Out-of-order lifts are a big problem for people with restricted mobility who want to use public transport. Therefore it is important to inform them about lifts that are not functioning before they go to a mass transit station. The Web app BrokenLifts.org does exactly that: it informs travellers who are dependent on wheelchairs or walking aids, or who have to push strollers, about broken lifts at an early stage. In addition to current information, it also provides information about future disruptions, for example due to building measures.
The non-profit Berlin organization Sozialhelden started the online platform in 2013. The Henkelhiedl project office developed the Web app. The necessary data is provided by the Berlin-Brandenburg transport network (VBB), S-Bahn Berlin, and the Berlin transport authority (BVG) in a harmonised data format and as Open Data via feeds. As they expand the platform, the initiators continue to rely completely on Open Data and technical interfaces (APIs).