Conventional Public Transport Research Articles

GIS-based evaluation of Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) for reducing car dependence within Melbourne, Australia

Metropolitan Melbournes car dependence continues to grow. This is despite major expenditure on trams, trains and buses as well as attempts to alter land use patterns to make suburbs easier to service by public transport. Melbournians are simply reluctant to give up the flexibility, convenience, speed and privacy advantages that cars still hold over conventional public transport modes. Accordingly, we have here resurrect a less conventional public transport mode, first mooted during the 1960s and known as Personal Rapid Transit (PRT). This alternative incorporates many of the advantages of the private motor car; yet it is cheaper, faster, less polluting, quieter, safer, more convenient and less space consuming. We will use GIS to quantitatively evaluate PRTs feasibility in Melbourne, and eventually conclude that it might be viable provided that it is implemented incrementally, and in a way that exploits current transport infrastructure. That is, we will exploit modern GIS ability to measure the lengths of linear features, to buffer, to intersect, to plot standard-deviation ellipses and to statistically analyse attribute tables in order to quantify PRTs costs, as well as some of its benefits, at different localities, thereby suggesting places where PRT might best be trialled.

GIS-based evaluation of Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) for reducing car dependence within Melbourne, Australia

Metropolitan Melbournes car dependence continues to grow. This is despite major expenditure on trams, trains and buses as well as attempts to alter land use patterns to make suburbs easier to service by public transport. Melbournians are simply reluctant to give up the flexibility, convenience, speed and privacy advantages that cars still hold over conventional public transport modes. Accordingly, we have here resurrect a less conventional public transport mode, first mooted during the 1960s and known as Personal Rapid Transit (PRT). This alternative incorporates many of the advantages of the private motor car; yet it is cheaper, faster, less polluting, quieter, safer, more convenient and less space consuming. We will use GIS to quantitatively evaluate PRTs feasibility in Melbourne, and eventually conclude that it might be viable provided that it is implemented incrementally, and in a way that exploits current transport infrastructure. That is, we will exploit modern GIS ability to measure the lengths of linear features, to buffer, to intersect, to plot standard-deviation ellipses and to statistically analyse attribute tables in order to quantify PRTs costs, as well as some of its benefits, at different localities, thereby suggesting places where PRT might best be trialled.

Transportation Policies for the Elderly and Disabled in Japan

There are two main direction how local transport system for elderly and disabled (E&D) has been developed, and how the measures have been taken. First, the situation disabled cannot participate socially has been regarded as legal discrimination, especially with remarkable changes in the United States of American, Canada, and Sweden. Secondly, social participation of E&D has been advanced both politically and technically in transportation. One example is the special correspondence: For E&D who cannot use conventional public transport, specialized transport has been operated, and who can move in cars have been supported. The other example is from the viewpoint of universal design; Conventional public transport has been started to change to increase the use of E&D, in accessible design, subsidy for user side and supply side, and information system. With these changes, E&D will be able to move comfortably, and it will lead us to create social inclusion. At present, the rift between the countermeasures of specialized transport and of public transport (bus and railway) has been begun to be closed. By the transportation system of Demand Responsive Transport (DRT), concretely service route in Sweden and flex route in Europe, new direction of countermeasures has been started to grope. In the main text, this study was conducted on the following five countries, USA, Canada, Sweden, UK and Japan. Firstly, after clarifying system characteristics in each country, the relationship with human rights which has been deeply connected to mobility problems of E&D will be explained. Secondly, the development of surrounding Special Transport Service (ST Service), which has worked as a driving force to develop community transport system, and securement of accessibility in public transport, will be started. Thirdly, the course of action in community transport system will be hammered out.

