CommuterBuddy

The Problem

Many students spend hours commuting alone, which can lead to loneliness, stress, and lost opportunities for connection. Long commutes can constrain some students from having time for making social connections outside of the classroom and at other social opportunities on campus.

How Does CommuterBuddy Help?

By turning idle time into meaningful social interaction, CommuterBuddy fosters personal connections, enhances mental well-being, and encourages a sense of community during your commutes. CommuterBuddy offers a simple solution: by inputting your regular travel routes and times, the app helps you find others who share similar commutes, giving you the chance to strike up conversations, make new friends, or simply pass the time together. Whether you're looking for a friendly face to chat with on your morning bus, someone to vent to about that never-ending group project, or even a potential study buddy who shares your academic interests, CommuterBuddy turns the everyday grind of commuting into an opportunity for connection and support.

How we built it

The frontend of CommuterBuddy was developed using ReactJS to deliver a responsive and user-friendly interface, while the backend was implemented using Supabase for seamless integration with the app's core features.

Challenges we ran into

One of the main challenges we encountered during the prototype development was integrating real-time chat functionality. We opted to use Supabase's real-time implementation, but initially faced issues with loading and updating messages in real-time. However, we were able to resolve the issue of loading messages between users and plan on improving message synchronization and performance to ensure a more seamless and responsive user experience moving forward.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Our proudest accomplishment was successfully implementing all the core features of our app, with the standout being our unique route-based matchmaking system. This feature, coupled with customizable filters, allows users to easily connect with like-minded individuals, making their commutes more social and meaningful.

What's next for CommuterBuddy

Moving forward, we plan on further developing the core features of our app to allow for enhanced personalization, better user interaction, and more dynamic matching capabilities. We also plan on adding additional features to encourage user engagement and create a more interactive community. This includes personalized notifications, activity tracking, and gamification elements that reward users for consistent participation and meaningful interactions. Our goal is to continuously refine the experience, ensuring that CommuterBuddy becomes an even more integral part of users' daily routines.