transit Usage: How often do you rely on public transit, and for how long have you been using it?
Common Commuting Challenges: Identify at least three issues you encounter regularly during your commute.
Preference for Public Transit: Despite alternatives like Ola and Uber, why do you choose public transit?
Navigation and Timing: How do you typically determine routes and timings for your journeys?
Payment Methods: What methods do you use to pay for your public transit commute?
Navigating New Places: When travelling to unfamiliar destinations, how do you figure out the routes?
Use of Public Transit Apps: Do you utilize any apps for public transit purposes?
Pros and Cons of Existing Apps: Provide insights into the strengths and weaknesses of the apps you currently use.
Phase 2: Define
Affinity map
Insights
The user interviews conducted with the 10 participants identified the following key insights:
User Persona
Drawing from the data collected during the research phase, a user persona was crafted to serve as a guiding light throughout the product development journey.
Phase 3: Ideate
Information Architecture
User flow
Sketches
Phase 4: Prototype
Lo-fidelity wireframes
Iterations
Phase 5: Design
The UI draws inspiration from the sleek and intuitive interfaces of leading cab aggregator apps. By adopting a clean and uncluttered design, we prioritize ease of use and ensure that essential features are readily accessible to our users.
We understand that today’s users crave simplicity and efficiency. With this in mind, we’ve carefully crafted an interface that effortlessly guides users through their journey. From easy navigation to intuitive controls, our design ensures a seamless and enjoyable experience for every commuter.
Splash screen
Home
Upon logging in or signing up, users are welcomed to the home page, where they can seamlessly access the following essential features:
Scheduled Journey Notifications: Users receive timely notifications for their scheduled journeys, ensuring they never miss a planned commute.
Transit-Wise Search: For those who prefer specific transit options, our app offers a user-friendly transit-wise search functionality. Users can easily find and explore transit information based on their preferences.
Customized Search Bar: Empowering users to tailor their journey, the search bar allows custom input of starting and destination points, ensuring personalized and accurate route planning.
Interactive Transit Stop Map: With the help of an interactive map, users can easily locate the nearest transit stops, making it convenient to access public transit from their current location.
Favourite Routes: Users have the option to save and access their favourite routes, streamlining the process of selecting preferred journeys for regular commuting.
Recent Journey History: The app maintains a record of users’ recent journeys, enabling quick access to previously taken routes for seamless repeat travel.
Search
For users seeking a customized journey with specific starting and destination points, our app provides the search feature. This functionality empowers users to set their personalized routes for a tailor-made commuting experience.
Selected journey
Once a user selects their desired route, a wealth of essential route information becomes readily available. From comprehensive route maps to precise timings, nearby stops, transit details, and the nearest station, our app equips users with everything they need for a well-informed journey.
Digital ticket
After confirming their chosen route, users can conveniently purchase their transit tickets directly within the app. Our secure online payment methods ensure swift and hassle-free transactions, eliminating the need for physical tickets or queuing at ticket counters.
Journey tracking
Upon successful ticket purchase, users land on the journey tracking screen. Here, they can effortlessly track their journey in real-time, staying informed about their current location and upcoming stops. Additionally, users can conveniently access and view their purchased transit ticket for quick reference.
Explore and ticket screen
In addition to the Home screen, we offer two additional features to enhance the commuting experience:
Explore Screen: Users can access the Explore feature, allowing them to discover all the local amenities and attractions available at their destinations. This feature enriches the journey, providing users with valuable insights into nearby points of interest.
Ticket Screen: On the Ticket screen, users can view all their active tickets, as well as access their history of previous and expired tickets. This helps users keep track of their transit usage and maintain a well-organized ticketing history.
Other screens
Prototype
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Posted Dec 12, 2023
The goal of this project is to improve the public transit experience in Indian metro cities by streamlining the commuting process and making it hassle-free.
