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A Wisconsin Man Is Developing an App to Help Travelers With Disabilities

Sept. 24, 2018
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2 min read
Handicapped man enjoying the outdoors
A Wisconsin Man Is Developing an App to Help Travelers With Disabilities
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From Ryanair leaving a Paralympian stranded on board for 45 minutes to Jet2 asking a boy with Muscular Dystrophy to prove his disability, the airline and travel industry as a whole have a way to go when it comes to improving experiences for individuals with a disability.

A 23-year-old man from Wisconsin with cerebral palsy wants to make travel easier and more accessible for those with a disability through an app. Gabriel Schlieve, who uses a wheelchair, is one of 56.7 million Americans with a disability. Schlieve spent several weeks in Swaziland developing the “Rebel Traveler’s Guide to the World” app through the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders Reciprocal Exchange, The Leader-Telegram reported.

Schlieve has been traveling around the world with his mother Nancy his entire life and said he started thinking about the app back in 2005 after experiencing endless accessibility difficulties. Schlieve has had difficulty accessing buildings, parks and historical monuments, and is often unable to find any information in guidebooks or online to warn him of how inaccessible a place would be, according to The Leader-Telegram.

Schlieve describes the app as the "Foursquare for people with disabilities," which will provide travelers with all the accessibility information they need. He explained how an app like this would have been helpful during a time when he successfully pulled himself out of his wheelchair and climbed the Great Wall of China, but later discovered a gondola service could've assisted him.

To start, the app will have accessibility information about Eau Claire and the Twin Cities and eventually Chicago. Nancy Schlieve says her son has been advocating for people with disabilities for years.

“I think it’s really the people with disabilities who are the most effective advocates and are steering the bus,” she told The Leader-Telegram. “Because other people don’t really know — they’re not experiencing it every day. If you don’t have a connection with someone with a disability, you may empathize but you don’t know how it really is.”

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Technology is a major component in improving travel for those with disabilities. Recently, a Japanese tech startup raided $45 million to specifically design an autonomous personal mobility device system to help travelers with disabilities navigate airports.

H/T: The Leader-Telegram

Featured image by Getty Images

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  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

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  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.