Transit Operators

The economic optimisation of on-demand services is arguably one of the main issues faced by PTAs and transport operators.

A misconception is that the more users an on-demand service has, the more expensive it becomes. In order to limit costs, operators therefore regularly adopt measures to limit the number of passengers. However, this rather leads to a deterioration of the quality of service and number of trips.

However, if a DRT service is based on a digital solution and automatic optimisation algorithms, costs can be reduced without affecting the number of passengers. It is even possible to reduce the cost per passenger and thus reduce the overall cost of the service.

So, what are the essential factors for success in optimising a DRT service in sparsely populated areas?

We distinguish between two categories: technical optimisation, i.e. which of the different functionalities of the deployed solution should be activated, and service optimisation, which concerns the configuration of these functionalities.

Optimisation of on-demand systems: Technical optimisation

Enabling or disabling certain features can reduce the cost of on-demand transport:

Demand forecasting: helps transport operators plan their service by predicting demand. The forecast uses data collected over time since the service was introduced and complements it with data collected during the ongoing operation of the service.

Multi-Stop and Intelligent Multi-Stop: These configurations make it possible to suggest a stop that is slightly further away from the preferred stop if neither the preferred stop nor the selected time slot can be offered. Urban areas are particularly well suited for this function due to the density of points of interest. With multiple stops and smart stops, it is possible to optimise vehicle routes by avoiding detours thus increasing ridership by up to 20%.

Filter: Optimisation of a DRT service is possible by manipulating the route suggestions. The most interesting filter is the bundling filter, which makes it possible to reduce the number of kilometres and thus reduce the cost of the service

Managing travel time: The optimisation of a dynamic DRT service is mainly based on the algorithm’s ability to calculate travel time. The more finely it is calculated, the better the optimisation…

Optimisation of on-demand systems: Service optimisation

The optimisation of DRT services involves the adaptation of the technical characteristics and the design of the service. In order to reduce the costs of on-demand systems, various service optimisations are possible:

Making a service more flexible and simple: When a service is subject to restrictions, e.g. in terms of stops or journey times, it will never be able to satisfy all individual needs of users. Here, simplifying the way it functions can help to increase the use of the service. For example, in Clamart (Haut de Seine), we have developed a free-floating service, the Clam’Express, which has enabled a 20% increase in ridership, from 1,000 to 1,200 passengers per month.

Service restrictions: If a service carries large passenger flows (multimodal hubs or stations, etc.), e.g. in the context of home-to-work trips, it may make sense to impose restrictions on the service in order to keep the vehicle fleet focused on these flows and to meet the demand. In Pau, the additional restrictions on the SAFIR Dial-A-Ride service have enabled the transport of 17 passengers per trip at peak times.

Better utilisation of the service: By adjusting the parameters of the service, such as the number of detours or time restrictions, local conditions can be better met and higher occupancy rates (passenger pooling) can be achieved. In this way, the service can be made more attractive for the same amount of resources. In Lincolnshire, a rural county in the UK, the local operator increased the number of detours to allow more users to be pooled on the same journey.

Modification of service configuration: This aspect concerns departure or arrival points of vehicles, times or spots of drivers’ breaks, location of parking depots. The configuration of the service layout can be modified. When using computational and optimisation algorithms, such configuration can increase the attractiveness of the service, in particular, because a reduction of waiting times and a better distribution of vehicles can be achieved. In Lyon, the analysis of the demand flows for the TCL on-demand service has shown the need to adapt the starting and ending points of the car parking areas so that they are closer to the origins and destinations of the users. In this way, waiting times have decreased while at the same time the pooling rate has increased.

Downsizing the vehicle fleet: Sometimes a service is suboptimal because there are too many vehicles in relation to the actual demand. In this case, it is possible to improve operational efficiency by reducing the fleet to a certain number of vehicles and/or at certain times. The analysis tools provided by Padam Mobility make it possible to determine the appropriate number of vehicles according to users’ demands.

Choose the right partner!

