Navigating access to public transit can be difficult for those with disabilities, specifically individuals who are blind or have low vision. We believe using public transit should be safe and easy for everyone. That is why CapMetro is piloting two user-friendly apps, NaviLens and Waymap, which are designed to assist blind and low-vision customers when using our services.
• NaviLens: Special QR-style codes have been placed at certain CapMetro bus stops and shelters. By scanning these codes with a mobile device, blind or low-vision customers can receive audible route information, including stop IDs, route directions and departure times. NaviLens can even announce how far away the user is from a stop and which direction they need to move to get closer. Most users recommend downloading the NaviLens GO app when using a mobile device.
• Waymap: This navigation app provides turn-by-turn guidance to the user’s mobile device using advanced sensor technology. Waymap delivers real-time audio directions to a bus stop or rail station, ensuring users can navigate confidently in any environment.
Currently, we’re piloting this technology at 103 bus stops in key locations, including near the Texas School for the Blind, UT Austin, the Crestview development and Downtown Station. We’ve had key focus groups testing the technology for the past several months and we’ve gotten great feedback. Agency staff have worked to implement that feedback with the teams from NaviLens and Waymap to improve the technology.
We’re now focused on taking accessibility technology even further, so that we can make it easier for everyone to use public transportation by reducing reliance on physical maps or assistance from others. Agency staff will continue working with key stakeholders to identify and remove barriers to public transit through surveys, outreach and similar pilot programs. The introduction of NaviLens and Waymap will help empower our customers when navigating between bus stops and stations independently with greater confidence and ease.
A full list of bus stops with NaviLens and Waymap access can be found here.
