The 15th DostępnośćLAB Meeting: Empathy in Motion – Report and Conclusions

During the 15th edition of DostępnośćLAB, participants explored together what mobility in urban spaces looks like from the perspective of people with diverse needs. The event combined lectures, hands-on workshops, and immersive experiences that provided a better understanding of the real barriers encountered in everyday travel.

Key Issues

• Accessibility in public and commercial transportation — this section discusses standards, challenges, and examples of solutions that improve the travel experience for people with limited mobility in Poland and abroad.
• Designing transportation services — the importance of intuitive, clear, and safe solutions that meet the needs of all users was emphasized.
• Mobility-supporting technologies — digital tools, accessibility features on mobile devices, and the potential applications of artificial intelligence in travel planning were presented.
• Safety and Evacuation — This section outlines the procedures and challenges involved in ensuring the safety of people with diverse needs during emergencies.

Conclusions from the expert panel

Experts noted that:

• Empathy and user experience should be the foundation of transportation design,
• accessibility must be treated as an integral part of transport policy,
• workshops and simulations significantly raise awareness among designers, operators, and institutions,
• Digital technologies can genuinely enhance passengers’ independence if they are designed in accordance with accessibility principles.

Congratulations

We would like to thank all participants for their active involvement, openness, and willingness to work together to find solutions that improve transportation accessibility. Special thanks go to the co-organizers (Fire Service Academy, Bydgoszcz University of Technology, PESA Bydgoszcz, AccessibleEU) and to the workshop and panel facilitators—for their commitment, expertise, and contribution to building a more inclusive mobility environment.

Thanks to our collaborative efforts, the event became a forum for sharing experiences, inspiration, and practical tools that can tangibly improve the travel experience for all users.