Who uses smartcard? Understanding public transport payment preference in developing contexts, a case study of Manila’s LRT-1
Apr-2019
Research into the demographics of the users of smartcards on the Metro Manilla Light Rail Transit Line. Study finds that groups with higher levels of education and a stable income/job are more likely to use a smart card, and that those with lower levels of education and an unstable income/job are more likely to use a single journey ticket. Additionally, the study considers the impact of the 'sachet economy' - in which goods are purchased in smaller quantities more frequently with the goal of more effective budgeting. This may explain why many lower income users prefer single journey tickets. The study suggests the consideration of this culture to produce smart ticketing solutions for lower income groups.
Identifying the structure of cities by clustering using a new similarity measure based on smartcard data
Apr-2019
Study makes use of a method for revealing the structure of cities via clustering analysis using a new similarity measure. Researchers apply the method to data for Seoul, South Korea, revealing that the proposed clustering process divides the city in relatively homogenous areas in terms of land use.
Analysing transit user behaviour with 51 weeks of smartcard data
Apr-2019
Study making use of smart ticketing to analyse user behaviour. Study classifies three types of users: Annual pass users - who are largely commuters, Monthly pass users - who generally had a regular and diverse use of transport, and Ticketbook users - who were generally occasional transit users. The study did find some exceptions to these findings however, such as consistent Ticketbook users and. users with 4 day work weeks
The cross-sector benefits of backing the bus
Mar-2019
Report advocating for greater support for bus services, largely through the lens of support it can provide to other governmental departments. E.g. the Department for Education may benefit as more young people will be able to access education, training or other opportunities due to a decrease in barriers such as high travel costs or inconsistent services.
Reversing the decline in rural bus services 2019
Report laying out the issues with rural bus services, what has caused these issues, potential solutions to these issues. The report highlights the value and importance of rural bus services and advocates a 10 point plan for improvement.
What’s driving bus patronage change? An analysis of the evidence base
Jan-2019
Report commenting on the factors that have influeced changes in passenger volumes. The report notes key trends which seem to influence bus use, most of which are unfavourable, e.g. a shift towards the expectation of personalised, on demand goods means people prefer taxis or private hire vehicles. The report also notes factors commonly found in areas which buck the trend in bus decline, these being: good quality bus service, unattractive or difficult car travel and denser urban areas.
Moving Forward Together
Report advocating for improved bus services by encouraging government to: develop a national bus strategy, commit to further investment in urban transport, incentivise local transport authorities to set bus journey time targets, avoid making major changes to the bus service operator grants, identify and trial alternative bus solutions in rural areas, endorse bus operators as preferred delivery partners for the rollout of smart ticketing and to agree on a joint roadmap to zero emissions transport.
A methodological framework for measuring the level of convenience of transport ticketing systems
Dec-2018
Research into the level of convenience for ticketing types used by public transport systems. The study develops a method of quantifying ticket convenience and concludes that methods of ticketing that make use of contactless bank cards are more convenient than traditional smart ticketing technologies.
Job-worker spatial dynamics in Beijing: Insights from smartcard data
Nov-2018
Study investigates if policies and projects aimed at decentralizing urban structure and job-worker patterns have produced a more balanced spatial configuration of jobs and workers. The paper finds that only a temporary balance appears around a few stations, that job-worker rations tend to steepening, not flattening and that the polycentric configuration of Beijing can be seen from the spatial patterns of job centres identified.
Three stages to better bus services using the Bus Services Act
Jul-2018
Report encouraging authorities to make use of the bus services act 2017 to enhance bus services. The three stages are: 1.) Take buses seriously - assemble stakeholders, develop plans, set targets and collect evidence on buses to develop best practice. 2.) Work out what powers are available - these include advanced quality partnerships, enhanced partnerships, multi-operator ticketing schemes and access to financial data. 3.) Decide what benefits you want to see.
The role of bus partnerships in Great Britain
Jun-2018
Study into the extent to which bus service partnerships can lead to improvements in bus services. The study finds that partnerships have increased investment and provided for greater communication between operators and authorities, leading to constructive augmentation of a typical market-based model.
Prospects in Britain in the light of the Bus Services Act 2017
Apri-2018
Paper provides an overview of Bus Services Act 2017, within the context of the deregulation that occurred during the 1980s. Study suggests that the act represents a shift from the extreme emphasis on competition between operators to having a greater emphasis on partnerships between operators and local government.
We need fare-free buses! It’s time to raise our sights
Mar-2018
Policy proposal advocating for fare-free buses, funded by a public transport payroll levy. The paper runs through a variety of case studies showcasing the feasibility of fareless public transport. Suggests that funding this proposal would be highly feasible as public money already accounts for 40% of bus operator revenue.
Using the bus - what young people think
Feb-2018
Report concerning how to encourage more young people to use buses, and to improve customer satisfaction among young people. The report notes some improvements made by bus operators including: cheaper and more comprehensible fares for those in full-time education, introducing free Wi-Fi and charging on buses and using mobile technology to provide smart ticketing and journey planning.
Verkehrsverbund: The evolution and spread of fully integrated regional transport in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland
Jan-2018
A study into the Verkehrsverbund model for transport operations. The model focuses on integration between services, and collaboration between operators and local governments. The study praises Verkehrsverbunde for improving quality and quantity of public transport services, increasing public transport mode share and reducing subsidies as a percent of revenue.
Individual mobility pattern prediction using smartcard data
Jan-2018
Study intends to develop a system of prediction for determining if a transport user will make another trip, and if so, the attributes of said trip. The researchers tested their methodology using smart card records from over 10,000 users in London, over two years. The model was able to achieve median accuracy levels of over 80%, with the study finding the first trip of the day hardest to predict. The study also found significant variations found across individuals, implying diverse travel behaviour patterns.
Action Plan: Information on Rail Fares and Ticketing
Dec-2017
Report produced to lay out clear actions to be taken to improve the passenger experience when buying and using train tickets. Report lays out a number of recommendations, focusing on how a passenger chooses their ticket, what ticket they are buying, where they buy their ticket, and how they but their ticket.
The 'True Value' of local bus services
Jul-2017
Study considering the value for money of local bus services, evaluating types of bus intervention (i.e. concessionary use, bus service operator grant) to determine, using a consistent framework, an assessment of these policies from a environmental, social and economic value perspective. Report concludes that investment in bus services provides significant value, both for other road users, and wider communities. Additionally, the report advocates for investment in interventions which improve the attractiveness of public transport via fare reductions or service improvements.
Evaluation of an integrated mobile payment, route planner and social network solution for public transport
Jun-2017
Paper presents a concept for an integrated mobile payment, route planning and social network platform for public transport. The concept aims to incorporate various features together to improve transport user experiences. The concept was tested in Porto, Portugal using a mobile app called OneRide. Results showed that users found the app to be highly valuable, with some users taking time to adapt to the concept.
Smarter Travel: The future of Ticketing
Apr-2017
Report on the results of a 2000 person survey of the UK public intended to understand how perceptions of smart ticketing systems are changing. Ultimately advocates for keeping systems simple, defining the scope of systems, ensure tangible benefits are provided/explained and provide for a variety of ways to interact with the system.