Waymap Launches Across the Entire Transit System – Indoor, Outdoor, and Underground.
Navigating public transit can be a challenge for anyone, including individuals who are blind, have low vision, or have other mobility needs. Complex stations, unfamiliar routes, elevator outages, and inaccessible signage create barriers that make independent travel difficult. But what if an app could provide precise, step-by-step navigation, along with alert notifications and rerouting, making public transit truly inclusive?
Waymap’s Official Launch: A Game-Changer for Inclusive Navigation
From Early Trials to a Breakthrough in Inclusive Wayfinding
Back in 2015, at Gateway Navigation, we began exploring how emerging technologies—specifically iBeacons and the iPhone—could revolutionize navigation for people who are blind or have low vision. By 2017, we had connected with the Wayfindr Project in the UK and Right-Hear in Israel, running our own BLE beacon trial at the Vancouver Central Library. Looking back, it’s remarkable how quickly technology has evolved in such a short time.
Over the years, two key approaches to inclusive digital wayfinding (Augmented Reality / AR) have emerged:
- Camera-based vision technology, used by innovative app developers including Aira, GoodMaps, and NaviLens.
- Smartphone sensor-based navigation apps, led by Waymap and Haptic.
Which brings us to today—and our excitement about the official Waymap launch across the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMTA). This milestone is more than just a technological achievement—it’s a transformational step toward universal accessibility. Waymap is led by Tom Pey, a blind visionary dedicated to fundamentally changing how people, regardless of their challenge, navigate the world.
Waymap Launches Across the Entire WMTA: Revolutionizing Navigation for All
Navigating complex city spaces can be challenging, but for people who are blind, have low vision, or have mobility limitations, it can often feel daunting or impossible. That’s where Waymap comes in—an innovative navigation app designed to make cities and transit systems moreinclusive for everyone. Whether you are hopping on a bus, catching a train, or simply walking through a station, Waymap provides step-by-step audio / text guidance to help users travel safely and independently.
A Major Milestone: The WMTA Partnership
Waymap has taken a significant step forward with its full deployment across WMTA, covering:
- 98 rail stations
- Over 11,000 bus stops
- 325 bus routes
This launch is the culmination of a four-year partnership between WMTA and Waymap, which began with a successful pilot project at Crystal City station in 2021. Now, Waymap’s real-time navigation works seamlessly in both indoor and outdoor environments, ensuring users can confidently navigate whether they’re in busy stations, on city streets, or underground.
How Waymap Works
What makes Waymap revolutionary is its ability to navigate without relying on GPS, Wi-Fi, or cellular signals. Instead, it uses the phone’s internal sensors—such as the gyroscope, accelerometer, barometer, and magnetometer—to gather real-time data. These sensors allow Waymap to determine direction, speed, altitude, and orientation, using AI-powered algorithms to ensure accuracy within one step.
With precise, step-by-step audio/ text instructions, users can navigate public transit independently and safely, even in signal-dead zones like underground stations.
Why It Matters
The launch of Waymap in the WMTA system is not just a technological breakthrough—it’s a significant step toward more inclusive cities. Beyond assisting people with disabilities, this app also benefits seniors, young families, tourists, and newcomers who may struggle with complex transit networks.
WMTA is also implementing broader accessibility improvements, including:
- Updated signage
- Intuitive wayfinding icons
- Enhancements to overall station accessibility
Waymap is proving that accessible / inclusive transit benefits everyone—and it’s time to bring this innovation to more cities.
A Call for Canadian Input: Where Should Waymap Go Next?
Now that Waymap is revolutionizing transit in Washington, where should it expand next? We believe Canadian cities would greatly benefit from this cutting-edge tool—but we need your input.
???? Have Your Say!
We’re inviting Canadians to share their thoughts on which cities or transit systems should be actively implementing Waymap or other similar innovative solutions.
???? Help Us Make Transit More Accessible!
If you’re passionate about accessible navigation, we’d love to hear from you! Your feedback will help advocate for better, more inclusive transit solutions across Canada.
???? Take our quick survey below to help shape the future of inclusive transit in Canada. Where should Waymap go next? Let’s decide together!
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