For the implementation of these various optimisation projects, it is essential to have a competent and reliable partner at your side. Customer proximity, responsiveness and expertise are the three criteria that authorities and operators should not compromise on when choosing their provider of digital on-demand solutions.

At Padam Mobility, we pay special attention to the everyday support of our customers. Our teams know their territories and challenges very well and can therefore make suitable suggestions for optimising DRT services. Moreover, all our solutions are 100% developed by public transport experts. We already support more than 80 different territories regarding their transport policy.

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Find out more about Padam Mobility

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Accessibility in public spaces – especially in public transport – is unfortunately still a major struggle for people with reduced mobility. 

Yet it should by no means be treated as a niche issue: In the UK alone, there are 13.9 million people who rely on accessible public transport for a variety of reasons. 

And it is not only for people with congenital or permanent disabilities that the prospect of greater accessibility means a better quality of life: people of all ages and conditions can be affected by a disability at some point in their lives: the teenager that got injured playing sports, the young parents who struggle with a pram or the elderly who have trouble climbing stairs. 

The trend of an ageing population is set to become even more acute in the coming years, with 1 in 4 UK residents predicted to be aged 65 and above by 2050. Poorly accessible local transport would contribute to intensifying the already huge problem of loneliness. 

The British have recognised the issue: in 2018, the government published a strategy paper entitled “Inclusive Transport Strategy: achieving equal access for disabled people” (in short IST). The overall goal is to make public transport ( referring to all available transport options, from buses to planes) more accessible for people with disabilities by 2030. 

This policy paper pays particular attention to the following 5 points:

1. Raising awareness of passenger rights and how to enforce them

It happens that people with disabilities feel unfairly treated, for example when promised assistance is not provided or other aspects do not function in the same way as non-disabled people can expect. One example is the fare, which should not rise on any form of transport (bus, taxi, and so on) simply because an electric wheelchair has to be carried, for instance. 

The UK government promises to provide better assistance throughout the journey and, if a passenger wants to raise a complaint, to simplify communication channels so that he or she can easily express his or her views. 

2. Better training of staff

In order for public transport staff to be more responsive to the needs of persons with disabilities, the British governments are encouraging transport operators to provide training to their staff. In November 2020, the Department for Transport (DfT) therefore introduced a ‘disability awareness training package’, which was developed together with the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC). 

The aim is not only to increase the use of public transport by people with mobility impairments through more professional assistance but also to raise awareness among all other passengers through a public campaign about the fact that discrimination is a criminal offence and can be punished accordingly.

3. Better Information 

In 2018, the DfT published an interactive map, initially tailored to railway stations, to make it easier for passengers to get information about the accessibility of specific stops with just one click. This map is also specifically adapted to the needs of visually impaired people.

This tool is designed to give people with disabilities the chance to plan their journey more freely and to give them a confident feeling as they are reassured that they might not suddenly get stuck at any point in the travel chain.

4. Inclusive (physical) infrastructure

This aspect is probably one of the most important for people with disabilities when it comes to travelling without barriers and difficulties. 

Of course, overcoming barriers created by missing and incomprehensible passenger information is also important in this context. In its strategy paper, the DfT, therefore, announces, among other investments in the existing physical infrastructure, to significantly improve audio-visual information in public buses and thus enable people to plan their journeys more independently.

5. Future of inclusive transport

In order to continue to provide relevant mobility solutions in the future and to be able to respond optimally to the needs of people with mobility impairments, a large-scale study was carried out in 2020 that focused on the areas of micro-transit, buses, taxis and rental cars, as well as Mobility as a Service. All these areas and even more aspects were considered against the background of inclusivity. Further results can be found in detail here.

It is important to note that the topic of inclusivity must be comprehensively considered, especially when we talk about future mobility trends. One important point, for example, is the accessibility of mobility services regardless of the physical infrastructure. Since many of the new mobility services can be booked via digital media, such as mobile apps, barriers may arise again, for example, because older people are generally less likely to use a smartphone. These and other barriers need to be taken into account and addressed.

