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%>.

Related Content

  • March 12, 2015
    Survey finds speed, red light cameras divide Americans
    A new survey from free legal information website FindLaw.com found that 52 per cent of Americans support the use of radar speed cameras, while 48 per cent oppose them. Advocates say the cameras increase safety, but opponents contend they are often little more than revenue grabs by communities seeking to fill their local coffers. Interestingly, there is a split between men and women on the issue – a majority of women support the use of speed cameras while a majority of men oppose it. Ohio recently adopted a
  • March 27, 2018
    Your life in their hands
    Rail, bus and taxi operators are realising significant savings by switching to ride scheduling, booking and monitoring apps that help them greatly automate their operations - while simultaneously offering their smartphone-wielding passengers the information they crave. Indeed, most of today’s transportation apps offer customers instant access to your system via mobile phone, where they can book and pay for a ride, get real-time status on their train, bus, or taxi - greatly reducing the overhead you normally
  • March 15, 2016
    Association news around the globe
    ITS New Mexico’s 2015 award has gone to the state’s Bernalillo County for establishing implementation criteria for adaptive traffic control and the installation of the state’s first system on Alameda Boulevard in Albuquerque. This uses Rhythm Engineering’s InSync Technology.
  • September 3, 2015
    European Transport Conference looks at developments in public transport
    This year’s European Transport Conference, which takes place on 28-30 September in Frankfurt, Germany, will look at the latest research and developments in local public transport across Europe and beyond. Delegates will also have the opportunity to take part in an afternoon visit to see the public transport system in Offenbach, a small city close to Frankfurt. With the UK moving towards a regulated environment, the conference will discuss the legal and economic framework and how this will work as other