Bespoke services for personal travel and goods movement

New technology with portable location and communication devices allied to real-time information and control/management systems will provide opportunities for a wide range of bespoke services, which will offer real and attractive alternatives to conventional use of the private car. Such services will support travellers in their use of various forms of transport. These will range from conventional public transport with fixed services through to taxi-type operations, depending on the situations of the traveller and the journey. Various forms of collective, flexible and demand responsive services can be envisaged to ‘fill the gap’ between conventional public transport and taxis. New automated systems will also have a role to play. Equally, new technology to identify, track, trace, communicate with and optimise vehicles could lead to substantial reductions in urban vehicle travel. In order to achieve these reductions and still meet specific customer requirements effective coordination of customer needs and service provision is required. This could include online guidance and routing; the mapping of re-fuelling needs of electric/hybrid delivery vehicles with priority access; and the use of unattended collection/delivery points. This paper focuses on issues emerging from a multidisciplinary literature review, which assesses past, current and potential future bespoke transport services. The review draws on domestic and international experience to determine common characteristics and understanding learned from the operation of such services to identify issues and characteristics that should be considered in potential future applications.

Strategies for the enhancement of rural railways

The provision of rural public transport has always been seen as a matter of competing for scarce public resources. The fundamental problem is that the demand for rural transport is low and the population is widely dispersed. Conventional public transportation solutions are not able to meet the demand efficiently. In this respect, railway transport proves to be particularly inefficient. In Spain there are approximately 2500 km of rural railway lines carrying low traffic volumes. These have traditionally been considered to be loss-making lines. Yet, in principle, this idea is incorrect. This paper looks at some of the techniques currently being successfully applied on rural railway lines that enable considerable savings on operational and maintenance costs to be made.

Strategies for the enhancement of rural railways

The provision of rural public transport has always been seen as a matter of competing for scarce public resources. The fundamental problem is that the demand for rural transport is low and the population is widely dispersed. Conventional public transportation solutions are not able to meet the demand efficiently. In this respect, railway transport proves to be particularly inefficient. In Spain there are approximately 2500 km of rural railway lines carrying low traffic volumes. These have traditionally been considered to be loss-making lines. Yet, in principle, this idea is incorrect. This paper looks at some of the techniques currently being successfully applied on rural railway lines that enable considerable savings on operational and maintenance costs to be made.

A programme for individual sustainable mobility

We describe a concept for an automated highway system that is based upon narrow, energy-efficient two-passenger tandem vehicles which are capable of travelling at high speed (150 kph) while on dedicated guideways and can function as conventional vehicles on existing roads. The guideways are similarly narrow and lightweight, reducing construction costs and easing their placement in urban environments. In the first phase of operation, vehicles will be powered conventionally, though possibly accelerated to high speed at guideway entrances by linear induction motors. In later phases, they will be able to obtain power while on the guideway through inductive coupling. Under such conditions, energy efficiency while on the guideway is estimated to exceed that of conventional public transportation systems on a passenger-km basis. Reduction of traffic congestion and improved safety are additional benefits.

Social inclusion implications of park-and-ride

Park and ride (P&R) schemes are often promoted as an efficient means of extending the effective catchment of public transport networks into car-dependent areas with low population densities, such as rural districts. However, using P&R typically requires the traveller to have access to a car. As car ownership is often used as an indicator of social inclusion, providing P&R for motorists is not an obvious means of reducing exclusion from travel opportunities. Nonetheless, the present article argues that policies to promote interchange from cars to bus or rail can act as a force for either greater or less social exclusion, depending on who can access the services and what the alternative options would be in the absence of P&R being provided. The conditions under which inclusion is most likely to be promoted are reviewed. Key findings are that P&R facilities should not be developed at the expense of investment in conventional public transport and that the services should not be exclusively aimed at motorists. A particular situation in which motorists on relatively low incomes might benefit from P&R provision is where they would otherwise face high access charges to urban areas, in the form of road tolls or parking fees.

