SINGAPORE: A new app has been designed to help people with disability navigate everyday travel safely has been launched, offering everything from planning trips to road safety tips.
Developed by Illawarra disability enterprise The Flagstaff Group, the Travel Trainer aims to build confidence and independence by providing personalised trip planning within the region and step-by-step guidance for catching public transport to crossing the road.
It’s the third app in a suite of apps by Flagstaff to support people with disability.
The Flagstaff Group CEO Rodney Von Clark said the Travel Trainer app was designed to empower people with disability to travel confidently and safely, whether driving, riding a bike, using public transport or navigating roads as a pedestrian.
“The Travel Trainer app offers a personalised trip planner that explains how to get from your start location to your destination, as well as providing safety tips when you are riding your bike, in a car or taxi, walking as a pedestrian or catching public transport,” Mr Von Clark said.
With an engaging and inclusive design and a mascot character, Kookie, to lead the way, Travel Trainer supports people to move through the community and to work safely.
Alongside the personalised trip planner, a focus of the app is educational tips exploring topics from walking safely to taking an Uber.
Inside the walk module, easy to follow road safety tips for people who travel on foot cover everything from crossing roads to navigating footpaths and intersections.
The bike module teaches how to ride safely on roads and shared paths.
It covers the road rules for cyclists, how to stay visible to other road users, and practical tips for getting from A to B by bike.
Within the bus or train module, the user is guided through public transport, including how to plan a journey, read timetables, board and exit vehicles safely, and navigate stations and stops, supporting people to get around their community more easily.
Flagstaff launches travel app to help people with disability get around safely
26 March 2026 | By Kellie O’Brien
Start the conversation
people with disability travel trainer app
Riding the train after using the Travel Trainer app. Photo: The Flagstaff Group.
A new Illawarra app designed to help people with disability navigate everyday travel safely has been launched, offering everything from planning trips to road safety tips.
Developed by Illawarra disability enterprise The Flagstaff Group, the Travel Trainer aims to build confidence and independence by providing personalised trip planning within the region and step-by-step guidance for catching public transport to crossing the road.
It’s the third app in a suite of apps by Flagstaff to support people with disability.
The Flagstaff Group CEO Rodney Von Clark said the Travel Trainer app was designed to empower people with disability to travel confidently and safely, whether driving, riding a bike, using public transport or navigating roads as a pedestrian.
“The Travel Trainer app offers a personalised trip planner that explains how to get from your start location to your destination, as well as providing safety tips when you are riding your bike, in a car or taxi, walking as a pedestrian or catching public transport,” Mr Von Clark said.
With an engaging and inclusive design and a mascot character, Kookie, to lead the way, Travel Trainer supports people to move through the community and to work safely.
READ ALSO GM3 and Symbio join forces for wildlife conservation at Mount Kembla
Alongside the personalised trip planner, a focus of the app is educational tips exploring topics from walking safely to taking an Uber.
Inside the walk module, easy to follow road safety tips for people who travel on foot cover everything from crossing roads to navigating footpaths and intersections.
The bike module teaches how to ride safely on roads and shared paths.
It covers the road rules for cyclists, how to stay visible to other road users, and practical tips for getting from A to B by bike.
Within the bus or train module, the user is guided through public transport, including how to plan a journey, read timetables, board and exit vehicles safely, and navigate stations and stops, supporting people to get around their community more easily.
Flagstaff Group Travel Trainer app
A look at The Flagstaff Group Travel Trainer app, which helps with everything from walking to catching the train. Photo: The Flagstaff Group.
The car, taxi or uber module provides practical road safety information for people travelling as passengers.
It covers how to travel safely in a vehicle, how to book and use rideshare and taxi services, and what to do if something goes wrong.
Flagstaff’s previous two apps were developed for emergencies, such as fire and floods, and have won seven national emergency, innovation and inclusion awards.
EMBERApp is Flagstaff’s emergency planning tool specifically for people with disability to consider all their extra needs when they are planning if a fire or flood occurs.
“The program was developed through co-design and based on the lived experiences of people with disabilities who were affected by the Shoalhaven Black Summer Bushfires,” Mr Von Clark said.
“It has now expanded beyond the Illawarra and Shoalhaven regions and involves emergency services and not-for-profit organisations in the emergency and disaster management sector.”
The Non Verbal Communicator is for people who are non verbal or have high anxiety during an emergency situation.
It enables them to use icons, letters and numbers quickly so people can converse with them and help them when needed.
The app also has an anxiety tool and a breathing tool to help people calm down in an emergency.
Flagstaff is also working with Monash University on a work prompter app with the pilot out in June, and a conversation starter buddy app due in May.
Travel Trainer was funded by Transport for NSW through the Community Road Safety Grants.