To document progress towards more inclusive public transport, the UK government regularly publishes news on its website. This strategy is certainly an important step, not only to make life easier for many people but also to show “We see you, we hear you and we want to achieve a more inclusive society”.

Accessibility – A society-wide responsibility

However, other barriers cannot simply be improved by construction measures: Tolerance and support.

In the UK, one in four people with disabilities say that they feel uncomfortable travelling on public transport because of ‘negative reactions’ from other passengers and therefore avoid using public transport as a result; a further 40% say they often encounter difficulties when trying to travel by public transport (referring to rail). 

These figures are alarming and should remind us of the importance of involving those who are affected in decision-making processes, giving them a voice and asking how the public transport travel experience can be improved for them. 

In addition, it is important to be aware that it is not only physical barriers but also the gazes and comments of others that prevent people with disabilities from moving freely in public. Therefore, it is the responsibility of each and everyone to be sensitive to the needs of others in our daily lives and to break down barriers where we can.

This article might also interest you: DRT – a mobility solution adapted to people with reduced mobility

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Decades of privatisation and laissez-faire have left public transport in the United Kingdom bereft. The country has earned a reputation as the ultra-liberal Wild West of public transport, leaving users on the sidelines, literally. But the country is preparing for a small revolution. 

“I love buses“. So begins the foreword to the National Bus Strategy, signed by Boris Johnson. The 84-page document, entitled Bus Back Better, details how the UK intends to support the strategic importance of buses in achieving national goals, from zero emissions to post-Covid-19 economic recovery. This is a 180° turnaround in a country where, since the 1986 privatisations, some areas have had no bus service at all. Closed lines and prohibitively expensive tickets had halved the use of public transport. 

Until now, England was one of the very few countries where bus systems were left in private hands. London was the only exception: cited as an example of cost-effective public transport, London benefits above all from an exceptional density that makes it comparable with no other territory. 

The Covid crisis seems set to launch a real transformation. 

Public transport in the United Kingdom: Infrastructure, vehicles and technology

The first surprise of the National Bus Strategy is that it is a strategy. As transport consultant, Beate Kubitz explains: “It assumes the full potential of buses to transform society. It is a manifesto for change that begins by detailing exactly how the bus system has failed its passengers and how, in failing its passengers, it has failed entire communities, both urban and rural.“

This strategy incorporates infrastructure needs. Dedicated bus lanes, zero-emission vehicles, and the technological foundation, which will not only allow for better fare management, but also for the full integration of this new offer into the mobility service (MaaS).

“This is about accelerating the shift to zero-emission vehicles and decarbonising the UK’s transport networks” said Kwasi Kwarteng, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. 

Public Transport in the United Kingdom: 3 billion investment for buses

To achieve this, the government intends to financially support the public transport industry, thus ensuring the success of the project: frequent services in urban areas, and reliable services in less densely populated areas. Demand-Responsive Transport services are fully included in the identified solutions. These are bus services that do not follow fixed timetables or predefined routes, but travel according to the users’ reservations. Routes are optimised using algorithms and the service provided is of excellent quality. An investment of £3 billion is already on the table. 

As a sign that the tide has turned in the United-Kingdom, the city of Manchester, after London, wants to be the second urban area to return to public control. As in the rest of the country, the use of public transport was down well before the pandemic. Deregulation had produced an ubiquitous pricing system, indecent prices and left entire territories unserved. 

Decisions contested by the operators

The region’s buses will be managed in the same way as in London, and transport operators will be able to bid to offer their services on a “franchise” model.

Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Manchester, is facing strong opposition from operators. They will be much less free to charge prohibitive fares and choose to serve only the most profitable routes. The dispute must be resolved in court, but three other cities have already indicated their intention to return the bus to the community. 

For public transport to play its full role in the transition to net zero carbon, local authorities are taking back control while relying on private expertise. A strategy and real competition where private monopolies used to exist can produce great results.

This article might interest you : Why do so many people hate the bus?

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