Social inclusion implications of park-and-ride

Park and ride (P&R) schemes are often promoted as an efficient means of extending the effective catchment of public transport networks into car-dependent areas with low population densities, such as rural districts. However, using P&R typically requires the traveller to have access to a car. As car ownership is often used as an indicator of social inclusion, providing P&R for motorists is not an obvious means of reducing exclusion from travel opportunities. Nonetheless, the present article argues that policies to promote interchange from cars to bus or rail can act as a force for either greater or less social exclusion, depending on who can access the services and what the alternative options would be in the absence of P&R being provided. The conditions under which inclusion is most likely to be promoted are reviewed. Key findings are that P&R facilities should not be developed at the expense of investment in conventional public transport and that the services should not be exclusively aimed at motorists. A particular situation in which motorists on relatively low incomes might benefit from P&R provision is where they would otherwise face high access charges to urban areas, in the form of road tolls or parking fees.

Park and ride: Could it lead to an increase in car traffic?

The detailed and long-term effects of park and ride are more complex than generally acknowledged. In 1994, studies of park and ride were carried out in Oxford and York. The success of park and ride in attracting users was confirmed, and these users reported high levels of satisfaction. However, some users had switched from modes other than car and others were found to be making additional trips which had been attracted by the opportunity to park and ride. Congestion has remained persistent in the cities studied and there is concern that total travel may have been increased rather than reduced, which was the intention. It is concluded that, for park and ride to be successful, ‘package’ policies will need to be strengthened to favour conventional public transport and that particular care will need to be taken by other local authorities adopting park and ride.

Travel choice and the mobility handicapped: some preliminary investigations utilising a disaggregate choice model

The travel choices of a sample of people who have difficulty using conventional public transport is investigated from survey data collected in Nottingham. Observed travel behaviour was recorded and stated preference techniques were employed to analyse the preferred choice of travel mode. A multinomial logit model is used to measure the influence of three factors — fares, trip frequency and journey time — on the choice of mode, with emphasis on the demand for dial‐a‐ride and taxi services. The results indicate that the market for special transport services to the mobility handicapped is not uniform but exhibits characteristics of vertical differentiation, which has implications for the planning of special needs services.

Optimal vehicle size for road‐based urban public transport in developing countries

Abstract Road‐based public transport in the cities of developing countries comes in a variety of physical and organizational forms. Many of these cities have a large component of unconventional or intermediate public transport (IPT). IPT often fills the gaps in service that cannot be provided by the operators of conventional public transport. The contrast in institutional framework between the operators of conventional vehicles and IPT is sharpened by the profitability of the two types; conventional buses, usually organized in large fleets and often run by the government, are seemingly difficult to maintain as a commercial enterprise whereas IPT which is usually privately owned in small fleets is profitable. A considerable debate has arisen over which type of public transport system (conventional or IPT) to encourage. The debate has often been confused because it involves two quite separate issues: whether the provision of public transport should be left entirely to private enterprise, and, the technical ...

Stockholm's transport for elderly and handicapped: an integrated model

Stockholm's programme of special transportation, administered by the Greater Stockholm Public Transport (SL) is composed of three elements (a) a demand responsive service utilizing commercial taxis for individual trips, (b) a fleet of modified minibuses for routine and repetitive trips, both offering door-to-door service, and (c) continued modification of conventional public transport vehicles and equipment to extend their accessibility for handicapped trip makers. Commercial taxi service is described as the primary source of transportation, with 91 per cent of those eligible being provided with special authorization cards. The user pays three crowns, the current mass transit fare to the driver, and the taxi company is reimbursed by SL at the metered rate. Reimbursement controls associated with the 2500 taxis participating in this scheme are described, and statistics provided on journey details and costs. A fleet of 135 modified minibuses caters for those who cannot or need not use taxis, with three quarters of the trips being associated with home to and from school and clinic journeys. Details of the vehicles, journey schedules and driver training are presented. Reference to public transport accessibility indicates the installation of lifts at all subways, and escalators from street and or ticket levels to station platforms. Financing and costs are discussed. (TRRL)