March data analysis infographic created by Journey Judge based on Dublin commuter feedback via its app
Having a problem with Dublin Bus? Something riling you about anti-social behaviour on the Luas? Well, a new app called Journey Judge is aiming to transform how we report complaints about transport services in Ireland’s capital city, giving commuters a collective digital voice.
Tim Walsh and John Ryan are the duo behind the new app, which went live on Android in March. Walsh said this morning that an iPhone version will be available soon, but he said iPhone users can still use the service on the start-up’s site.
The two self-starters have based themselves in an office on Dublin’s Dawson’s Street, and are bootstrapping the venture themselves.
Start-up experience
Walsh and Ryan have already launched a digital venture in the past called Point The Way, which won the first-ever Launchpad programme at the National Digital Research Centre (NDRC) back in 2010 after they spent three months incubating their start-up during the accelerator programme. Point The Way was an advanced GPS navigation system for the visually impaired, which worked on smartphones.
Journey Judge data analysis
According to the duo, their new app will record issues with public transport on your smartphone, while people can also use the Journey Judge website to report transport issues that are annoying them.
“It’s a central repository for people to report transport issues that might be bothering them. People are actively using it at the moment. We’re hoping that it will lead to lead to public transport companies focusing on specific issues and improving them,” explained Walsh.
He said the service will allow people to share insights on an issue they might have had with a late bus, or even to share positive experiences they might have had.
And they’ll be issuing monthly reports based on feedback from users of the app.
John Ryan and Tim Walsh at the NDRC, where they developed their first venture, Point The Way, during the inaugural Launchpad back in 2010
Scaling up …
So are there plans to scale up the Journey Judge app?
Walsh said that because issues such as trains being delayed can have a huge cost to the economy, especially when people are late for work, the app will aim to address such issues by gleaning information from its monthly data.
“Our plan would be to scale the app up to cover other transport routes across the country, and potentially in other countries. We see Journey Judge as a tool for constructive feedback. It allows transport companies to get the honest views of their customers. We like to think of it as a way for individuals to have their collective voice heard,” he added.
