Skip to main content

Smart cities demand smart public transport, says research

Market research company Berg Insight has released new findings about the smart cities market and in particular intelligent transport systems (ITS) for public transport. The company believes that the market is in a growth phase which will continue in the years to come. The public transport market is impacted by a number of trends, including several ITS-related developments that can alter the playing field for the solution providers on this market. Several parallel technology developments are currently tra
December 2, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
Market research company 3849 Berg Insight has released new findings about the smart cities market and in particular intelligent transport systems (ITS) for public transport.

The company believes that the market is in a growth phase which will continue in the years to come. The public transport market is impacted by a number of trends, including several ITS-related developments that can alter the playing field for the solution providers on this market. Several parallel technology developments are currently transforming the public transport market, resulting in improved competitiveness as well as integration with alternative modes of transportation.
 
Public transport services are expected to develop significantly in the upcoming years. In order to be a viable alternative for everyday transportation, services must be predictable, comfortable and time-efficient.

“Multimodal journeys are often needed to ensure door-to-door travel approaching the flexibility of the car”, said Fredrik Stalbrand, Berg Insight IoT/M2MaAnalyst. He adds that ITS can have important influence on the quality of journeys involving several transport modes operated by different companies. Real-time information has traditionally seldom been shared between independent actors, making public transport very sensitive when delays occur and connecting services are not notified.

“Closer integration and open data sharing between the systems of the ever-increasing number of companies operating public transport services on the deregulated public transport market is thus a prerequisite to achieve competitiveness”, continues Stalbrand.

Better integration of collective transport modes with private modes such as cars and bikes will further increase the overall public transport utilisation. The so-called first and last mile commute problem, referring to the beginning and end of journeys being the most challenging parts, causes many people to choose the car for the entire journey. “New initiatives such as park ‘n’ ride facilities, bike sharing programs and real-time car ridesharing solutions are paving the way for the future”, Stalbrand concludes.
 

Related Content

  • December 20, 2021
    The scourge of poor air quality and rising pollution levels and how they can be tackled
    Arguably, air pollution is one of the greatest challenges facing our world today. It impacts people, economies and the environment. It is clear that policymakers must act swiftly to improve air quality. ITS has a huge role to play in providing solutions. Here, Swarco, as a solution provider, shares inside tips on how to use modern ITS to save lives, economies and the environment.
  • January 24, 2012
    Underinvestment in infrastructure threatens economic growth
    The 2011 Urban Mobility Report from the Texas Transportation Institute highlights the dangers of continued underinvestment in transportation infrastructure but also offers some hope in terms of possible solutions
  • October 18, 2013
    Enlarged transportation data highlights wider issues
    Todd Litman of the Victoria Transport Policy Institute in Canada makes the case for enlarged and improved transport-related data. Comprehensive, high quality data is useful, or even essential, for many types of decision making and transport is no exception. Planners and researchers can cite countless situations where their understanding of transport problems and their ability to evaluate potential solutions is constrained by inadequate data.
  • May 18, 2018
    Joining the dots: four ways to help cities make the connection
    Smoothing the path to connected transportation systems in urban areas all round the world takes a lot of planning: Cisco’s Kyle Connor lays out the four key areas on which he thinks cities should focus. Forward-thinking cities around the world are exploring innovative, new ways to leverage the Internet of Things (IoT) and related technologies to create more connected and efficient transportation systems. Through greater digitisation and connectivity, cities can optimise public transit routes, reduce