Week 1 of the Discovery Fund journey has been an exhilarating start for us. We received the exciting news of our grant award, and it catapulted us straight into action – webinars, meetings, and a deluge of new information to absorb. It’s been a whirlwind, to say the least.
I’m Ka, and I’m honored to lead our project. While I’ve always considered myself somewhat tech-savvy, these past few days have been a humbling reminder of the vast world of technology that I’m still discovering. The sheer number of apps and online tools introduced to us has left my head spinning!
Our problem statement is crystal clear: “When staff and volunteers are coordinating transport services, then they have to manually generate different reports (passenger lists, driver duties, and vehicle logs). This means a lot of staff hours have to be spent, but there could still be errors on the bookings or records, which may affect drivers, passengers, and us not being able to fulfill our compliance needs.”
CommMiniBus faces significant challenges in managing our transport services efficiently. The manual generation of reports not only consumes valuable staff hours but also introduces the risk of errors that can impact drivers, passengers, and our compliance with regulations.
Our unique mix of services, including fixed routes and demand-responsive transport, demands a tailored solution. We’ve recognised that relying solely on off-the-shelf products is not a guarantee of success. So, we’ve embarked on this journey to explore and develop a community tech solution that precisely fits our needs and empowers us to take control of our digital assets.
The grant motivates us because it aligns with our commitment to transparency and open collaboration. We hope to share our learnings openly, making our work available in the Commons, and potentially enabling others to contribute and benefit from our endeavors.
While the road ahead seems challenging, I’m excited about the possibilities this grant offers. It’s an opportunity for us to harness technology to overcome our challenges, enhance our community transport services, and create a positive impact for our passengers, volunteers, and the broader community. I’ll embark on this journey with determination and enthusiasm, and hopefullywe’ll navigate the learning curve successfully.