Cimex builds first Directgov mobile app

Up to the minute travel news from Transport Direct is now available on iPhones and Android mobiles.

Brief

Directgov, the UK’s official website, and Transport Direct have teamed up to create a mobile application that would provide news to travellers in the UK about transport related issues.

As well as updates about traffic jams on motorways and major routes, the app also can alert those travelling by train, tube, ferry and tram about delays and service disruption.

As Cimex already provides the mobile platform for Directgov, Cimex was approached to explore the potential of developing an app that would address the needs of those travelling by using Transport Direct data.

Solution

We worked with both organisations to develop the Travel News application which works on iPhones and Android mobiles. Both versions of the app were developed using the same core code base and were launched within days of one another, just in time to help people cope with the first winter snowfalls in December 2009.

Working within the capabilities of the Transport Direct API, the Cimex mobile development team built an app that allows users to filter travel information by region, transport type and delay type. The app also uses a Google Maps interface to plot each delay or disruption type. Users can then select each delay for more detailed information.

There has been a continuous flow of feedback from users and Cimex, working with Directgov and Transport Direct, has continued to release updates to address some of the feature and functionality requests that have come in through iTunes App Store user feedback. Future releases will allow users to search for delays within a set distance or radius of their current location.

Result

Launched on the Apple iTunes App store in the run-up to Christmas 2009, the iPhone version of the app achieved over 120,000 downloads in its first four weeks of release. The Google Android version has achieved a little over 5,000 downloads, which demonstrates the current dominance of Apple in the mobile app space.

To date, the app has been used more than 670,000 times.

Additionally, the app peaked at number 5 in the iTunes Top 10 Free apps, ranked number 1 in Navigation apps, and was featured in the ‘New and Noteworthy’ section of the iTunes Apps Store home page.

Published: 10 Mar 2010

Tags: Mobile, Technical systems