KUALA LUMPUR: Global mobility and urban services platform inDrive recently partnered with the Department for the Development of Persons with Disabilities (JPOKU) to conduct a specialised accessibility training programme for its driver-partners.
The initiative equips drivers with the knowledge and practical skills to better understand, communicate with and support passengers with disabilities, while preparing the platform for future accessibility enhancements in Malaysia.
The collaboration, the first by an e-hailing platform in Malaysia, reflects inDrive's belief that creating an inclusive transportation ecosystem requires more than technological innovation.
The training introduced drivers to the dRST framework — Describe, Respond, Support and Transfer — a practical approach developed to help drivers better communicate with and assist passengers with disabilities.
"As Malaysia continues to strengthen efforts towards a more inclusive society, accessibility must be embedded into everyday services that people rely on, including transportation. Collaboration between the public and private sectors plays an important role in advancing this agenda," said JPOKU senior assistant director Rosni Saini.
The driver training comes as inDrive prepares to roll out accessibility enhancements within its app in Malaysia, designed to improve usability for drivers and passengers with disabilities.
The enhancements are guided by internationally recognised accessibility principles and aim to support users with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive disabilities through a more accessible and intuitive user experience.
Among the planned enhancements is improved compatibility with accessibility features available on smartphones, including screen readers such as TalkBack for Android and VoiceOver for iOS, enabling users with visual impairments to navigate the app through voice-guided assistance.
The app is also being reviewed to support clearer visuals, scalable text, improved icon visibility and more intuitive navigation, helping users with low vision, colour blindness, motor disabilities or cognitive accessibility needs use the platform with greater ease and confidence.
For users with motor disabilities, the platform aims to work more effectively with assistive technologies and simplified navigation tools.
Meanwhile, clearer language, intuitive layouts and localised formats are expected to improve accessibility for users with cognitive disabilities and those who prefer using their native language.
inDrive Malaysia driver operations manager Azlan Anwar said, "Mobility is a fundamental right and plays a crucial role in enabling people to participate fully in society. We believe accessibility requires both inclusive technology and informed human interactions."
