Wheelchair users and visually-impaired commuters can look forward to more accessible public buses with the expansion of a trial of mobile application with assistive technologies by the Land Transport Authority (LTA).

2             In 2019, LTA collaborated with SG Enable and the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped (SAVH) to trial a mobile application leveraging assistive technologies to help bus commuters with special needs. LTA, in partnership with INIT Asia-Pacific Pte Ltd, developed the “MAVIS” (Mobility Assistance for the Visually Impaired and Special Users) mobile application. The first phase of the trial, which ran from January to July 2019, involved three buses on Service 139 serving the Enabling Village, and Service 141 serving the SAVH.

3             Due to positive feedback from commuters, LTA will expand the trial to all buses on Services 139 and 141, for another three years starting progressively from fourth quarter of 2020.

4             Wheelchair users or visually-impaired commuters can benefit from the assistive features of MAVIS when they take these buses. The “MAVIS” mobile application will provide a seamless commuting experience by:

a)    Providing commuters with personalised journey guidance, such as the estimated time of arrival and notifications to board or alight the bus;

b)    Alerting bus captains that commuters with special needs will be boarding or alighting, enabling bus captains to render assistance accordingly; and

c)    Allowing visually impaired passengers to activate the audio announcements at the boarding bus stop.

5             The MAVIS project clinched UITP Asia-Pacific Special Recognition Award at the UITP Summit on 10 June 2019. It also won the award in the “Diversity and Inclusion” category.