The growing population demands more modern solutions in the public transit domain, advances in technology that facilitate the processes involved in the sector. Many more contributors contribute to the global public transit market for explosive growth. The Asia-Pacific regions, pursued by foreign countries such as Europe, are trailblazers in innovation and improving infrastructure, led by the desire to provide better services or environment and restrict CO2 emissions in big cities. The look of public transit in the year 2024? Let’s have a look!
Making the right decision during the financing
What comes first – the highway or the cars? It’s easy to believe that it is essential to finance new infrastructure because of many vehicles. But there is another way of looking at this issue: what if we built more pedestrian zones and expanded the public transit options people can choose what? As UK citizens already know, this is a viable route for driving. For example, after constructing a new way in Glasgow, car ownership in the area jumped. At the same time, a new guided busway with a parallel pedestrian and cycle path was constructed in Cambridge, leading to reduce car usage ratio.
It comes to show that infrastructure financing matters. While it’s impossible to improve the public transit system without the necessary changes in the infrastructure, it certainly shines a light on the direction we need to take.
Public Transportation by 2024
For sure, by 2024, public transportation will be much more technological. The introduction of mobile ticketing and other smartphone-operated technologies to facilitate the daily commute, combined with big data to optimize vehicle despatch, routes and schedules, will lead to a highly automated system. In addition, smart traffic regulation will ensure the safe and efficient flow of vehicles, further making public transportation a better choice than cars.
What are the elements of technology-centred solid public transit systems?
- Improved traffic infrastructure: Innovative traffic lights management, the introduction of bus lanes & improvements the bus services
Traffic crowding can slow down buses – and there isn’t always the option to create a light rail system. Smart traffic lights are an excellent way to control and optimize city traffic without expanding its infrastructure capacity. Implementing smart or innovative traffic management systems is already underway in many European Cities, thus providing a better public transport network.
Bus lanes can further speed up public transit – and in doing so, convert car users who are worth their time to public transit users. It can also increase productivity and reducing both costs and time.
Finally, introducing strategically positioned new bus stops can make the whole public transit system easier. In addition, placing interactive panels that help commuters plan their trip better and ticket selling machines to smooth their travel can also play a vital part in recognizing public transportation as a modern and user-friendly way to travel worldwide.
- Grouping of account-based ticketing system with the help of mobile phones
Mobile Ticketing is not a new concept; it has become an old concept in India and has been fully adapted by Indians. However, the Covid-19 pandemic helps and motivate people for contactless transactions.
Account-based systems can add up to the value a commuter gets from public transport, but they can also boost the whole system’s efficiency. In addition, collecting information can help city management make data-driven decisions that will reduce costs, improve fare collection ratio, and ultimately make public transit an inseparable part of the city’s traffic.
- Multiple Solutions to complement public transit
If Micro-mobility merged within the public transit system having the potential to solve two problems at the same time. Firstly, it can help solve the first mile/last mile problems in cities that don’t have a proficient transit system (or one that doesn’t have the potential to offer full coverage). Second, by providing the much-needed means of transportation between public transit vehicles and passengers’ final destination, traffic will reduce, parking spaces in the central areas of cities can be provided, and air pollution will decrease.
Secondly, it may turn into a whole new transportation system that replaces public transit and cars altogether in certain areas. It happens only when separate bike/scooters lanes and a ride-sharing and taxi platform is integrated within the public transit platform so commuters can plan from the beginning to the end of their journey over one application, paying combined fares which saves money. If the infrastructure is good enough, it may be a better solution for mid-range distances than buses and metro.
Multi-modality is a new way to work with what you already have to create an interlinked system of solutions. For example, an app connecting all these modes of transportation can help passengers decide on the best route and method for each trip – and get a better price each time.
Conclusion
With the prediction of 8.11% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) over the given period, public transit is becoming one of the essential parts of urban development. Moreover, the shift towards digital solutions will most probably be accelerated during the pandemic, putting more coercion on public transit agencies to move forward with upgrading their legacy systems. However, one thing is for sure – the future of public transportation is bright and full of innovation.
This article is firstly appeared on: https://telelink-city.com/future-public-transportation-trends-2024/