Skip to main content

Public transport study: What moves the sector?

A new study by transportation software provider PTV Group concludes that scarcity of resources and demographic change are determining the future of public transport. The study illustrates which topics are moving the public transport sector and how stakeholders are dealing with them. The study involved around 300 participants from around the world, including transport operators, associations, consultants and engineering companies. The majority (81 per cent) stated fewer resources and climate change as the l
February 11, 2013 Read time: 3 mins
A new study by transportation software provider 3264 PTV Group concludes that scarcity of resources and demographic change are determining the future of public transport.  The study illustrates which topics are moving the public transport sector and how stakeholders are dealing with them.

The study involved around 300 participants from around the world, including transport operators, associations, consultants and engineering companies. The majority (81 per cent) stated fewer resources and climate change as the largest industry driver. Moreover, 80 per cent believe that demographic change is a strong driver.

The four different groups evaluated both topics differently. For example, transport operators and consulting and engineering organisations placed major emphasis on green concepts: Over half of those surveyed (72 per cent) are working on more efficient vehicle utilisation. Optimised schedules came second (61 per cent). The use of environmentally friendly vehicles, such as solar buses or hybrid vehicles, came third (58 per cent).

Transport associations and authorities in particular see the need for action on demographic change. Half of the transport associations state that it is a strong driver; for transport authorities it is as much as 67 per cent. "For example, due to our ageing society, school transport will drop off, which in many regions has a decisive influence on the public transport offerings," says Dr Ing. Peter Mott, business development director of PTV Group. This traffic represents an important source of revenue for transport operators and associations. They will therefore be forced to develop new, sustainable concepts, mastering the challenges of demographic change.

According to Mott, with the increasing flexibility of offerings due to alternative forms of operation as well as demand-responsive operation, there is a variety of ideas in progress.  "As a provider of transport planning software, it is exciting for us to see which ideas will prevail and how software-supported planning will contribute to design," he says.

The study claims that a good quarter of those surveyed have already complemented their offering with alternative service forms, such as dial-a-ride transport services, and around one in ten is already offering demand-responsive operations such as on request by pressing a button at the bus stop or stopping on request. One in five is planning to implement the latter in the next five years.

The study can be downloaded from the PTV Group website, %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 oLinkExternal www.ptv-vision.com/PuT www.ptv-vision.com/PuT false http://www.ptv-vision.com/PuT false false%>.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Grab sponsorship with CARTES Daily News and e-newsletters
    July 9, 2014
    Let us help you find more customers at CARTES SECURE CONNEXIONS 2014. Join the other movers and shakers in the secure connections industry and advertise with us in the CARTES Daily News, a journal which will be published on each of the three days of the event. Inside each day’s paper there will be exclusive interviews with the key players, a round-up of what’s going on at the show that day, and an inside look at the technology on display. It is the must-read publication of CARTES SECURE CONNEXIONS 2014, ke
  • EU awards finalists announced
    February 26, 2014
    The European Commission has announced the six finalists of two awards which honour the actions of European cities in developing and promoting sustainable approaches to urban mobility. This year’s Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) award recognises cities with SUMPs illustrating the ‘integration of economic, social, and environmental policy criteria’, the theme of the 2013 awards. The award is presented to local authorities which demonstrate excellence in developing and implementing their sustainable
  • US DOT announces ITS video challenge
    May 21, 2012
    The US Department of Transportation's Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) has announced the ITS Video Challenge, a new national competition showcasing innovative ways that local communities use smart transportation technology to improve safety, mobility and the environment.
  • E Ink partners with Papercast on smart bus stop project in Japan
    February 20, 2018
    Papercast's solar-powered e-paper passenger information displays will be utilised for a smart bus stop project in Japan's Aizuwakamatsu city as part of a partnership with E Ink Holdings. The project, administered by Aizu Riding Car Development (ARCD), aims to improve service convenience and reduce ongoing costs through digitally connecting bus stops. The multi-lingual displays are managed remotely via Papercast's data management platform to deliver live bus arrivals, timetables, route data, route transfers