Inspiration

Studying in Middletown, Connecticut can be tough sometimes. The town's remote location, away from bustling city centers, often leaves students grappling with limited mobility options. Many depend on unreliable public transportation services, friends with vehicles, or even walking long distances to reach essential places. When these options are exhausted, students frequently turn to ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft. However, these one-person rides, while convenient, can quickly accumulate financial burdens, making them cost-prohibitive for many students. Moreover, frequent solo rides contribute to higher carbon emissions, negatively impacting the environment and underscoring the need for a sustainable, community-centered alternative.

What it Does

WesPortation is designed to reimagine the way Wesleyan students travel within Middletown and to nearby areas. The platform offers a simple yet effective way for students planning a trip to connect with others who share similar travel plans. Whether heading to local destinations like pharmacies, supermarkets, or larger trips outside of town, WesPortation allows students to find and arrange carpools at specific times and locations.

Through a user-friendly interface, students can post their upcoming travel plans with just a few clicks, inviting other users to join them. Conversely, students looking to find rides can browse existing posts and connect with those headed in the same direction. The platform encourages coordination, helping students secure cost-effective rides by splitting transportation expenses. Additionally, it offers the opportunity to build connections and broaden social networks by bringing like-minded students together during shared trips.

When a student sees a carpool "ad" that matches their plans, they can easily contact the trip organizer to finalize their arrangements. This collaborative approach to transportation not only makes travel more affordable but also emphasizes sustainability by reducing the need for individual rides, thereby lowering carbon emissions.

How We Built It

Creating WesPortation involved leveraging a range of technologies, frameworks, and tools to deliver a seamless experience for users. To ensure secure access, we developed a login page with enhanced authentication, restricting access exclusively to Wesleyan students using verified Wesleyan email addresses. This ensures a safe and trustworthy environment for all users.

On the homepage, we incorporated multiple features to optimize the user experience. We utilized the Google Calendar API to integrate a calendar that helps users sort and plan their trips by date, and Leaflet.js to create an interactive map for visualizing locations. Together, these features enable students to quickly find and organize trips based on both time and geographical proximity.

To further enhance user engagement, we focused on creating a visually appealing, personalized interface with original design elements. This effort ensures that the platform is not only functional but also inviting and easy to navigate.

Challenges We Faced

Building WesPortation presented several challenges. One major obstacle was creating a robust system to match students with shared travel plans while maintaining privacy and security. Ensuring seamless communication between users and designing an intuitive interface that accommodates different travel needs also required extensive iteration. Additionally, integrating third-party APIs like Google Calendar and developing a reliable mapping feature demanded meticulous attention to detail and optimization.

Accomplishments We're Proud Of

We are proud of creating a platform that addresses a genuine need within our community. WesPortation not only promotes cost-effective and sustainable travel but also fosters a sense of belonging by connecting students. Successfully integrating complex features such as secure login, event scheduling, and mapping tools demonstrates our dedication to building a comprehensive solution that enhances students' daily lives.

What's Next for WesPortation

Looking ahead, we have several exciting features in mind to further enhance WesPortation:

Developing a streamlined registration system for each travel event, enabling users to join planned trips with just a few clicks. Enhancing communication tools to facilitate better coordination among students. Expanding the platform's capabilities to include additional transportation options, such as group discounts for ridesharing services or partnerships with local transportation providers. Introducing rating and feedback mechanisms to improve user trust and reliability within the platform. Continuing to refine and improve the interface to make it even more intuitive and user-friendly. By continuously iterating on WesPortation, we aim to provide a sustainable, community-oriented transportation solution that makes student life in Middletown more convenient, affordable, and connected.

To view our website, go to wesportation.co.