Experiences of Demand Responsive Transport System (DRTS) in Keski-Uusimaa/Finland

1
Experiences of Demand Responsive Transport System
(DRTS) in Keski-Uusimaa/Finland
2
Basis of Keski-Uusimaa DRTS

• service is available even for one customers
  request
• traffic dispatch centre (TDC) tries to put
  several passengers one vehicle
• service is part of the scheduled PT

3
DRTS basis in Keski-Uusimaa

• Passengers can choose free
• their place of departure and destination in the
  operation area
• time of the departure during the operation time
• If scheduled PT is available, passenger has to
  use it
• Dispatcher tries to combine the trips and agrees
  the suitable departure time with the passenger

4
Operational criteria in Keski-Uusimaa

• Authorities decide the regulation of the system
• The trip must be booked at least 3 hours in
  advance before the wanted departure time
• For handicapped persons the pre booking time is 2
  hours
• Dispatcher can change the departure time /- 35
  minutes
• TDC is open
• Mo Fri. 6.00 20.00
• Sa 8.00 16.00
• Trips can be made
• Mo Fri 5.30 22.00
• Sa 8.00 18.00
• Passenger pays in the vehicle
• Price is lower than taxi price and higher than
  bus ticket

5
DRTS concept in Keski-Uusimaa area
Taxi

• TDC
• Optimization
• Combination
• Choice of vehicles
• The nearest suitable

Transport operation
Booking phone, SMS, email
Minibus
Customer
6
Operations made in Keski-Uusimaa/Nurmijärvi

1. Cut down routes which have only few passengers
   and focus to main routes
2. Today we need 34 buses for bus lines
3. Before we had 48 buses for bus lines
4. From areas which are out of scheduled bus
   services, is dogging system to buses with DRTS
5. Results
6. Better service to passengers
7. Better economy to bus lines
8. Municipalities save money, when it is paying only
   the trips which are needed

7
Bus lines today bus lines before
8
Advantages to the passengers in the DRTS

• people can make their trips, when it is suitable
  for them, not only when the bus or train is
  scheduled to go by
• equal public transport services for all citizens
• the level of public transport service is better
  compared to the traditional scheduled bus and
  train system

9
Advantages for the municipalities and authorities

• DRTS brings the equality of PT to all citizens
• DRTS gives better service for less money in PT
  than today especially in rural areas
• Cut down of special transport costs (for
  disabled and elderly)
• Cut down of administrative work
• Diminished cheating of social money

10
Advantages when TDC responsible for all operations

• Authorities have only one partner, who has the
  responsibility of all operations
• -gt easy to tender
• -gt easy to negotiate for the authorities
• Forces to more and more economic operation -gt
  cheaper price to the authorities
• Quality can easily be controlled and is good

11
Demands for the TDC

1. Cost-effective operation in the TDC
2. All information should be given to the passenger
   during the first call
3. The call should be as short as possible
4. Digital map is optional
5. Easy and reliable connection between TDC and
   vehicles
6. Software is flexible

12
Demands for the Software

• Easy to operate for the dispatchers
• The dispatchers should be involved in developing
• Concept and software must be developed all the
  time
• Software must allow the concept development. Easy
  to modify for different kinds of operations.
• 4. Can be used to different kinds of
  transportation (and other) operations.
• 5. Can handle fast a lot of passengers if needed