Innovations

Public Transport Seats

Code

PTC.8

Title

Public Transport Seats

Case study/reference

A transit application currently widely used in many cities worldwide is Moovit. Moovit helps its users find the fastest, least crowded route by combining the use of official transit data and tracking the movements of its users. Users can report how crowded a Public Transport mode is and provide other users with recommendations on which vehicles/routes to avoid, but the application does not inform users about where exactly available free seats exist. Another similar application was launched by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) of Singapore. It is called MyTransport.SG and it includes accurate bus arrival information and space availability on arriving buses. The users have access to colour-coded information that can help them decide if they want to take the arriving bus, or wait for the next one. Green colour indicates that there are seats available, yellow colour shows that standing place is available, while red corresponds to “limited standing”. An application of this kind was recently introduced in Australia as well. The TripView app give commuters of NSW real-time information on bus loading. There is also an application in Israel (NetBus) which uses crowdsourced information about crowded buses as well as accidents, delays etc. Nevertheless, all these applications do not inform their users about the specific seats that are available, and this is a strong novel attribute of the Public Transport Seats application.

Channel NewsAsia (2015), “How packed is the arriving bus? There are apps for that”, Singapore, [Online] Available from: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/how-packed-is-the-arriving-bus-there-are-apps-for-that-8267454

Dickey, M.R. (2013), “Moovit, the transit app that helps you avoid crowded subways and buses, just raised $28 Million”, Business Insider, [Online] Available from: http://www.businessinsider.com/moovit-raises-28-million-2013-12

Reilly, C. (2016), “Real-time Opal data now lets you track how full your bus is”, c.net, [Online] Available from: https://www.cnet.com/au/news/real-time-opal-data-now-lets-you-track-how-full-your-bus-is-trip-view/

Shamah, D. (2013), “Dude, where’s my bus? The new GPS-driven app Netbus is Waze without the car”, Start – up Israel, [Online] Available from: http://www.timesofisrael.com/dude-wheres-my-bus/

Recommendations for the design

Public Transport Seats applications should be designed carefully and many options regarding the type of sensors that could be used should be explored before deciding which one is more suitable for each case. The design that will be followed depends amongst others on the transport mode (differences between fixed track means and non-fixed track means) and the urban scale; different scales certainly mean different amount of money required for the initial investment etc. Potential synergies could be searched between the responsible PTA/PTO and the private sector and probably agree on a business model that will results to a win-win situation for all (if for example the sensors are provided in a lower price in return to on-board marketing etc.).

Recommendations for the implementation

The implementation of the innovation (in this case, the launching of the app) could be accompanied by a “promotion period’ by the PTA or PTO, in order to boost its use, at least during the first critical period of time, until it becomes popular. A way to promote the app is for example through smart messages that could appear on VMS screens at stops/stations as well as within the vehicle (bus/metro).

Brief description

Public Transport Seats is an app that helps commuters to identify free seats in any Public Transport mode. It is particularly useful during peak time, due to the fact that it helps avoiding the undesired consequences of travelling standing on a crowded bus/metro/tram, and thus it increases the quality of time spending on board.

Full description

Public Transport Seats is an app that passengers can use to find out, which parts of a vehicle are less crowded and therefore it is more likely to have available seats. In most cases, seats in Public Transport modes cannot be reserved, so during rush hour people are often inclined to enter the vehicle in the middle, while there is probably more room in the back or front of it. This app will attempt to solve this problem, using sensors mounted in the seats to identify where exactly there is a free space.

CIPTEC score

3.3