Smart Mobility Solutions: Addressing Urbanisation, Sustainability, and Accessibility

^{Clement Ho, Head of Business Operations, was featured as a speaker at Global Mass Transit's 7th Transit Ticketing & Fare Collection APAC 2024 Conference, where he delivered a presentation during the "Emerging New Mobility Services and Models" session. This blog article recaps his presentation, which highlighted key global trends and showcased how smart mobility solutions are addressing evolving transportation challenges effectively.}

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As cities expand and populations evolve, the future of transportation is rapidly changing. Mobility solutions must adapt to address emerging challenges such as urban congestion, climate change, and shifting demographics. Here’s a look at the evolving mobility trends and how demand-responsive solutions are playing a critical role in shaping the future of transportation.

1. Urbanisation & Growth: The Push for Smarter Mobility Solutions

As cities grow, urbanisation puts increasing pressure on transportation systems. Roads and public transit networks are often overwhelmed, leading to inefficiency, longer travel times, and congestion. In response, many cities are adopting new mobility technologies to alleviate these issues and create more sustainable systems.

One forward-thinking approach is the concept of "Work, Live, Play" in polycentric town planning. This trend promotes creating multiple hubs within cities, encouraging dynamic routing and decentralised travel patterns. With this, cities are exploring smarter transportation strategies, such as demand-responsive transport, which offers more flexible, adaptive mobility options.

2. Addressing Sustainability: Cleaner, Greener Cities

One of the greatest challenges in urban mobility today is reducing the environmental impact of transportation. The number of vehicles on the road has dramatically increased, contributing to rising levels of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. As cities work towards lowering carbon footprints, countries around the world are adopting initiatives aimed at reducing global emissions, with sustainable transport playing a key role.

Switching to more efficient, eco-friendly transportation options, like on-demand ride-sharing services, is crucial. These systems help reduce the number of vehicles on the road, minimise empty miles, and promote more sustainable urban living.

3. Depopulation in Suburban Areas & The Aging Population: A New Mobility Challenge

In many developed nations, suburban areas are facing depopulation. With fewer residents, traditional public transport services often become unsustainable. This trend is coupled with the fact that many populations are aging, increasing the need for accessible and flexible transportation options.

However, there’s a silver lining—older generations are becoming more comfortable with technology, and mobility solutions must adapt to meet their needs. Demand-responsive transport services that can be easily accessed via mobile apps or assisted call centers offer a practical solution, ensuring equitable, convenient transport for all age groups.

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Demand-Responsive Solutions: The Future of Flexible Transport

To address these evolving mobility trends, demand-responsive transport (DRT) is emerging as a powerful tool. By adapting to real-time passenger demand, DRT provides flexibility, efficiency, and accessibility across various use cases. Here’s how these solutions are shaping the future:

On-Demand Transport: Meeting the Needs of Dynamic Travel

On-demand transport services are designed to route vehicles based on passenger calls and service levels. Unlike traditional fixed routes, vehicles in these systems dynamically adjust their routes to pick up and drop off passengers at various locations, making them ideal for situations such as:

• First Mile/Last Mile Connectivity: Filling gaps between public transit hubs and passengers' final destinations.
• Low Ridership Situations: Providing efficient transport options in areas where full-sized buses may be underutilised.
• Intertown, Campus, or Park Travel: Offering flexible routes across large areas with varying demand.

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Optimised Fixed Routes Enhancing Efficiency with Passenger Data

Optimised fixed routes take a data-driven approach to traditional transport services. By using real-time demand information, systems can simulate and adjust routes at preset intervals, ensuring higher efficiency and reducing wasted miles. This model is particularly useful for:

• School Bus Planning: Ensuring that bus routes are optimised to serve students more efficiently.
• Rotating Shift Planning: Helping companies manage employee transport across varying schedules.
• Public Transport Route Optimisation: Adjusting routes to meet changing demand, reducing unnecessary stops, and improving overall service.

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Our Success Story

Transforming City Tourism with On-Demand Transport

One of our projects showcases the impact of on-demand transport in a popular tourist destination, where improving accessibility and reducing travel inefficiencies were the primary challenges.

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The Challenge:

• Tourists experienced difficulty traveling within the area due to limited public transport options.
• Some key tourist spots were inaccessible through traditional means.
• Fixed bus routes led to long waiting times and underutilised buses at low-demand stops.

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The Solution:

We launched an on-demand transport service that offered multiple pick-up and drop-off points near popular landmarks. Visitors could easily book trips via a mobile app, and a call center was set up to assist elderly users with their bookings, ensuring no one was left behind.

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The Outcomes:

• Increased passenger numbers: Both locals & tourists were able to use the service, resulting in a significant uptick in passengers served.
• Improved accessibility: By offering more pick-up and drop-off stops strategically placed nearby popular landmarks, we made it easier for tourists to navigate the city at their own convenience.
• Elderly-friendly service: Our technology supports the inclusion of call center bookings, enabling elderly tourists to comfortably use the service and promoting mobility equity and inclusivity.

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Embracing mobility technology

The future of mobility depends on embracing adaptable solutions like demand-responsive transport (DRT). As cities face challenges from urbanisation and climate change, DRT offers a flexible way to reduce congestion, cut emissions, and ensure equitable access for all, including the elderly. Cities that lead with these innovations will shape smarter, more sustainable transportation systems for the future.

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