Wednesday, 30 Oct 2024

Route to independence: Ben identifies his Melbourne tram by sound - but a new app means he won’t have to

Route to independence: Ben identifies his Melbourne tram by sound - but a new app means he won’t have to


Route to independence: Ben identifies his Melbourne tram by sound - but a new app means he won’t have to
1.2 k views

Unlike most commuters plugged into a podcast or a Spotify playlist, Ben Harrington has to listen intently to the noises Melbourne trams make as they approach a stop - it's how he tells his regular 96 service apart.

As is common for most blind and vision-impaired travellers, Harrington has struggled to navigate public transport in Melbourne. He is largely unable to distinguish the route numbers displayed on tram exteriors, and he can't read timetables.

As a result the 24-year-old has come to learn the subtleties in different sounds that various models of trams emit as they approach - and now he's able to distinguish the newer model used on the 96 route he relies on to travel to and from his home in Fitzroy North.

But it's not a foolproof system. The 86 route is serviced by the same model trams as the 96.

"It's useful for some routes but, if I'm on Bourke Street and the same models are pulling up, I can't tell," says Harrington, who has the rare genetic disorder retinitis pigmentosa and has lost enough vision to be considered legally blind.

"I've gotten on the wrong tram many a time," he says.

Now a new technology is set to change the way people with vision impairment navigate the world's largest tram network.

you may also like

Delta Air Lines Flight from Las Vegas to New York Makes Emergency Landing Today Due to Cockpit Fumes
  • by travelandtourworld
  • descember 09, 2016
Delta Air Lines Flight from Las Vegas to New York Makes Emergency Landing Today Due to Cockpit Fumes

A Delta Air Lines flight bound for New York City from Las Vegas made an emergency landing shortly after takeoff on October 29, 2024, due to fumes in the cockpit. Flight DL2133, originating from Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas and destined for LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in New York, reported an issue within minutes of departure, leading the crew to declare an emergency and return to the Las Vegas airport for a safe landing.

read more