New Social Network Encourages Travelers To Get Friendly

Traveling, especially during the holidays, is usually a stressful affair. Not only do you have to worry about the TSA violating your Constitutional rights at the security checkpoint, there are also the faceless crowds of people to elbow through and avoid eye contact with.

Although social networking sites are usually accused of killing our ability to connect and empathize with one another, a new website hopes to be instrumental in resurrecting the art of small talk.

Bumped.in offers travelers the chance to find out who is traveling with them, discover common interests, and make connections by digitally reaching out to the people around them to start in-person conversations.

“I wanted to create the site to allow people to tap into the massive resource pool of commuters traveling in close proximity to one another,” said Bumped.in founder and frequent commuter Kiran Patel. “Maybe you see someone you’d like to go on a date with on the train. Maybe the guy sitting next to you on your flight is looking for a data analyst and you’re a data analyst looking for a job. It could also be as simple as passing helpful travel tips on to the next passenger. The possibilities are really endless.”

Additionally, the free service offers real-time travel information, so that passengers and commuters can receive the latest status updates and transit alerts on everything from delays to travel tips.

Bumped.in is compatible with all major airlines, and many major rail routes, including New York’s MTA, NJ Transit, Chicago’s CTA, San Francisco’s BART and AMTRAK. The service also offers users the options of integrating their Bumped.in profiles with their existing social networking profiles.

A Bumped.in iPhone app is in development and scheduled to launch within the next two months.

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7 Preboarding Secrets for Healthy Flying

Image Credit: Bumped.in

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Teresa W.

1:35AM PST on Nov 16, 2011

Why get friendly with strangers?

send a green star

Tim C.

2:49PM PST on Nov 15, 2011

thanks

Robert O.

2:40PM PST on Nov 15, 2011

Thanks Beth.

Michele W.

12:56PM PST on Nov 15, 2011

Thank you

Carole R.

7:29PM PST on Nov 14, 2011

An idea but probably not for me.

11:39AM PDT on Oct 11, 2011

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/7/hi/
Thanks

Ashley L.

3:16PM PST on Jan 1, 2011

I don't use a smart phone but if I did I would definitely be checking this out. Interesting.

gerlinde p.

9:03AM PST on Dec 26, 2010

i prefer reading and sleeping on travels, so nothing for me.

Barbara E.

11:37PM PST on Dec 22, 2010

thanx.

moggy w.

10:53PM PST on Dec 22, 2010

Thanks for article people will bring different ideas and expectations to this. and that is good.Solo travelers , families with children- I can see lots of uses for this idea.