The world’s urban population is rapidly increasing, burdening transportation authorities with the challenge of traffic congestion. To address this issue, authorities can choose between investing billions in constructing additional road or public transport infrastructure, with no guarantee of reducing congestion, or opt for resilient digital technological solutions to effectively manage traffic congestion. In many cases, authorities place a premium on increasing efficiencies by aiming to better integrate existing infrastructure, write Paras Sharma, the lead analyst, and Jim Morrish, the founding partner, of Transforma Insights.
Integrated transport systems support various modes of transportation within an urban area, including mass transit, car sharing, bike sharing and taxi services, under a unified platform with a single interface. Such solutions generally offer the added advantage of providing near real-time transport information to end-users, which enhances their overall travel experience. Additionally, smart ticketing solutions are frequently integrated into comprehensive transport system solutions.
Integrated transport systems encompass three main domains
The deployment of integrated transport systems encompasses three main domains of change within urban areas, including the consolidation of existing transportation networks, the provision of real-time information on public transport services, and often smart ticketing.
- Consolidating existing transportation networks
Multiple cities are integrating public and private transportation networks (like mass transit, private taxi services and on-demand ride-sharing schemes) into a single platform, allowing users to conveniently plan and book their journeys according to their specific needs. They enable users to book tickets for optimised routes through multimodal transportation, eliminating the need to compare and book multiple tickets for different modes. The integration of disparate transport services typically leads to reduced waiting times, lower levels of traffic congestion, and lower greenhouse gas emissions. For instance, from 2012 to 2016, the Land Transport Authority in Singapore achieved a three-minute reduction in passenger waiting times by deploying an integrated transport system.
- Real-time information on public transport services
Integrated transport systems often provide real-time transport service information to commuters. A real-time passenger information system gathers data (like speed, time and location) from the transit network and delivers live alerts to passengers about estimated arrival and departure times of individual buses, trains and so on. In addition, passengers receive timely notifications about service delays, allowing them to consider alternative routes. Cumulatively, these features improve the passenger experience and it has been suggested that offering real-time information can lead to a 48% rise in riders’ satisfaction.
Transport operators themselves are employing similar software solutions to eliminate operational bottlenecks and enhance the commuter experience. These solutions aid in optimising routes by integrating various information sources crucial for efficient transport services. They enable transport operators and authorities to better automate the scheduling of transport services based on passenger flows, so better facilitating the planning and design of transport network schedules.
- Smart ticketing
Many transit authorities are trying to shift away from paper-based tickets by using digital technologies. The migration from paper-based to cashless transactions facilitates an enriched customer experience by potentially eliminating waiting times to purchase tickets. In addition, it reduces paper wastage (and associated supply chain requirements) and dedicated plastic smart cards enable commuters to track the amount of money spent on their cards with time-stamped data.
More sophisticated transport authorities are replacing these plastic smart cards by allowing travellers to download a mobile app and purchase multi-modal e-tickets for different transport modes. Some of these apps also provide real-time optimised route options for commuters. For instance, Genoa’s public transport operators partnered with Hitachi Rail for smart ticketing. 7,000 Bluetooth sensors were deployed across buses, bus stops, metro lines, lifts, and two suburban routes to provide detailed real-time information relating to the status of bus and metro networks.
Integrated transport systems unlock many benefits
By deploying integrated transport system solutions to help unify existing diverse transport infrastructures, city authorities can realise on the advantages of integrated transport networks and effectively reduce urban traffic. This decrease in city congestion not only benefits businesses and transport operators but also curbs unnecessary fuel consumption and enhances productivity by minimising time lost in traffic. It can also benefit city authorities by increasing the effective capacity of existing infrastructure, so reducing the need to invest in new infrastructure and increasing the volume of traffic that can be supported using existing infrastructure.
Integrated systems offer the added advantage of lowering greenhouse gas emissions by reducing individual solo trips and promoting the use of shared mobility platforms. These solutions aid cities and urban areas in accommodating growing populations, deal with higher population densities, and manage increased business activity, which increase the potential for higher revenues from taxes for the authorities.
Entities that have adopted integrated transport systems include Transabus Mallorca, which has collaborated with GMV to use its integrated transport solution for efficient optimisation and planning of its transport network, and Dresdner Verkehrsbetriebe (DVB), Dresden, Germany, which has collaborated with Trapeze to modernise its operations control systems. Under this collaboration, Trapeze equipped buses and trams with on-board computers allowing DVB to gain insight into vehicle locations and traffic light pre-emption.
Integrated transport systems pave the way for sustainable transportation in smart cities
Integrated transport systems represent a key tool to address the escalating challenges faced by urban transportation authorities. By consolidating diverse transportation networks, providing real-time information, and implementing smart ticketing, these systems enhance the overall commuting experience for users significantly. Apart from reducing congestion and lowering greenhouse gas emissions, these solutions also enable financial gains for city authorities through increased revenues from taxes.
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