Mobi, Accessible Public Transportation for LA
User Research
Design Strategy
Social Impact
Duration
2021 May - August
14 Weeks Project
Team
Solo Project
Project Type
App Design
Mobility Solution
Project Brief
This project questions why LA public transportation is viewed as unsafe or untrustworthy and challenges that belief
Mobi is a public transportation app concept that plans pick up system for users to access public transportation in LA
1. Research
2. Synthesize
3. Design
To find work on LA's Public Transportation Use Rate issue, I conducted research to learn about what problem they have and what kind of design solution I could conceptualize.
1. How did LA’s transportation develop?
2. What makes LA hard for public transportation usage?
3. What do users say?
1.Understanding Public Transportation of LA
United states started with aggressive development of public transportation in the beginning of 1900s but with the introduction of car, US shifted its transportation strategy to make a car friendly driving with highways that go through cities. Public Transportations declined as car industry started to boom in mid 1950s.
US Public Transportation Today
40 Mins
America’s average wait time for public transportation
$176 Billion
US Public Transportation backlog (In 2021)
$250 Billion
US Public Transportation backlog (Projected in 2029)
2. What makes LA hard for public transportation usage?
By Public Transportation
By Car
Map layout of big American cities show that most public transportation routes focus on connecting suburbs to downtown or the city center. It becomes a problem when the rider’s destination is to get from suburb to other suburban town for work. The only route possible is to get the the city center and detour to get to the final destination.
3. What do Users say?
Q: Why do you avoid public transportation?
I sent out surveys to 61 people who answered they are not avid riders of public transportation. These are the results I got.
37.7% answered they were worried most about safety followed by 29.5% who had negative image of public transportation.
In order to increase Public Transportation usage, MOBI touches on,
Accessibility
Safety
Accountability
#Features
Mobi Home
Shows overview of your planned trips and any updates posted on MOBI NOW
Mobi Now
Shows any updated info of live road situation along your ride and near you. It also allows you to share your live location to your friends and help them keep track of your ETA
Mobi Ghost Mode
Helps you disable your location sharing without having to notify your friends
Mobi Ride Plan
To increase accessibility for commuters who live far away from the station, user can plan pick up system to nearest location to their house.
