As we enter 2025, I find myself reflecting on Transreport’s transformative journey from a UK startup to becoming a global leader in accessibility technology. This journey has been both challenging and rewarding.
At Transreport, we have always viewed accessibility as a fundamental business imperative. This vision has driven us to pioneer solutions which transform global assistance processes, creating more inclusive travel experiences for all.
According to the World Health Organization, 1.3 billion people globally are Disabled, representing 16% of the world’s population. Our commitment to making travel more equitable for all has already driven significant social impact. Specifically, our Passenger Assistance technology facilitated over 2 million inclusive journeys in the UK alone. We continue to expand the reach of our solutions, with noteworthy progress in places like Japan and the Middle East. As we do, we are empowering global industries to streamline services and deliver outstanding experiences to their customers.
Driving Accessibility Impact Through Technology
2024 has been a landmark year for both Transreport and the broader accessibility landscape. The industry witnessed remarkable advancements. For example, Google expanded its Project Relate speech recognition technology for users with speech impairments. Additionally, in a pivotal development, the European Union’s groundbreaking Accessibility Act came into full effect. This legislation has set new standards for digital accessibility. These developments highlight the growing demand for user-centric technology that forefronts accessibility. This, in turn, is reflected in the global market demand for Transreport’s technology.
The success of our expansion derives from our unwavering commitment to co-designing our solutions with disabled people to ensure they deliver optimal value for both our end-users and partners. By embedding lived experience expertise into development, we ensure our technology meets a diverse range of access needs, making it adaptable to different markets and maximising its social impact.
Transreport’s impact was formally recognised at the 2024 Railway Industry Association (RIA) RISE Awards. There, we received the prestigious Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award. At its core, our technology is about connection and inclusion. As such, it was brilliant to receive this recognition for our EDI initiatives. I was also honoured to receive the Managing Director of the Year Award at the SME News Awards; and Puma Growth Partners, whose investment alongside Pembroke VCT has accelerated our global expansion, won Most Impactful Investment at the Growth Investor Awards for their work with Transreport, underscoring the tangible impact our technology has on travel experiences worldwide.
Transreport’s Global Approach
Our international expansion brought valuable insights about varying regulatory frameworks across different countries. While the UK’s accessibility standards are governed by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), other regions have different requirements. This highlights the need for an adaptable approach that aligns with unified global standards as we move forward to expanding our services worldwide.
To address this challenge, we introduced our Community Network. This initiative further increases our co-creation and collaboration with global Disabled communities, ensuring our technology continues to effectively address real-world travel needs. The network provides access to diverse perspectives for user-testing, research, and focus groups, while keeping members updated with upcoming feedback opportunities.
Our growth journey has driven significant internal changes to build a more inclusive and sustainable organisation. By eliminating degree requirements for technical roles and focusing instead on practical skills and diverse perspectives, we’ve tapped into a broader talent pool while encouraging innovation through lived experiences. We’ve also strategically expanded our executive leadership team and prioritised hiring regional talent to better serve our global markets.
Additionally, the introduction of our “right to disconnect” policy has had a positive impact on team wellbeing and productivity. We believe it proves that prioritising employee wellbeing is key to driving sustainable growth.
2025 Predictions
Looking ahead to 2025, we will continue to see transformative changes in the accessible travel landscape. Accessibility technology will become mainstream as businesses increasingly reject tick box culture and recognise accessibility as a significant market driver. Technology solutions like ours will therefore evolve beyond specialised tools for a single industry, extending into multiple sectors.
The role of Artificial Intelligence in this transformation is exciting. Leveraging AI and real-time data will allow us to offer more personalised, predictive assistance, enabling us to meet passenger needs with greater efficiency and precision. We will see the widespread adoption of personalised assistance requests, real-time communication between passengers and operators, and recommendations for accessible travel. These advancements will help create a truly seamless experience for all.
In this evolving market, accessibility will not only become a moral imperative but a key differentiator for brands. Consumers will expect inclusion to be embedded into brand identity. Accessibility is more than just a “nice-to-have”; it will be recognised for its competitive advantage, driving loyalty and influencing purchasing decisions.
On a larger scale, I envision Transreport expanding beyond rail and aviation to create a more integrated ecosystem, empowering our end-users to communicate their access needs not just in transport, but across multiple industries globally. By continuing to work closely with our partners, we can drive this shift and create more inclusive experiences for all.
- Digital Strategy
- People & Culture
