'I was shocked a trip-planning app did not exist'

A man who created a public transport journey planning app for the Isle of Man has said he was "shocked" that it did not already exist after moving to the island.

Called Kivoon: Isle of Man Transit Companion App, the tool was launched this week by former developer Itamar Bareket, after moving to the island from Dubai two years ago.

It allows users to plan routes using live travel information for the island's buses, steam trains and electric trams.

He said: "The app was built mostly for my wife, because she hates driving, but I am happy to have come up with something that is as polished as it is, that my wife can use, but I can also share it with the rest of the island."

Using artificial intelligence to create the tool, Bareket spent time in the last four months following the buses to check the exact routes, as the timetables only had key stop information, and there were "some unknowns," he said.

"I moved to the island two years ago with my wife, and on our first night here we wanted to get our Maccies fix.

"We knew there was a bus close by, but when we looked on Google, it just said to walk 40 minutes and it did not show any bus options.

"We were quite shocked that we were in 2024 back then and there was no real bus information that was available on my phone.

"I'm used to opening Google maps and it tells me where to go," he continued.

Now a chief technical officer for a travel e-sim company, he said the project was a "side hustle."

The app, which amassed 1,000 downloads in 48 hours, has received "overwhelmingly positive" feedback, he said.

"I think that the need is clear, and people are using Google maps and the likes when they are off the island, so they know what they are missing, and I came with an app that mimics this experience," he continued.

Feedback included a message from a blind woman who told him that it was the first time she was able to read a bus timetable, as existing information was not accessible for screen-readers.

"It's really heartwarming that I could help more people access public transport," he said.

Although the government's Find my Bus app allows people to track the location of buses, Bareket's app enabled users to plan journeys that required public transport and included a live departure board.

Speaking of including the Isle of Man Steam Railway and Manx Electric Railway information, he said: "I think that if it's on the app, it will encourage people to use it more and enjoy it."

Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.