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
Evaluation of the benefits of mobile fare payment technology from the user and operator perspectives
May-2020
Study evaluating the benefits of smart ticketing for both operators and passengers. Operators found that less time was spent collecting fares - presumably lowering dwell times. Passengers were found to have spent less time purchasing a transport pass - possibly resulting in time savings for them.
Electronic ticketing systems as a mechanism for travel behaviour change? Evidence from Sydney's Opal card
Mar-2017
Study investigating the extent to which electronic ticketing systems can influence people to switch transport modes. Study finds significant reductions in car use and increases in use of trains. With the trend consistent across income groups, but more visible among elderly users.
The potential of e-ticketing for public transport planning - The Piedmont region case study
Dec-2016
Study investigating the viability of smart ticketing data for analysis of travel patterns and performance indicators. The study finds that high percentages of data (80%+) is reliable and can be used for further analysis.
Public transport users’ willingness to pay for a multi-county and multi-operator ticket
Jun-2022
Study investigating willingness to pay among public transport users for a multi-county, multi-operator integrated ticket. Study finds strong evidence that passengers are willing to pay, especially among men and non-commuting passengers.
Increasing the attractiveness of public transport by investing in soft ICT-based measures: Going from words to actions under an austerity backdrop - Thessaloniki’s case, Greece
Jul-15
Study focused on how an examination of user's needs and perceived public transport policy quality can be used in conjunction with the implementation of ICT to deliver improved services - or an improved perception of services - in an affordable manner.
Factors influencing the intention to use the common ticketing system (Spider card) in Thailand
May-2019
Study focused on passengers intention to use smartcards. Perceived value, performance expectancy and facilitating conditions had the most positive impact, whilst effort expectancy and social influence did not have an impact on likelihood to use the card.
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 future of rural bus services in the UK
Dec-2019
Report concerning the issues facing rural bus travel and potential solutions. The report highlights the decline in bus use, noting people who use rural bus services largely do so because it is the only option, or because it is free via concessionary tickets and that there was a need to improve rural bus services, or risk serious social impacts upon these users.
The future of the bus: future funding arrangements
Oct-2019
Report concerning how to improve the funding of buses, published pre-pandemic. Report highlights significant decreases in local funding for buses over a 10 year period, alongside a long term decline in passenger volumes.
The future of the bus: Policy and fiscal interventions as part of a National Bus Strategy
Sep-2019
Report detailing and advocating for policy and fiscal interventions necessary for supporting buses. Report focuses on the increasing usage across the country, clarifying the path to zero emission buses, better integration with other forms of transport and increasing the use of technology to improve services.
Supporting local authorities to improve local use and expand zero emission bus provision
Sep-2021
Report into how the Bus Back Better strategy might be achieved. The report finds that the capacity and capability to deliver the strategy varies greatly between authorities, that it is unclear how zero emission vehicle standards will be enforced in local authorities which have enhanced partnerships, that there is uncertainty about funding cycles, making local authorities postpone investment decisions and that there are gaps in knowledge concerning the acquisition of zero emission buses.
Funding local bus services in England
Jun-2022
Report in the funding of bus services. Report notes the severe impact the pandemic has had on the provision of bus services. Suggests that the current strategy has produced funding gaps, as LTAs with smaller transport teams are less capable of applying for funding. Report suggests ways this may be remedied, but ultimately recommends a substantial increase in funding for bus services.
A fare future for rail: blueprint for fares and ticketing reform
Oct-2023
Report advocating for a reform of rail fares and ticketing to make travelling by rail more affordable, accessible and appealing. The report lays out a series of reforms to be made, and advocates for an arms-length body to be established to execute them.
Better buses: Reforming bus funding
Nov-2024
Report advocating for changes to be made to the way buses are funded. The report recommends that funding should be allocated on the basis of need to reduce the funding gap between authorities, that there should be a bus service guarantee, with support provided to local authorities to ensure that it can be delivered, for long term, multi-modal funding settlements for all LTAs, to transfer all bus-related funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to the Department for Transport, and ensure it is ringfenced and transparent and requiring NHS trusts to coordinate transport provision with authorities, bus operators and community transport operators.
Identifying barriers to implementation of local transport policy - Lessons learned from case studies on bus policy in Great Britain
Mar-2020
Study focused on the implementation of local bus policy in Britain (excluding London). The study examines four case studies in four different cities - Tyne and Wear, Glasgow, Solihull and Dundee. The paper finds that policy champions, collaboration and relationship-building interaction help to ensure effective delivery.
Improving local bus services in England outside London
Oct-2020
Report into value for money in the local bus service system. Examined the effectiveness of the government's current (2020) support for local bus services and the extent to which enablers to improve local bus services are in place.
Oxford SmartZone
Feb-2015
A Review of the Oxford Smartzone - an inter-operable smart-ticketing system implemented by a collaboration between Oxford's two private bus suppliers. Report notes that Oxford has unique factors which have enabled this to happen, specifically the pro-bus attitude of local authorities, the unusual equally-split bus duopoly. Nonetheless the report suggests that this collaboration indicates that inter-operable smart ticketing systems can be implemented under the deregulated model such as the UK's.
Our vision for smart ticketing in the city regions
Jun-2019
Report advocating, and setting out a vision for the use of smart ticketing in the city regions. Report highlights the benefits of smart ticketing, advocates for central government action to give greater powers and funding to ensure effective implementation of smart ticketing, whilst cautioning the barriers to smart ticketing.
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.