apolloKey

App
Mapp

Inspiration

There's no doubt package delivery has become an essential part of our lives we have all grown to love. However, delivery drivers for Amazon, UPS, USPS, and FedEx have all come out and exposed the inhumane working conditions they face daily. Reports of peeing in bottles to changing a sanitary pad in the back of a delivery van have shocked not just the public but surely discouraged both women and people with disabilities from applying for delivery driver positions. We believe that with apolloKey, the package delivery industry could become more inclusive and diverse, especially with the rise of independently contracted delivery personnel, to create a more humane work environment.

What it does

The apolloKey is an RFID pass that functions similar to Apple or Google Pay. It can be added to a smart wallet, such as the Apple Wallet or Google Wallet. By tapping the pass on RFID scanners with a smartphone or device, delivery employees will be granted access to bathrooms at certain locations throughout the city such as a Starbucks, McDonald's, CVS, or Walgreens that we have partnered with. This would help delivery employees work around issues of bathroom accessibility, and help those with disabilities and basic hygiene needs create a more comfortable work environment. Moreover, the apolloKey pass will give delivery workers access only to the buildings on their route, automatically updating with each new route or day so that they don't have to re-add a new pass after a route has been finished. This would cut down delivery times, allowing employees more time to access a bathroom along their route without having to worry about finishing their deliveries on time. Another important thing the apolloKey pass does is that it takes away the need to communicate with the recipient of the package. This way, the deaf, hard of hearing, people with speech difficulties, and those with English as a second or third language can enter the industry and become delivery workers as well.

How we built it

When we were discussing ideas for our first hackathon (hehe woo!!), we started talking about how one of our team members had been having her packages stolen frequently. We then started discussing how poorly delivery employees were treated and came upon the idea of the intersection of technology and delivery services to improve their working conditions. The idea stemmed from the Apple Wallet, which we all used frequently. With the RFID, we thought, we could change the way not only packages are delivered, but the way delivery workers can get around the city, both into buildings and into restrooms. The app model was built on Figma, and the research was conducted using Google.

Challenges we ran into

Convincing business chains to allow delivery employees to use their bathrooms was probably the biggest issue we faced. We worked around this by proposing that ads could be placed on the back of delivery trucks as a return for letting delivery workers use their bathrooms. This way, both parties benefit with relatively little cost to either party. Another issue we faced was that apartment buildings would have to install RFID readers. However, RFID readers have become very affordable, and we believe that this is a cost that most buildings would be willing to bear.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

The apolloKey helps package deliverers relieve the stress of finding a restroom while simultaneously giving them the time they need to take a break. With the RFID pass, we not only improve working conditions but also increase the inclusivity and diversity of the package delivery industry. Women no longer need to worry about their period, and customers no longer need to worry about receiving packages from the same van a pee bottle was in.

What we learned

After extensive research, we learned how poor delivery workers were treated and just how much they need to push themselves to meet delivery quotas and routes. The inhumanity of having to not drink water all day, pee in a van, or bleed through a uniform because a woman can't find a place to put in or replace a tampon or pad is unfathomable. We rely so heavily on package deliverers, yet they are treated like they don't matter. We need to increase awareness on the issues these people face daily and help make the industry better not just for those who are currently in it, but for those who can't enter it because of the current environment. By integrating the apolloKey into the workplace, we believe accessibility, inclusivity, and diversity will improve drastically.

What's next for apolloKey

Our goal is to expand to all 5 boroughs because it is more difficult to find chains in these areas to partner with. If we succeed in Manhattan, we can go around other areas and partner with local establishments to increase our access key radius. Furthermore, we would like to expand apolloKey to food delivery services and help make working conditions for food delivery drivers more humane as well. With no "home base," the next bathroom break may be incredibly uncertain, and that needs to be changed. By integrating the apolloKey for delivery drivers as well, we may be able to increase the accessibility, inclusivity, and diversity of food delivery drivers as well.