PROJECT 1 :PROJECT PROPOSAL

PROBLEM 1 : USER’S PRIVACY CONCERN

UTM DRIVE or also known as U-Drive is a transportation booking system that operates through a shared Telegram group where students post their ride requests publicly, and available drivers respond by sending private messages. While this approach is simple and accessible, it raises significant privacy concerns. Personal details such as names, pickup locations, destinations, and contact information are visible to all group members, exposing students to potential misuse of their data. Picture below shows all the user’s request & information exposed publicly, everyone in the group will know.

PROBLEM 2: EFFICIENCY OF DRIVER REQUEST VIA TEXT MESSAGE. 

UTM DRIVE / U-Drive booking system allows drivers to receive students' requests in a unified group chat. This has led to issues such as booking requests (text message form) of the students being overlooked by drivers, as other booking requests enter the group chat simultaneously, leaving students having to ‘copy and paste’ their prior requests  in hopes it does not get overlooked. Subsequently, the timing of booking requests being fully sent to the group chat varies with students' cellular connection at that specific time, making it difficult for some students to request a driver at all.   

PROBLEM 3: SCHEDULE TIMING ISSUES AMONG UTM DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS

Unsynchronized schedule timing between the UTM drivers and passengers might lead to a tremendous problem and waste in terms of human resources and time. Most of the drivers come among students themselves, and they are tied to the schedule. In other cases, the driver needs to contact the passenger to confirm the booking and reservation before they pick them up. This issue arises when some of the passengers fail to respond promptly or cancel at the last minute, causing confusion and wasted time for the driver. Without a proper in-app confirmation, drivers have to rely on manual communication through messaging apps, which can be inefficient and lead to miscommunication or missed trips. 

SOLUTION 1 :  ANONYMIZATION AND ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEM

To overcome the privacy matter, we plan to combines role-based access control (RBAC) with data anonymization. 

• Data anonymization ensures that only crucial trip details, including pickup and drop-off locations, are visible to drivers until a booking is verified by hiding personal information like student names and contact details. 

• In the meantime, RBAC limits system access according to user roles, enabling administrators, drivers, and students to view or manage just the information essential to their role. This combined strategy creates a safe and well-organized environment for handling transportation reservations, improves confidentiality, and reduces illegal data exposure.

SOLUTION 2: IMPLEMENT CLOUD-BASED SERVER AND REAL-TIME DATA PROCESSING 

Every booking request is now stored in a central server (cloud database) with real-time updating updating the moment the student submits it.

• The system uploads the booking to the server and is automatically saved.The system immediately pushes updates to all drivers’ apps, allowing them to receive instant notifications and view the booking in a structured list rather than a chat thread. 

• This means the booking does not disappear, even when the student or driver closes the app or loses connection. Even in the event of an app server crash, the server will re-update its latest state through continuous sychronization. 

SOLUTION 3: AUTOMATED IN-APP BOOKING AND CONFIRMATION SYSTEM

Human-Computer Interaction(HCI ) principles can be used to improve how users interact with the system. 

• The interface will be designed to facilitate booking and confirming a trip. One of the approaches that can be implemented is an interactive notification button that allows the passenger to confirm and cancel the ride instantly. 

• Next, the app features are a visual time slot part and a real-time status indicator to help the driver know the availability of the order. This approach helps the driver and passenger reduce confusion situation.

TARGET AUDIENCE

The main target audience for this project consists of UTM students, both passengers and drivers, who frequently rely on campus ride-sharing services. Many students at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) need convenient transportation to travel between their residential colleges, faculties, or nearby areas. Since public transportation options are limited, most students depend on the existing “U-Drive” Telegram group to request and offer rides. However, this informal system has several drawbacks, such as privacy issues, missed messages, and poor schedule coordination.

Our proposed system aims to address these problems by providing a secure, organized, and user-friendly platform that enhances the travel experience for students. Passengers will benefit from a safer booking process that protects their personal data, while drivers will gain a more efficient way to receive and manage ride requests through automated confirmations. Additionally, UTM administrators serve as secondary users responsible for managing access levels, monitoring activity, and ensuring that the platform operates safely within university guidelines.

The target users are primarily for UTM students who are familiar with using mobile apps and value quick, efficient digital solutions. By catering to their needs, this project not only improves campus transportation but also supports a more connected and safer university community.