Transreport launches Ask PA on WhatsApp to make booking rail assistance easier

Transreport has launched Ask PA, the first AI-assisted agent embedded within the UK rail Passenger Assistance system, enabling disabled and older passengers to ask accessibility questions and manage assistance bookings directly via WhatsApp.

Available immediately to all Passenger Assistance users and rolled out across the UK rail network, Ask PA allows passengers to create, view and cancel bookings, and request station-specific accessibility information through standard WhatsApp messages, 24/7 and in multiple languages.

Every interaction is linked to the passenger’s existing Passenger Assistance account and flows directly into the same operational workflow used by frontline teams. Audit trails, escalation pathways and operator oversight remain fully intact. AI operates within established rail governance structures, not outside them.

Revealing structural under-measurement of assisted travel demand

For more than a decade, assisted travel demand has been assessed primarily through booking volumes and call centre activity. Transreport’s live deployment data indicates that this model has structurally under-measured true passenger need.

For many passengers, the critical decision point is not the booking form. It occurs earlier: at the moment they decide whether to travel at all.

The average Passenger Assistance user travels by rail four to six times per year. For most, journeys require planning, confidence and trust in delivery. When questions arise and no immediate, accessible channel exists to resolve them, the dominant outcome is not a call to the helpline; it is abandonment.

Early data from Ask PA shows demand exceeding projections, not due to channel shift from call centres, but because previously disengaged passengers now have a low-friction way to engage.

This suggests historic contact volumes have measured ease of access to the system, not underlying demand for assistance.

By making engagement conversational and immediate, operators gain earlier visibility of demand signals, improved planning intelligence and greater confidence in delivery.

Responsible AI in regulated passenger operations

“Assisted travel delivery is operationally complex and subject to increasing scrutiny” said Jay Shen, CEO and Founder of Transreport.

“Ask PA introduces AI in a controlled, accountable framework. It reduces manual handling and improves clarity for passengers while preserving the structured operational control operators depend on.  Earlier engagement provides operators with better demand visibility and stronger delivery confidence.”

Ask PA does not replace operational decision-making. It integrates directly into the existing Passenger Assistance infrastructure used by rail operators. All interactions are logged, traceable and subject to operator oversight.

The result is AI embedded within regulated public service infrastructure, not layered superficially on top of it.

Why WhatsApp

Ask PA operates through WhatsApp, one of  the most widely used messaging platforms in the UK, with strong adoption across older demographics.

Requiring passengers to download and learn a new application can itself create barriers to requesting assistance. By operating within an established channel passengers already use daily, Ask PA removes friction at the earliest stage of journey planning.

Part of a global accessibility platform

Passenger Assistance has supported more than 10 million assisted journeys for over 1.5 million passengers internationally since 2021.

Across live deployments, the platform has delivered:

• 61% reduction in cost per booking
• Reduction in advance booking windows from 24 hours to two
• 114% increase in assistance volume without additional resourcing
• Passenger satisfaction rising from 85% to 95%

Ask PA forms part of Transreport’s broader global accessibility platform strategy, designed to help transport operators systemise, scale and govern assisted travel delivery while strengthening passenger confidence.