Liam Hill and Jake Lynch are developing an app to improve transport options.
Camera IconLiam Hill and Jake Lynch are developing an app to improve transport options. Credit: Supplied/Martin Kennealey

Designers pick up on a common problem

Sam Gibbs, Canning TimesCanning Gazette

The 22-year-olds are looking for funds through crowd sourcing to develop ‘Pick Me App’, which would allow users to source a lift home from people in their phone’s contact list.

Mr Lynch said the idea came about from the problems of trying to get home after a night out.

‘We were sitting around at the pub talking about ways of getting home and how it is an everyday problem,’ he said.

PerthNow Digital Edition.
Your local paper, whenever you want it.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

‘In Perth, it can get quite busy on a night out, so not only is it hard to find a taxi but the fares are ridiculously expensive.

‘We talked about how it would be handy to know if a friend could pick you up without worrying about either waking them or annoying them.

‘On the flipside, you can be on the receiving end of that and get constant requests from your mates wanting lifts.’

Mr Lynch said users could select either available or unavailable as their status.

He said app users could send out a notification to all ‘available’ contacts with a map location using the phone’s GPS.

‘The app tracks locations because during a night out, people can get lost and have trouble finding each other,’ he said.

‘It doesn’t always garuntee a lift so it also includes taxi services and public transport.’

The Notre Dame law and commerce student said neither of the two had any experience with software design, and also lacked capital, which led them to pitch their idea to sellanapp.com for crowd funding.

Mr Lynch said they were looking to source $2500 by December 21.

The app had raised $2000 so far and contributors would receive percentage of revenue the app generates on the iTunes App Store.

To make a pledge or learn more visit https://sellanapp.com/idea/pick-me-app/pitch.