GERMANY: A door-to-door journey planning app tailored to the needs of children has been launched by Berlin-Brandenburg transport authority VBB and developer HaCon.
VBB Jump is based on HaCon’s Kids App for Android, which was developed with input from children and parents, interviews at schools and extensive usability tests. It is designed to offer a simple and intuitive user interface that meet the needs and abilities of younger passengers.
In addition to a child-friendly interface and clear structure, an always-visible help function enables a child to quickly and easily reach parents or other previously defined contacts via text message or a phone call. The app then automatically forwards GPS information regarding the child’s location and the phone's battery level.
‘We want to get children excited about bus and rail travel at an early age and support them as much as possible’, explained VBB Managing Director Susanne Henckel. ‘Sometimes it might be quite complex to navigate through our transport system. VBB Jump makes digital trip planning a breeze and paves the way for children and maybe even elderly passengers to quickly and easily get around.’
HaCon CEO Michael Frankenberg added that private cars were likely to play a smaller role in the lives of younger generations. ‘This is exactly where our Kids App comes into play’, he said. ‘With VBB Jump, children will now intuitively and safely find their way from A to B.’
